John Gabriel, a Western Slope native, was hired on as the Jumps coach for the Mavericks Track & Field program in the Fall of 2018.
In his five seasons leading the Maverick jumps program, he has helped produce four Indoor All-Americans that include two in Men’s High Jump, one in Men’s Triple Jump, and one in Women’s Triple Jump. In the Outdoor season, he’s coached three All-Americans including one in Men’s High Jump, one in Women’s High Jump, and one in Men’s Triple Jump. In total, he has coached 11 track & field All-Americans.
In his first year he coached Ethan Harris to an outdoor national title in the High Jump clearing 2.20 meters or 7’2 & 1/4” which is also the school record. (Ethan is now a 3-time USA’s qualifier and has a personal record of 2.27 or 7’4 ¾”).
Coach Gabriel also coached Gunner Rigsby to an indoor world leading, at the time, triple jump of 16.17 meters or 53’ & 1/2” which is also our indoor school record. Rigsby became a two-time All-American, and placed 3rd Nationally in the Triple Jump. He holds both indoor and outdoor school records in Triple Jump.
In the Women’s High Jump Josie Coffey has been sensational achieving the Freshmen Athlete of the Year in 2021-2022 season, she also holds the Indoor and Outdoor school records in High Jump with a personal record of 1.81 meters or 5’113/4”. Josie came into CMU with a personal record of 1.57 meters or 5’2” improving 24cm or 9 ¾ in.
In the RMAC coach Gabriel has six indoor All-Region performances with five RMAC Champions, and four outdoor All-Region jumpers with two RMAC Champions.
Prior to coaching at CMU, ‘Coach Gabe’ worked with Tim Reetz as the Jumps Coach for Palisade High School for eight years. In those years the team won multiple league titles and was often in the top 10 in 4A Colorado State Track & Field. He coached Zaccre Kenward to a State Championship, and school record in the 4A Triple Jump, with a leap of 48’10”.
Coach Gabriel is a Colorado Mesa University Alumni and played for the basketball team during the 2010-11 season. Aside from coaching, he manages the intramural sports program for CMU and has held that title since 2015. Coach Gabriel ran track for Eagle Valley High School with Coach Gamble, and he holds the school records in the triple jump and the high jump.
