Bernie Empie enters his 16th year as head coach of both the men’s and women’s track & field programs at Bloomsburg University and his 16th year as head coach of both cross country programs beginning in the fall of 2023. In his first year guiding the women’s cross country team, Empie led the Huskies to a 17th place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships. Since then, the cross country and track programs have only continued to grow and build on that momentum. Over the past 15 years under Empie’s guidance, the lady Huskies have rewritten the Bloomsburg University Track & Field record books.
Since Empie’s tenure as head coach, the women’s track & field team has broken a total of 36 out of a possible 43 school records. As a freshman, Kelly Leszcynski rewrote the record book for the javelin under Empie's tutelage. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Leszcynski broke the school record on three consecutive throws before earning first team All-American honors with a final toss of 47.65 meters to take home fourth place. In 2021-22, Ashley Blannard became the newest record holder when she set a new outdoor record in the triple jump (12.14 meters). Blannard also went on to claim a pair of PSAC titles at the Outdoor Championships and was named the Most Outstanding Field Athlete of the Meet. During the 2019-20 indoor season, the Huskies broke three records – the 800-meter run (2:15.92 • Kathryn Blair), the Pentathlon (3180 points • Amanda Aulenbach), and the 4x800-meter relay (9:24.46 • Autumn Avery, Kathryn Blair, Nicole Keeley, Riley Snyder).
On the men’s side, the Huskies hold 17 school records under Empie and set three records during the 2019-20 indoor season. Hank Anderson (60-meter hurdles • 8.19), Tyler Bailey (800-meter run • 1:56.68), and Matthew Hart (weight throw • 17.30 meters) all picked up their school records during the 2019-20 season.
In taking over the program, Coach Empie inherited a team that struggled to score a single point at the conference championship meet in 2008. Nine years later, the Huskies had an historic year, earning a runner-up finish at the Indoor PSAC Championships - the program’s highest place in school history. Their team score of 111 points bested the program’s previous high point total at an indoor conference championship meet by 40 points. With a competition roster of 20 athletes in comparison to the team champion’s 32, Bloomsburg came within four points of taking the title. This effort earned Empie the second PSAC Coach of the Year honor of his career. His first honor came in 2014, when he was named the PSAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year after his team placed second at both the PSAC and Regional meets, advancing to the National Championship. At the National meet, three of his seven runners came away as All-Americans, as the team placed 14th overall – their highest finish at a national championship in program history. In Empie’s nine years as head coach, the program has seen fourteen individual PSAC Champions.
In addition to Empie’s success at the conference level, his leadership is also reflected on a national scale. BU’s cross country and track and field programs have seen representation at the DII National Championships in seven of the past nine years. While at Bloomsburg, Empie has guided four cross country teams to Nationals and has produced four individual All-Americans. On the track, Empie has mentored seven NCAA qualifiers, four of whom came away from their time at BU with All-American status. From distance runners and javelin throwers to long jumpers and vaulters, Bloomsburg’s national representation on the track and in the field has been diverse in its success.
In 2012, Coach Empie produced the program’s first ever national champion in the men’s javelin. Justin Shirk’s throw of 71.90m (235’11”) still ranks as the #10 all-time javelin performance in Division II history.
Prior to his arrival at Bloomsburg, Empie spent eight years as assistant coach at Colgate University. In seven of those seasons, he served as the assistant coach for the women's cross country/track and field programs. Empie coached the Raiders' jumpers, sprinters, hurdlers, and multi-event athletes during the track season and assisted with the cross country team in the fall. Empie also served as the primary recruiting coordinator for the cross country/track and field programs.
The Colgate track and field program saw a rise in success when Empie returned to his hometown in August of 2000. Under his guidance, Empie’s athletes produced 25 school records, 18 conference championships, 37 all-conference performances, 44 ECAC or IC4A qualifying marks, three All-East performances, two provisional NCAA qualifying marks, and six Junior National qualifying performances.
Empie came to Colgate after serving as the assistant track and field and cross country coach at his alma mater, The Citadel, from 1994-98. Empie was responsible for recruiting, promotions and marketing, as well as assisting with on-field coaching for both the men's and women's teams. His primary duties included working with the cross country, middle and distance runners, however, he also assisted in all other event disciplines. During his stint with the Bulldogs, Empie helped coach numerous all-conference athletes, five conference champions, and two Junior National qualifiers.
Empie graduated from The Citadel with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1994 and a master's degree in physical education in 1996. He and his wife Andrea are the parents of two children, Connor and Gwendolyn.
Updated 9/10/2022
