Northern Illinois University Athletics

Phil Wollbrinck is in his fifth season since returning to NIU as an assistant coach, rejoining the Huskies prior to the 2016-17 campaign after serving as NIU's sprints and relays coach in 2014-15. In his current stint at NIU, Wollbrinck works with the sprints and relays, as well as serving as the recruiting coordinator for the Huskies. 

During the 2019-20 season, Wollbrinck guided Jahnetta Jones to the 200-meter final and the 4x400 relay to a runner-up finish at the MAC Indoor Championships. NIU had its highest team placing in history finishing second, falling two points shy of the team title. 

In 2018-19, Wollbrinck helped Taylor Tilmon to the 400-meter final at the MAC Indoor Championships where she was also named the MAC Indoor Track Freshman of the Year. He also guided Kaitlyn Lewis to the 400-meter final at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships.

Wollbrinck mentored a pair of athletes, Kedisha Dallas and Courtney Sockwell, to the 60-meter final at the MAC Indoor Championships during the 2017-18 season and also helped guide Khenadi Jones to the 100-meter final at the MAC Outdoor Championships later that year. 

In his first season after returning to NIU in 2016-17, Wollbrinck mentored Dallas to the 200-meter final, Cheyenne Hoerr to the 400-meter final and the 4x400 relay to a runner-up finish at the MAC Indoor Championships. Dallas continued her success with a pair of runner-up finishes at the MAC Outdoor Championships in the 100 and 200 meters, qualifying for the NCAA Preliminary Round in both events. 

During his first stint at NIU in 2014-15, Wollbrinck guided A’Iesha Irvin-Muhammad to runner up finishes in the 60 and 200 meters while the Huskies also won the 4x400-meter relay at the MAC Indoor Championships. Wollbrinck then guided Muhammad to the 200-meter crown and runner-up finish in the 100 at the MAC Outdoor Championships while the Huskies also claimed the 4x100 and 4x400 meter titles. Muhammad qualified for the NCAA Preliminary Round in the 100 and 200 meters and finished 14th in the 200, missing the National Championship meet by two places.

Wollbrinck joined the Huskie coaching staff after spending 11 seasons as the head track and field coach at McCluer High School and one season as the head coach at Hazelwood West High School, both in St. Louis, Mo.

During that time, Wollbrinck produced 127 Missouri All-State medalists and 27 Missouri state champions in the large-school division. Gwen Berry, a 2016 U.S. Olympian, is one of many standout athletes that came from Wollbrinck's program.

He was also the associate head coach of the St. Louis Lightning, a high school-aged track club, from 2010-2014, coaching 80 USATF All-Americans and 19 USATF National Champions. The Lightning Young Women's program won the USATF Youth National Championships in 2010 and 2013.

Wollbrinck was a Missouri State Selection Chair and coach for the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic from 2011-2014 and served as the President of the Missouri Track & Cross Country Coaches Association.

In 2009, he worked with World Championship gold medalist and two-time USA World Team member Miles Smith and assisted Smith in making it to the USA Outdoor Championship 400-meter final.

Prior to his time at McCluer, Wollbrinck served as the girl's hurdles and jumps coach at Oakville High School in 2003, producing three All-State medalists. He also served as the girl’s sprints and relays coach at Pattonville High school in 2002, coaching seven All-State medalists.

Wollbrinck is an experienced clinician, having spoken on various track and field topics at coaches' clinics in Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio and New Jersey.

He competed collegiately at Lindenwood University (1999-2001) and Mid-America Nazarene University (1997-1999), where he was an NAIA national qualifier. Wollbrinck graduated from Lindenwood with a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Health in 2002 before earning his master's degree in Athletic Administration from William Woods University in 2007. He also owns a lifetime Missouri teacher certification in Physical Education and Health. 

Wollbrinck resides in DeKalb with his wife, Tiffani, son, Chance, and daughter, Skylar.