BOSTON – Gabe Sanders, who coached 16 All-Americans and 17 NCAA finalists while at Stanford University, has been named Boston University's director of track & field and cross country, director of athletics Drew Marrochello announced Monday.
 
Sanders, who most recently served as the assistant coach for sprints and hurdles at Stanford, was an assistant coach for the Terriers from 2008-15. 
 
During his four seasons at Stanford, Sanders coached Cardinal student-athletes to unprecedented success. Sanders directly coached 14 NCAA First Team All-Americans, three Second Team All-Americans, 17 NCAA finalists and 21 first-round qualifiers. Under Sanders, 11 Stanford school records were broken, including the sixth-fastest 800-meter run in NCAA history (Olivia Baker - 2018). Sanders helped Stanford earn the 2018 USTFCCCA NCAA Women's Program of the Year award and the 2019 USTFCCCA NCAA Men's Program of the Year honor.
 
"After a thorough search that produced a fantastic group of candidates, we're proud to welcome Gabe Sanders back to BU," said Marrochello. "Gabe's energy and vision, combined with his previous experience here at BU and his successful stint at Stanford, allowed him to emerge as the new leader of our track & field and cross country programs as we continue to strive for Patriot League championships with All-America talent. It's always encouraging and heartwarming to have Terriers – whether they are students, coaches or staff – express a sincere desire to return to our department. I would like to thank associate athletic director Aaron Aaker and the search committee for their efforts."
 
Under Sanders' guidance during the 2018 season, Stanford qualified three relay teams to the NCAA Championships, including both the men's 4x100 and 4x400, for the first time in Cardinal history. The men's 4x400 became the first from Stanford to reach an NCAA final while the 4x100 team was the first to advance to NCAA in 14 years. The top six men's outdoor 4x400 times in Stanford history all were run under Sanders, with the top three coming in 2018. Also in 2018, both the school indoor and outdoor men's 4x400 records were broken, while the indoor 4x400 mark was eclipsed once again in 2019.
 
In 2016, Sanders' first season at Stanford, the men's 4x400 team gave Stanford its first conference 4x400 or mile-relay championship in 62 years. In that same year, the women's 4x400 set a school indoor record, was No. 2 all-time outdoors in school history and finished as the Pac-12 runner-up while earning a berth in the NCAA Championships.
 
Sanders replaces longtime BU director of track & field and cross country Robyne Johnson, who announced in June she was taking the director of track & field position at the University of California – Berkeley.
 
"A very special thanks goes to Robyne Johnson and now Drew Marrochello for giving me a chance at Boston University and in turn constantly pushing me to grow personally and professionally," said Sanders. "I would also like to thank Chris Miltenberg, Patrick Dunkley and the entire Stanford community for welcoming me with open arms four years ago and for their constant support and mentorship.  

"The culmination of those times and experiences have led to this incredible opportunity. The BU track & field and cross country programs, the athletics department, the university, and city of Boston have such a rich and storied history, and it is the honor of my life to step in as the director here. With a world-class combination of academic and athletics resources, it is my firm belief that we can help mold some of the best, brightest and most well-rounded student-athletes in the country. I cannot wait to get started shaping a program the entire BU community will be proud of for years to come."

Sanders served under Johnson at BU from 2008 to 2015, where he was the program's recruiting coordinator and responsible for coaching student-athletes in sprints, hurdles and relay events. While at BU, the Terriers broke 15 school records under his watch while BU sprinters and hurdlers combined for 16 Patriot League titles and 28 America East crowns. He also coached student-athletes to 10 conference meet records in both the America East Conference and the Patriot League. 
 
In 2015, Gemma Acheampong was named the Female Track Athlete of the Year at both the Patriot League Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships after helping lead the Terriers to second place at both events. Acheampong won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at both events, with her 100 time of 11.49 seconds at the outdoor meet setting a new school and Patriot League record. Acheampong also set the 60-meter dash school record with a time of 7.49 seconds.
 
During the 2015 outdoor season, the BU 4x100-meter relay team of Justin Flynn, David Lagerberg, Alastair Prenn and Cameron Williams set a new school record with a time of 40.19 which also broke the previous New England record of 40.27.
 
While coaching the Terriers, Sanders was named 2012 USTFCCCA Northeast Region Indoor Men's Assistant Coach of the Year and had 21 NCAA regional qualifiers and one NCAA Championships finalist.
 
Sanders was an assistant coach for jumps and multi-events at Williams College in 2006 and 2007, coaching 12 All-Americans and overseeing eight school records. He also coached sprints, hurdles, relays, jumps and throws at Colgate in 2008, and his athletes broke five school records.

A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Sanders earned a degree in kinesiology with minors in sport management and communication from the University of Michigan in 2005. Sanders later earned his master's in physical education with a specialization in coaching from Boston University in 2014.