Will Merritt returned to Mount St. Mary's in summer 2026 as Assistant Coach working with Mid-Distance and Distance athletes. Will represented Team USA at the 2018 World U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, in the 10,000m. As a Mountaineer, he was was an integral member of the 2018 NEC Championship Cross Country team and 2018 Outdoor Track Championship team. He earned 2019 NEC Most Valuable Track Performer honors after winning the 10,000m and finishing runner-up in the steeplechase. Will maintains several top-10 all-time marks in the Mount's Distance Record books.
Merritt most recently served as Interim Head Coach at Hood College, developing a culture that produced measurable results: 25+ school records across cross country and track distance events (800m–10,000m), the program's first-ever USTFCCA All-Region honoree in cross country (who earned the distinction three consecutive years), and the highest Cross Country conference team finish in program history. He coached the first All-MAC cross country selection in school history and coordinated the most All-Conference honorees in a single season. Beyond Hood, Will assisted Smithsburg High School's girls cross country team to an MPSSAA 1A State Championship in the Fall of 2023.He holds USATF Level 1, CPR, and Mental Health First Aid certifications.
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