KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Sept. 15, 2026) - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cross country and track & field seventh-year head coach Kayla Koelbel announced the hiring of Ryan Serp to her coaching staff for the 2026 season. Serp officially came on board Tuesday, September 8.

"I am honored to be a part of this Academy," said Serp. "The opportunity to use the skills I have learned as both an athlete and a coach, on and off the track, to serve this Academy and its midshipmen-athletes is incredibly exciting. Being able to share the knowledge I have gained and mentor others in the sport I love is something I am thrilled to embrace."

Serp joins the Mariners after serving as an athletic assistant for the track & field and cross country programs at Utica University. During his time at Utica, he primarily coached the high jump, hurdles, and sprints event groups, providing technical instruction, individualized feedback, and performance-based development plans for student-athletes. Serp also assisted with recruiting and student-athlete academic and athletic development, helping lead the Pioneers to three conference championships and tutoring multiple All-Conference performers and three All-Region award winners.

Prior to his time at Utica, Serp served as an assistant track & field coach at Onondaga Community College, where he worked primarily with the hurdles and throwing event groups. He also worked with five National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American performers in the decathlon, men's shot put, women's javelin, women's discus, and women's 400-meter hurdles.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Coach Serp to our Academy," said Koelbel. "Ryan's personal Division III athletic experience as a decathlete gives him a unique perspective across a variety of event groups, and his versatility as a coach will be invaluable to the continued success of our midshipmen-athletes."

As a student-athlete at SUNY Cortland, Serp was a five-time All-Conference performer across the heptathlon and decathlon. He also earned All-Region honors in the heptathlon and captured a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) championship in the decathlon.

Serp graduated from SUNY Cortland with a degree in Communication and Media Studies. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration at Empire State University and a Master of Social Work from Utica University.

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