Eric Sambolec is entering his second year as a member of the Bombers’ coaching staff after being a head coach at the junior college and high school levels.
Sambolec previously served as the head women’s cross country and assistant track & field coach at Lansing Community College (Mich.), leading the team to four NJCAA Region XII titles and four top-five finishes at the NJCAA National Championship meet. Sambolec was named the NJCAA Region XII and MCCAA Coach of the Year four times (2002-05) as his athletes earned 42 all-American honors and set 10 school records.
Prior to his arrival at Lansing, Sambolec was the head cross country and assistant track & field coach at Mount Saint Mary Academy in Tonawanda, N.Y., where his teams set 19 school, league or course records. He recorded the best won-loss record in school history and guided three state qualifiers.
Sambolec is a 1999 Ithaca graduate, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He earned 10 varsity letters as a member of the Bombers’ cross country and track & field teams and was the cross country team captain as a senior. He earned three all-NYSCTC honors and was a NCAA all-region performer as a junior.
Sambolec received his master’s degree in psychology from Michigan State in 2002, where he also earned his Ph.D. in social & personality psychology with a minor in sport psychology in 2006. His research emphasis was on group and individual motivation. Sambolec is a USATF Level I certified track & field coach and has a USATF Level II certification in endurance.
