Marty Vajen, the 2023 USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Indoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year, just completed his fifth year as intern assistant coach of the men’s and women’s cross country and track & field programs at Washington & Jefferson in 2022-23.
Vajen helped coach W&J to its first-ever PAC men's track and field indoor title in February of 2023. Vajen's athletes scored 53 of the Presidents' 127 points in winning the the PAC Indoor Championship. Vajen jumpers and hurdlers won the PAC long jump and finished runner-up in the 60 hurdles and triple jump while adding third-place finishes in the high jump and triple jump.Â
During his time with the Presidents, Vajen has coached 13 conference champions (6 indoor, 7 outdoor), 22 runner-up finishes and nine third place efforts. Vajen had 44 student-athletes earn All-PAC honors since the start of his time at W&J. Five school records have been broken by Vajen's athletes.
He joined the Presidents following two seasons as the track & field and cross country assistant coach at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio. His responsibilities included the recruitment of student-athletes, meet management, and training. Vajen’s knowledge centered on sprints, jumps, and hurdles.
Before becoming a coach, Vajen was a standout on the Muskie track team. With success on the track and in the classroom, the Lancaster, Ohio, native was named to the Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Team.
While at Muskingum, Martin earned a master’s degree in Adult Education in May of 2018 and a bachelor’s degree in Biology in May of 2016.
