Western Kentucky track and field head coach Erik Jenkins has announced the hiring of Nigel Bigbee as an assistant coach who will work primarily with the Hilltopper jumpers and hurdlers.

Bigbee, a native of Indianapolis, joins WKU following coaching stops at Iowa Central Community College, Barton Community College and Nebraska where he has mentored 41 individual national champions since 2009.

A 2007 graduate of Indiana State, Bigbee studied business management and captained the Sycamore track squad en route to earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in the 60-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles and 4×100-meter relay as a student-athlete.

Following his graduation, Bigbee headed to the Big Ten from 2007-09, working on the Nebraska track & field coaching staff focusing primarily in recruiting.

In 2009, Bigbee moved to Barton Community College where he worked with the sprints, hurdles and relay units while also coaching the distance runners including cross country. Bigbee saw the Cougars claim the 2010 Indoor Championship team title in addition to 21 individual national championships and a national record holder in the 55-meter hurdles. Additionally, Bigbee coached Akeem Haynes to the 2012 London Olympics while also helping Team USA win the World Junior Championship in the 4×100-meter relay with his athlete, Oliver Bradwell, bringing home the title running the anchor leg.

Most recently, Bigbee served a four-year stint at Iowa Central Community College where he collected a pair of National Assistant Coach of the Year accolades to go along with four Midwest Coach of the Year honors. Overseeing 20 individual national champions, Bigbee helped the Tritons to five national championship team titles as well. He coached the NJCAA all-time record holder, Jared Seay, in the heptathlon. Bigbee will also reconnect with Eli Minor, a senior Hilltopper who transferred to WKU from Iowa Central Community College prior to last season.