ITHACA, N.Y. -- A trio of changes have shaken up the coaching staff for the Cornell track and field program, with one departure, one addition and one promotion helping to fill out the staff for the 2010-11 season. Coupled with the retirement of throwing coach Mark Bilyk, the new-look staff will still have several familiar faces as the Big Red seeks to continue its unprecedented success in the Ivy League.

In addition to Bilyk's retirement, sprints coach Kevin Thompson has left the team to rejoin his wife, Michelle, in New Orleans, where she has been serving as an assistant professor at the University of New Orleans. Thompson is helping to lead reconstruction efforts in that city as it continues to recover from the destruction of Hurricane Katrina.

Moving into a full-time coaching role from the the interim spot he held previously will be men's distance coach Robert Johnson. Johnson will be beginning his ninth season with the Big Red.

"In his eight years with the Cornell program, Robert's athletes have become a major force within the Heps and beyond, winning numerous titles and establishing Ivy League all-time bests in the distance medley relay and the 4 x Mile relay," said Nathan Taylor, the George E. Heekin '29 Coach of Men's Track & Field and Cross Country. "His athletes stand among the very best performers in Cornell history, and I'm very excited about the continued success of the mid-distance and distance portions of the program.

"In the last three years alone, he has directed runners Zach Hine, Chris Arlinghaus, Jim Wyner and Sage Canaday to Heptagonal championships, along with Nate Edelman and Adrien Dannemiller, who have advanced to the NCAA finals."

Joining the staff for the 2010-11 season will be Megan Johnson, who will coach the Big Red throwers. Johnson comes to Cornell after spending the last three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at Washington State, from where she graduated in 2007. Johnson has worked with many top-flight and NCAA qualifying competitors in the throwing events during her time in Pullman.

"Megan will be a perfect fit with the Cornell program and a compliment to our deep and experienced coaching staff," Taylor said. "Her enthusiasm and technical background will challenge the athletes to perform at even greater heights than before. We are saddened to have Mark Bilyk move on, but are confident that with Megan, we will not miss a beat."

The Cornell men's track and field program has captured 13 of the last 16 Heptagonal track and field championships, including each of the last eight outdoor titles. No other school in the illustrious history of the Heptagonal games has ever won eight straight indoor or outdoor championships.