University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Kirk Meche
T&F Add Three Staff Members
August 21, 2026 | Track & Field
ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia's track and field teams have hired a new Director of Operations, a distance assistant and added a jumps/multis assistant as the 2026-27 academic year begins, according to an announcement from Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert.
Katie Althoff is the new distance assistant for Adam Tribble, Janek Õiglane has officially joined forces with Ryan Baily and Darry Shaw to help coach the Bulldog jumpers and combined event athletes and Perry Waddell has returned to his alma mater to serve as the program's Director of Operations.
Althoff, a native of Sioux Falls, S.D., was hired over the summer after earning an undergraduate degree from Santa Clara and two master's degrees from Ohio State while competing for those schools' distance programs. She earned 2025 All-Great Lakes Region honors in cross country and All-Big Ten Second Team accolades during the outdoor season of her final year at Ohio State. The 2026 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar was a three-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection who also earned the 2025 Big Ten Cross Country Sportsmanship Award.
Althoff was 15th at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Great Lakes Regional and competed at the 2025 then 2026 NCAA East Prelims in the steeplechase after taking second in the event at the 2026 Big Ten Championships. In addition, Althoff ran at the 2024 NCAA West Prelims while suiting up for Santa Clara during her undergraduate years.
Õiglane, a native of Estonia, was added as a full-time assistant for Baily and his event group after Õiglane served as a volunteer assistant for five years with the program while continuing his own training. He was fifth in the decathlon at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and has three top six finishes at the World Championships during his career in the combined events.
As a coach, Õiglane has been instrumental during Georgia's run to three straight women's NCAA track and field team titles (2025 outdoors, 2026 indoors/outdoors). Most recently, he and Baily's group made 11 improvements to the school's all-time top 10 lists, including school records in the men's indoor and outdoor high jump and outdoor pole vault.
Waddell, a 2020 graduate of UGA, previously served as the Director of Operations for the University of North Carolina track & field and cross country program where he worked in the role for three years. During his time in Chapel Hill, Waddell was a part of the 2023 ACC men's cross country champion squad as well as the 2024 men's indoor ACC championship team. The UNC men's cross country team placed in the top six at the NCAA Championships on three consecutive occasions while the men's track team placed in the top 10 at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships during Waddell's tenure.
Waddell joined the Tar Heels staff following six years with the Bulldog track & field and cross country program in Athens, where he finished his time as executive assistant to the head coach. He spent nearly three years as a student manager for the Bulldogs, became a graduate assistant for two more years and eventually was promoted to a full-time position. As a student manager, Waddell was a member of the Bulldogs' 2018 NCAA women's indoor championship team in addition to the 2018 NCAA men's outdoor title squad. Georgia recorded a total of 10 NCAA outdoor top 10 finishes and nine top 10 indoor placements while Waddell was on staff. In addition to their 2018 indoor championship, the Lady Bulldogs earned two runner-up indoor finishes and a pair of second-place outdoor finishes. The men's team finished among the top 10 in both the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships each of Waddell's six seasons working with the UGA.
Where To Find Bulldog News: Results and recaps from all Georgia track and field action can be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.
Katie Althoff is the new distance assistant for Adam Tribble, Janek Õiglane has officially joined forces with Ryan Baily and Darry Shaw to help coach the Bulldog jumpers and combined event athletes and Perry Waddell has returned to his alma mater to serve as the program's Director of Operations.
Althoff, a native of Sioux Falls, S.D., was hired over the summer after earning an undergraduate degree from Santa Clara and two master's degrees from Ohio State while competing for those schools' distance programs. She earned 2025 All-Great Lakes Region honors in cross country and All-Big Ten Second Team accolades during the outdoor season of her final year at Ohio State. The 2026 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar was a three-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection who also earned the 2025 Big Ten Cross Country Sportsmanship Award.
Althoff was 15th at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Great Lakes Regional and competed at the 2025 then 2026 NCAA East Prelims in the steeplechase after taking second in the event at the 2026 Big Ten Championships. In addition, Althoff ran at the 2024 NCAA West Prelims while suiting up for Santa Clara during her undergraduate years.
Õiglane, a native of Estonia, was added as a full-time assistant for Baily and his event group after Õiglane served as a volunteer assistant for five years with the program while continuing his own training. He was fifth in the decathlon at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and has three top six finishes at the World Championships during his career in the combined events.
As a coach, Õiglane has been instrumental during Georgia's run to three straight women's NCAA track and field team titles (2025 outdoors, 2026 indoors/outdoors). Most recently, he and Baily's group made 11 improvements to the school's all-time top 10 lists, including school records in the men's indoor and outdoor high jump and outdoor pole vault.
Waddell, a 2020 graduate of UGA, previously served as the Director of Operations for the University of North Carolina track & field and cross country program where he worked in the role for three years. During his time in Chapel Hill, Waddell was a part of the 2023 ACC men's cross country champion squad as well as the 2024 men's indoor ACC championship team. The UNC men's cross country team placed in the top six at the NCAA Championships on three consecutive occasions while the men's track team placed in the top 10 at the 2024 NCAA Indoor Championships during Waddell's tenure.
Waddell joined the Tar Heels staff following six years with the Bulldog track & field and cross country program in Athens, where he finished his time as executive assistant to the head coach. He spent nearly three years as a student manager for the Bulldogs, became a graduate assistant for two more years and eventually was promoted to a full-time position. As a student manager, Waddell was a member of the Bulldogs' 2018 NCAA women's indoor championship team in addition to the 2018 NCAA men's outdoor title squad. Georgia recorded a total of 10 NCAA outdoor top 10 finishes and nine top 10 indoor placements while Waddell was on staff. In addition to their 2018 indoor championship, the Lady Bulldogs earned two runner-up indoor finishes and a pair of second-place outdoor finishes. The men's team finished among the top 10 in both the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships each of Waddell's six seasons working with the UGA.
Where To Find Bulldog News: Results and recaps from all Georgia track and field action can be found at georgiadogs.com. News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.
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