Jordan Roach was hired as the throws coach for the UNLV track & field program at the start of the 2023-24 season.
Roach joined the Rebels after serving several years as an assistant coach for the University of Virginia and Eastern Mennonite University's (EMU) track & field team, reaching back to 2018.
"I am very excited to have Coach Roach join us here at UNLV," head coach Carmelita Jeter said. "He helped assist with Ashley Anumba, Ethan Dabbs and Claudio Romero to become top-tier NCAA national qualifiers. I'm more than confident that his expertise and knowledge will help this throws program lift to new heights. This will be his start of having his own group and I am excited to be the head coach that helps him lead this charge of Rebels. His passion and love for the event is infectious and our ladies are all in."
Roach guided the program to record-setting heights in his second season in 2025, where junior Krishna Jayasankar won her discus throw flight (seventh overall) at the NCAA West Regionals with a mark of 55.61m (182' 5"). Moreover, her mark shattered a 26-year-old school record previously held by Jessica Marable (52.27m), set in 1999. Jayasankar also became the first Indian women's thrower to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Additionally, Roach saw Jayasankar would put to fourth on the all-time outdoor program shot put list with a mark of 16.03m (52' 7.25"), placing third at the Mountain West Indoor Championships and fifth in program history in the outdoor shot put with a mark of 15.87m (52' 1"). Roxene Simpson also found success during the outdoor season in the discus throw with a mark of 51.66m (169' 6") at thw MW Outdoor Championships, good enough for third on the all-time program list.
Roach helped grow the Rebels' throws team with several improved marks throughout the season, the outdoor portion of the year boding to be the Rebels' strongest. During the spring, UNLV featured two student-athletes on Roach's squad in UNLV's top-five all-time rankings in the discus throw, Roxene Simpson and Krishna Jayasankar placing second and third overall. Both would find their top marks at the Mt. SAC Relays meet, the former surpassing 50m at a 50.65 (166' 2") distance with the latter reaching 49.68m (163' 0") in the meet.
Roach was first hired at Virginia as a volunteer assistant coach for the track & field teams in 2018, earning the title as an interim assistant throws coach in 2022. During his time for the Cavaliers, he assisted in writing daily programs for student-athletes and worked closely alongside them to meet the healthy balance of intensity with technique correction. During the 2022 season, the program showcased several highlights that included an NCAA Division I Championships discus title in Claudio Romero and a javelin victory from Ethan Dabbs at the USATF Outdoor Championships.
While at EMU, Roach served as an assistant coach for the track & field team beginning in 2020. For the Royals, he was responsible for coaching all student-athletes in field events while also recruiting prospective student-athletes that excelled both on the field and academically in the classroom. He also assisted in creating quality collegiate track & field meets at Eastern Mennonite, helping manage the event to run smoothly for a great experience for student-athletes and visiting fans.
"It's not all about a number and it's about the athletes' whole experience" explained Roach, "they need to enjoy the time they have and appreciate the opportunity to throw at the next level, and I'm very excited to be a part of that journey in these crucial years as young adults.
Jordan Roach served as a student-athlete at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University from 13-16, transferring to Virginia tech after a year on the Coastal Carolinas track & field team. He helped the Hokies to both indoor and outdoor ACC Track & Field Championship team titles, qualifying in the NCAA DI Outdoor Track & Field National Championships Eastern Regionals in both 2015 and 2016.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Virginia Tech, Roach continued his athletic playing career at the professional level, finishing in the top eight at the 2019 Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships to earn an All-American status. He also finished eighth overall in the US Olympic Trials back in 2021, his highest finish at trials.
