SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State University interim head track and field coach Jordan Fife announced Friday, the addition of Jake Brydson as assistant track and field coach.

"The staff is set and we're ready for what's next," Fife said. "Jake came highly recommended to us by some of the top coaches in the country.  His energy is contagious and he has a great technical knowledge of the events he'll be coaching."

Brydson joins the Bears after a season at the University of Oklahoma where he was a volunteer assistant coach helping with vertical jumps, multi-events and hurdles.  

"I'm truly humbled to join Coach Fife and Coach Jeter, as well as the rest of the Missouri State family," Brydson said. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with these student-athletes. I've been fortunate enough to work with incredibly talented and driven jumpers and multi-eventers throughout my coaching career and Missouri State has another great collection of talented and intelligent student-athletes."

During his time at Oklahoma, he assisted in coaching several athletes to Big 12 championships and top-10 finishes at the conference meets. Including Vernon Turner who won his first Big 12 title in high jump with an outdoor school-record jump of 7-5.75 (2.28 meters), while in indoor Turner had the best high jump for a freshman in NCAA history 7-7.35 (2.33 meters).   

"The opportunity here with the resources we have prepares MSU tremendously for the future, hopefully filled with conference champions and NCAA qualifiers," Brydson said. "It starts with cultivating a strong culture and an environment where the student-athletes can thrive and become truly great. I'm thrilled to be a part of it."

Prior to his time at OU, Brydson served as a coach at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah from 2014-2017. Brydson coached numerous athletes to the Utah 5A State Finals, including the 2015 110 meter hurdles boys' champion and the 2017 state runner-up in girls' pole vault. He also coached the current Utah 5A state record holder in girls' pole vault in 2017.

Brydson earned his Bachelor of Science in accounting from Utah Valley University in the spring of 2013. During his collegiate career, he was a Great West Conference Championship scorer 19 events, including 12 top-six finishes. He earned first place in the 2010 and 2012 indoor 4x400 meter relay and 2011 outdoor 4x400 meter relay at the conference championship.
 
"I know he can't wait to get started working with our athletes and recruiting future Bears and I'm very much looking forward to working alongside him," Fife said.

Brydson's appointment is pending formal approval by the Missouri State Board of Governors at its next regularly-scheduled meeting.