Women's Track and Field
Ronnie Brandal
- Title:
- Assistant Cross Country/Track & Field Coach
- Email:
- ronald.brandal@utoledo.edu
Ronnie Brandal joined the Toledo cross country and track & field programs as an assistant coach prior to the 2025-26 academic year.
In his first season with the Rockets, Brandal helped the Rocket women to their fifth-consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship and the Rocket men to their second-ever MAC crown.
Every Rocket runner at the women's conference championship placed within the top-35, led by junior Karina James who won the individual title. James, Melody Jebiwot, Dorcas Jeptoo Kiptanui and Lianna Surtz each brought home First-Team All-MAC accolades. The team carried the momentum to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship in Evansville, Ind. as they placed third overall. James led the way with a 13th-place finish while Hannah Ielfield took 19th and Lianna Surtz earned 22nd. James, Ielfield and Surtz were named to the All-Region team.
Junior Joad Martinho claimed the individual championship for the men, while the Rockets' scorers each placed within the top-30. Martinho and Peter McMahon earned First-Team All-MAC honors while Sibonelo Khumalo and Loann Brelivet tallied Second-Team All-MAC accolades. At the 2025 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship, the men's squad earned a program-best seventh-place finish as Martinho placed fifth to individually qualify for the NCAA National Championship race. The Aulnay-sous-Bois, France native became just the fifth Rocket to qualify for the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship and finished 104th overall, the best individual finish in the national event for a Rocket since Phil Hinck placed 63rd in 1975.
Brandal came to Toledo after spending the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan University, where he worked with the middle distance and distance runners throughout the cross country and track & field seasons. He oversaw 22 MAC scorers, 10 All-MAC selections, five individual MAC champions, in addition to one NCAA East First Round qualifier and one NCAA Great Lakes All-Region honoree.
Prior to joining the Eagles' coaching staff, Brandal was a student-athlete on the cross country and track & field teams at Eastern Michigan. He qualified for the 2024 NCAA East First Round in the 800m and earned several All-MAC honors throughout his career. Brandal also competed in five seasons of cross country at EMU, contributing to three straight cross country MAC team championships from 2020-2022. He also served as team captain for the Eagles in his senior season.
A Huron, Ohio native, Brandal earned USTFCCCA Academic All-American honors in 2024 and was named to the Academic All-MAC team five times throughout his career. Brandal graduated with his master's of science in sport management in 2025 and his bachelor's degree in secondary education in 2023 from Eastern Michigan.
In his first season with the Rockets, Brandal helped the Rocket women to their fifth-consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship and the Rocket men to their second-ever MAC crown.
Every Rocket runner at the women's conference championship placed within the top-35, led by junior Karina James who won the individual title. James, Melody Jebiwot, Dorcas Jeptoo Kiptanui and Lianna Surtz each brought home First-Team All-MAC accolades. The team carried the momentum to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship in Evansville, Ind. as they placed third overall. James led the way with a 13th-place finish while Hannah Ielfield took 19th and Lianna Surtz earned 22nd. James, Ielfield and Surtz were named to the All-Region team.
Junior Joad Martinho claimed the individual championship for the men, while the Rockets' scorers each placed within the top-30. Martinho and Peter McMahon earned First-Team All-MAC honors while Sibonelo Khumalo and Loann Brelivet tallied Second-Team All-MAC accolades. At the 2025 NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship, the men's squad earned a program-best seventh-place finish as Martinho placed fifth to individually qualify for the NCAA National Championship race. The Aulnay-sous-Bois, France native became just the fifth Rocket to qualify for the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship and finished 104th overall, the best individual finish in the national event for a Rocket since Phil Hinck placed 63rd in 1975.
Brandal came to Toledo after spending the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan University, where he worked with the middle distance and distance runners throughout the cross country and track & field seasons. He oversaw 22 MAC scorers, 10 All-MAC selections, five individual MAC champions, in addition to one NCAA East First Round qualifier and one NCAA Great Lakes All-Region honoree.
Prior to joining the Eagles' coaching staff, Brandal was a student-athlete on the cross country and track & field teams at Eastern Michigan. He qualified for the 2024 NCAA East First Round in the 800m and earned several All-MAC honors throughout his career. Brandal also competed in five seasons of cross country at EMU, contributing to three straight cross country MAC team championships from 2020-2022. He also served as team captain for the Eagles in his senior season.
A Huron, Ohio native, Brandal earned USTFCCCA Academic All-American honors in 2024 and was named to the Academic All-MAC team five times throughout his career. Brandal graduated with his master's of science in sport management in 2025 and his bachelor's degree in secondary education in 2023 from Eastern Michigan.
Friday, May 30
Tuesday, May 27
Monday, November 04
Monday, October 14
