University Southern California Trojans
Staff Directory
Brenton Emanuel
- Title:
- Assistant Coach, Sprints
- Email:
Brenton Emanuel is entering his third season as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles for USC Track and Field. He was named to the role by Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Quincy Watts on Aug. 8, 2024.
Emanuel coached his hurdlers to USC's 2025 indoor and outdoor NCAA titles in his first year. Johnny Brackins won the 60m hurdles indoor title at Big Ten Indoor Championships and scored at both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships. In 2026, he coached Big Ten and national champions in his men's sprints group, including Garrett Kaalund earning the indoor 200m collegiate and American record in 19.95 seconds on his way to the national title. Additionally, he coached Eddie Nketia to All-American honors indoors and two Big Ten outdoor titles, entering the USC top-10 in both the 100m and 200m. On the women's hurdles side, he coached Asjah Atkinson to Big Ten bronze indoors and a new PR outdoors to punch her first ever ticket to NCAA Championships.
Emanuel was the assistant coach for men’s and women’s sprint hurdles and relays at Nebraska for three seasons prior where his athletes set six school records. He guided Darius Luff to the 2024 NCAA 110m hurdles title with a school-record time of 13.19 (+0.1). Emanuel guided his athletes to 13 All-America honors in his three seasons, as well as leading 11 Nebraska runners to All-Big Ten honors.
Emanuel was named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year and twice he helped lead Nebraska to Big Ten team titles.
Prior to Nebraska, Emanuel served the 2019-21 seasons as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country for Eastern Illinois, where he was three times named the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year. His men’s teams won the OVC outdoor team title all three seasons and twice his men’s cross country teams won the OVC title, the school’s first in 15 seasons.
While at Eastern Illinois, he had 30 athletes post EIU all-time top 10 times, including school record-holders Pedra Hicks (400m H) and Danielle Frank (indoor 200m). He coached 30 athletes to OVC first-team honors and eight that advanced to the NCAA West Regional. He coached OVC Male Track Athlete of the Year in 2019-20 (Dustin Hatfield) and Adam Swanson in 2021.
Emanuel served the 2018 season as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for Illinois State and was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from July 2014 through June 2017. While at ISU, Emanuel was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018 and coached seven national qualifiers. He coached five All-Americans, 25 Missouri Valley Conference champions and 80 All-MVC honorees. Emanuel had three USATF junior qualifiers and his Illinois State athletes set 10 school records.
He was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2014 at California University of Pennsylvania. He coached two All-PSAC performers and one World Juniors qualifier.
Emanuel is a 2008 graduate of Eastern Illinois, where he competed for the men’s track team for four seasons. He served as a team captain and earned second-team All-OVC honors.
A native of Plainfield, Ill., Emanuel and his wife, Jessica, have three daughters, Brooklyn, Kamryn and Laila and a son, Kyler.
Emanuel coached his hurdlers to USC's 2025 indoor and outdoor NCAA titles in his first year. Johnny Brackins won the 60m hurdles indoor title at Big Ten Indoor Championships and scored at both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships. In 2026, he coached Big Ten and national champions in his men's sprints group, including Garrett Kaalund earning the indoor 200m collegiate and American record in 19.95 seconds on his way to the national title. Additionally, he coached Eddie Nketia to All-American honors indoors and two Big Ten outdoor titles, entering the USC top-10 in both the 100m and 200m. On the women's hurdles side, he coached Asjah Atkinson to Big Ten bronze indoors and a new PR outdoors to punch her first ever ticket to NCAA Championships.
Emanuel was the assistant coach for men’s and women’s sprint hurdles and relays at Nebraska for three seasons prior where his athletes set six school records. He guided Darius Luff to the 2024 NCAA 110m hurdles title with a school-record time of 13.19 (+0.1). Emanuel guided his athletes to 13 All-America honors in his three seasons, as well as leading 11 Nebraska runners to All-Big Ten honors.
Emanuel was named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year and twice he helped lead Nebraska to Big Ten team titles.
Prior to Nebraska, Emanuel served the 2019-21 seasons as the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country for Eastern Illinois, where he was three times named the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year. His men’s teams won the OVC outdoor team title all three seasons and twice his men’s cross country teams won the OVC title, the school’s first in 15 seasons.
While at Eastern Illinois, he had 30 athletes post EIU all-time top 10 times, including school record-holders Pedra Hicks (400m H) and Danielle Frank (indoor 200m). He coached 30 athletes to OVC first-team honors and eight that advanced to the NCAA West Regional. He coached OVC Male Track Athlete of the Year in 2019-20 (Dustin Hatfield) and Adam Swanson in 2021.
Emanuel served the 2018 season as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for Illinois State and was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from July 2014 through June 2017. While at ISU, Emanuel was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018 and coached seven national qualifiers. He coached five All-Americans, 25 Missouri Valley Conference champions and 80 All-MVC honorees. Emanuel had three USATF junior qualifiers and his Illinois State athletes set 10 school records.
He was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2014 at California University of Pennsylvania. He coached two All-PSAC performers and one World Juniors qualifier.
Emanuel is a 2008 graduate of Eastern Illinois, where he competed for the men’s track team for four seasons. He served as a team captain and earned second-team All-OVC honors.
A native of Plainfield, Ill., Emanuel and his wife, Jessica, have three daughters, Brooklyn, Kamryn and Laila and a son, Kyler.
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11
