Tyangela Sanders begins her second season with the UCF track and field team after being hired by head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert in July of 2008.
Her role at UCF includes serving as the coach of the cross country program. She handles the cross country program on a day-to-day basis, running practices and instructing the athletes.
During track season, Sanders primarily works with the long and middle distance runners and long hurdlers. She also serves as the program[apos]s academic liason and community service coordinator. Sanders also assists with recruiting.
In 2009, she coached sophomore Jackie Coward to the Conference USA 400-meter hurdles championship. Coward, sophomore Aisha-Maree Frazier and senior Shantile Blackburn also advanced to the NCAA outdoor regionals under Sanders[apos] guidance.
[quote]Tyangela brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. She has helped our program grow in numerous areas,[quote] said Smith Gilbert. [quote]Her experience at a high level helps our team as we strive to be one of the nation[apos]s elite programs.[quote]
On the cross country side, Sanders has helped the program transition onto a new on-campus course and host four meets over her two seasons. She has also led the team to four team meet titles, including three at the UCF Cross Country Complex.
Working with the cross country program, she also serves as the team[apos]s meet coordinator.
In her eight years of coaching prior to joining Smith Gilbert[apos]s staff at UCF, Sanders coached five individual national champions, six All-Americans, 17 national finalists and 10 state champion performers. Twenty-four athletes under Sanders were state finalists while nine claimed state champion event titles.
Prior to joining the Knights[apos] staff, Sanders worked as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Knoxville (Tenn.) West High School from 2004-08. Knoxville West claimed one state championship while Sanders was on the staff. Coward, a four-time national champion, competed at Knoxville West under Sanders.
While working at the high school level, Sanders served four years as the executive director and head coach of Track Knoxville from 2004-08. Sanders helped create the club level program and worked with athletes in the sprints, hurdles and relays.
She also coached Thomas Oatts, a 2006 Nike All-America honoree in the hurdles, who is currently attending Georgia Tech. Oatts also won state championships in the 300-meter hurdles and as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team. Oatts was a Great Southwest finalist in the 300-meter hurdles and was ranked tenth nationally in the 400-meter hurdles in 2006.
Starting in 1999, Sanders began her coaching career at her alma mater, the University of Tennessee, where she served as a recruiting assistant.
Sanders was a standout student-athlete at Tennessee. In 1999, she garnered All-America honors in the 4x400-meter relay after finishing sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. That same season, she received All-Southeastern Conference recognition following the league[apos]s indoor and outdoor meets.
She received her bachelor[apos]s degree in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice in 2003.
As a prep standout at Knoxville West, Sanders was a three-time Tennessee High School Athletics Association state champion.
Sanders resides in Orlando with her son, Takaree Marsh.