Patrick Gildea was named the director of cross country and track & field at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, bringing with him extensive experience as a Division I student-athlete, professional competitor and collegiate coach.
Gildea joined IUP after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga beginning in 2023. During his tenure with the Mocs, he helped guide both the men’s and women’s cross country programs to top-20 finishes in the highly competitive NCAA Division I South Regional. He also played a key role in recruiting and mentoring student-athletes to personal records, all-conference selections and individual conference championships.
Under Gildea’s tutelage at UTC, several athletes earned notable accolades, including Ryleigh Simmons, the first sprinter in program history to win a Southern Conference title in the 100 meters. Lesley Boyd and Maddie Wheatcroft finished first and third, respectively, in the 5,000 meters, while Emma Thweatt earned Southern Conference All-Freshman honors in the 10,000 meters during the 2025 outdoor season.
A former standout student-athlete at the University of Tennessee, Gildea competed in cross country and track and field in the early 2000s. He helped the Volunteers capture the 2002 Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship and earned all-region honors in cross country in 2001 and 2002. Gildea was named to the All-SEC Team, earned SEC Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors and was recognized as the team’s Most Valuable Runner. He was also one of only two Tennessee runners to score in every race of the season and received the Vega-Watts Award, given for the greatest sacrifice to compete for the team.
Following his collegiate career, Gildea competed professionally in track and field, earning multiple top-10 finishes in national competitions in 2008 and 2009. He gained international recognition with selections to two International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championship events in 2006 and 2008 and placed seventh in the 10,000 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Gildea began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Saint Francis University from 2010-12, where he coached multiple All-Northeast Conference performers in both cross country and track and field. He later served as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at West High School from 2012-20 while also fulfilling teaching responsibilities.
As the leader of IUP’s cross country and track & field programs, Gildea brings a comprehensive background in athlete development, recruiting and program building, with a strong emphasis on academic success and the student-athlete experience.
