Sheldon Hutchinson joined the Navy track and field program as an assistant coach in October 2021. Hutchinson works with Navy’s long-jumpers and triple-jumpers while also assisting the staff with recruiting and other duties as assigned.
2024-25
Hutchinson’s long jump and triple jump groups contributed to another successful year for Navy track & field, sweeping the Army-Navy Star Series and capturing two Patriot League team titles.
Junior Colby Fahrney led all jumpers at the Patriot League Indoor Championship with a fifth-place finish, recording a leap of 7.14m (23' 5.25”), helping the men’s team win their fifth straight indoor title. Triple jumpers Gary Choice III (14.37m / 47' 1.75”).
The men’s squad had a strong showing at the Army-Navy Indoor Star Meet, earning their sixth consecutive indoor star. William Pierce (7.16m / 23' 6”) and Fahrney (7.02m / 23' 0.5”) placed second and third, respectively, in the long jump. Choice highlighted the triple jumpers with a career-best mark of 14.63m (48' 0”) to place second. Hutchinson also coached freshman Zoie Tesi during her breakout season, where she finished second in the triple jump with a mark of 11.52m (37' 9.5”).
Hutchinson’s men’s squad contributed significantly to Navy’s 11th consecutive Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Joe Hurt led the way in the triple jump with a bronze-medal performance of 15.01m (49' 3”), medaling for the second consecutive year at the outdoor league championship. Sebasteon Allen also placed in the top five with a mark of 14.96m (49' 1”) to take fifth. Wyatt Shaw was the lone Mid to score in the long jump, placing sixth with a jump of 7.12m (23' 4.5”).
On the women’s side, Bollinger recorded the second-best triple jump mark in school history, jumping 12.30m (40' 4.25”) to place fourth. She also finished in the top five in the long jump with a distance of 5.92m (19' 5.25”).
The women’s jumpers shined in the victory over Army to secure the program’s 24th consecutive indoor/outdoor Star Meet win. Bollinger won the triple jump with a mark of 12.02m (39' 5.25”) and Tesi placed third at 11.61m (38' 1.25”). Bollinger’s strong performance continued in the long jump, where she placed third with a mark of 5.69m (18' 8”).
On the men’s side, Allen led the triple jump with a third-place finish at 15.01m (49' 3”), while Simmons finished fourth in the long jump at 6.90m (22' 7.75”).
Hutchinson coached three athletes—Choice, Fahrney, and Shaw—to IC4A All-East honors for placing in the top eight in their events at the IC4A/ECAC Championships. Choice finished seventh in the triple jump with a mark of 14.08m (46' 4.25”), Fahrney placed fifth in the long jump at 6.98m (22' 10.75”), and Shaw took third with a mark of 7.17m (23' 6.25”).
2023-24
Navy jumpers had another successful year under the guidance of Hutchinson that featured a Patriot League Champion and a Second-Team All-Patriot League honoree. The Navy Track & Field program continued its run of dominant seasons, combining to win four Army-Navy Star Meets and four Patriot League conference titles and had a perfect 3-0 record.
Senior Jordan Payne capped off a stellar indoor season as he won his second title in the triple jump in his career at the Patriot League Championship by recording a mark of 14.57m (47' 9.75"). The Mids have won the event in five of the last six indoor championships. Also at the league championship, Sebasteon Allen (five points) placed fourth in the event with a top jump of 14.25m (46' 9"). On the women’s side, Sami Bollinger (11.82m / 38' 9.5") and Giulia Mesa (11.56m / 37' 11.25") earned fifth and eighth place, respectively, in the triple jump to conclude the big day for the long jumpers.
The men’s team swept the triple jump event in the annual Army-Navy Star Meet presented by USAA with Payne (14.59m / 47' 10.5") and Allen (14.42m / 47' 3.75") placed first and second, respectively, to score a combined eight points. In the long jump, freshman William Pierce registered the top distance in the long jump in his career at 7.32m (24' 0.25") to finish second overall. Aidan Featherby placed third with a jump of 7.13m (23' 4.75"). in a dominant win over the Black Knights, 103-78.
The women’s long jumpers also displayed a dominant performance over Army as they earned the maximum points in the triple jump. Sami Bollinger won the event with a jump of 12.01m (39' 5"). Giulia Mesa posted a second-place finish with a mark of 11.77m (38' 7.5"). Mesa also had an impressive performance in the long jump. She tied the eighth-farthest distance in program history at 5.82m (19' 1.25") to take second place. Mayu Gayton took third in the long jump at 5.78m (18' 11.75").
Hutchinson’s jumpers had a big day in contributing at the league outdoor championships. It started with all four athletes scoring in the triple jump including Patriot League Champion Allen who recorded a mark of 14.22m (46' 8") to win the event. Joe Hurt (14.03m / 46' 0.5") and Payne (14.02m / 46' 0") were separated by just 0.01m to place third and fourth, respectively. They totaled a combined 11 points. Aidan Featherby (two points) was the additional scorer for posting a distance of 13.67m (44' 10.25") to finish in seventh place. On the women’s side, Giulia Mesa claimed third place in the triple jump with a distance of 11.99m (39' 4"). Sami Bollinger took sixth place for recording a mark of 11.68m (38' 4"). The duo aided the Mids in scoring nine points.
Against Army, Navy scored eight points in the triple jump. Bollinger made her outdoor season debut and won the event with a distance of 12.20m (40' 0.5"). Mesa placed second with a top mark of 11.89m (39' 0.25"). Additionally, she scored three points in the long jump for taking second place with a distance of 5.56m (18' 3") to capture the star, 111-92.
2022-23
Hutchinson’s jumpers were vital to Navy’s success in sweeping the Indoor and Outdoor Patriot League Track and Field Championships for the second-straight season and posting a 4-0 record against Army in the Army-Navy Star Series.
Hutchinson guided Molly Chapman into one of the top field athletes in the Patriot League during her senior campaign. Chapman was named the Patriot League Women’s Field Athlete of the Meet at both the indoor and outdoor conference championship. She claimed gold in both the long jump (5.87m / 19' 3.25") and triple jump (12.30m / 40' 4.25") at the indoor championship. At the outdoor championship, Chapman won the long jump (5.85m / 19' 2.5") and placed third in the triple jump with a new school-record distance (12.33m / 40' 5.5"). She was also recognized as the Patriot League Women’s Field Athlete of the Week on Jan. 24.
Other key jumpers from the women’s team included junior Gulia Mesa and sophomore Sammi Bollinger. Mesa recorded a season-best long jump mark of 5.58m (18' 3.75") to place sixth at the Patriot League Indoor Championship. At the outdoor championship, she finished fifth overall in the triple jump (12.10m / 39' 8.5"). Bollinger contributed at the outdoor championship with a seventh-place finish in the triple jump (11.85m / 38' 10.5"). Her top triple jump mark of the outdoor season earned her a second-place finish in the Army-Navy Star Meet (12.11m / 39' 8.75").
Sophomores Aidan Featherby and Sebasteon Allen both earned second-place finishes at the indoor championship for the men’s team. Featherby placed second in the long jump with the second-best mark in school history (7.50m / 24' 7.25") and Allen took second place in the triple jump (14.63m / 48' 0"). Allen also scored in the outdoor championship by placing third in the triple jump (14.63m / 48' 0"). Featherby scored in both the long jump (7.04m / 23' 1.25") and triple jump (14.07m / 46' 2") by placing sixth and seventh, respectively at the outdoor conference meet.
Jordan Payne’s junior season was highlighted by a second-finish in the triple jump at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship (15.12m / 49' 7.25"). He also claimed a medal in the triple jump at the indoor championship by placing third overall (14.38m / 47’ 2.25”). Payne also earned IC4A All-East honors by placing sixth in the triple jump (14.45m / 47’ 5”) at the IC4A Outdoor Championship.
Senior Caden Dailey claimed the bronze medal in the long jump at the outdoor championship with his best distance of the season (7.20m / 23' 7.5"). At the indoor championship, he finished fourth in the long jump (7.29m / 23' 11") and eighth in the triple jump (13.44m / 44' 1.25") despite competing in the triple jump for the first time in three years.
2021-22
The indoor men’s season was highlighted by freshman Aidan Featherby (Long Jump) and sophomore Jordan Payne earning First Team All-Patriot League honors, and Nahshon Houston (Long Jump) earning Second Team All-Patriot League honors help the men’s team capture their 12th Patriot League Indoor Conference Championship in program history.
Sebasteon Allen claimed a Patriot League Rookie of the Week accolade (Jan 18.) for a victory in the triple jump versus Princeton.
Featherby was also a standout amongst the Midshipmen jumpers during the outdoor season, earning First Team All-Patriot League honors in the triple jump. His success, along with Houston’s Second Team All-Patriot League honor in the long jump helped the men’s team secure their eighth straight Patriot League Outdoor Conference Championship and ninth total in program history.
Caden Daily took home the Patriot League Outdoor Athlete of the Week award (April 12) for a victory in the long jump at the Larry Ellis Invitational. Joe Hurt claimed the Patriot League Rookie of the Week award (April 5) for a victory in the triple jump versus Army. He was also one of 10 Midshipmen at the 2022 NCAA East Preliminaries in Bloomington, Ind.
Breanna Mealer (Long Jump) was the top jumper for the women’s team during the indoor season, earning a First Team All-Patriot League honor to help the women’s team capture their sixth Patriot League Indoor Conference Championship.
Mealer also posted a school-record performance of 6.03m (19-09.50) in the long jump.
Molly Chapman earned a Patriot League Field Athlete of the Week award for her victories in the high jump and triple jump versus Army.
Chapman put herself on the awards list again in the outdoor season, earning First Team All-Patriot League recognition in the triple jump to give the women their fourth-consecutive conference championship and sixth in program history.
Freshman Sami Bollinger notched a school-record outdoor performance in the triple jump with a distance of 12.29m (40-04.00).
Nebraska
Prior to joining the Navy staff, Hutchinson worked at Nebraska as a volunteer assistant coach for three seasons (2018-21). He arrived in Lincoln from Maricopa, Ariz. where he served as a head coach for track and field at the middle school / high school level (2008-18).
While at Nebraska, Hutchinson worked directly with several student-athletes that claimed All-Big Ten accolades, including Lishanna Ilves, Angie Mercurio, Shylia Rylie, and Ieva Turke on the women’s side and Papay Glaywulu and Elijah Lucy on the men’s team. Ilves and Mercurio also excelled at the national level as the duo each earned Second Team All-America distinction in the long jump and triple jump, respectively. During his tenure, the Husker men’s track and field team was crowned Big Ten indoor champions for the 2019 season.
High School Coaching
Before joining the Nebraska coaching staff, Hutchinson was a teacher and head coach at the prep level for 10 years.
Hutchinson started his coaching career at Desert Wind Middle School in Maricopa, Ariz., serving as head track and field coach from 2008 to 2014. He built the track and field program within the first year of the school’s opening, teaching students the importance of technique and injury prevention in track and field. Hutchinson was made the science department head at Desert Wind in 2009.
He moved to Maricopa High School in 2014, remaining as the head coach until 2018. While at Maricopa, he oversaw over 120 student-athletes, guiding the track and field program through endurance, speed-endurance, speed, and agility workouts. In addition, Hutchinson taught chemistry and physics, using Arizona State Teaching Standards in creative and motivating methods.
College Career
Collegiately, Hutchinson competed on the Nebraska track and field team from 1998-03. He was a three-time All-American, earning the honor in 1999, 2000, and 2001 in the triple jump. Twenty years after setting the school records, he sat in third on the Nebraska top 10 list in the triple jump during the indoor season for his leap of 16.39m (53-09.25) in 2000, while also ranking third in the Husker top 10 list in the triple jump for the outdoor season with his jump of 16.22m (53-02.75) in 1999. His record leap of 16.39m (53-09.25) in the triple jump at the Big XII Outdoor Championships in 2000 stood until 2010.
Personal
A native of Gaithersburg, Md., Hutchinson graduated from Nebraska in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in educational sciences, kinesiology, and exercise science. He earned a master’s degree in education, teacher education, and professional development from the University of Phoenix in 2010.
