Serge Bengono is in his ninth season as an assistant track coach at Norfolk State University. Bengono works primarily with NSU’s sprinters, with a focus on the 100 meter dash and 4x100 relay teams.
Bengono has been on staff for two MEAC titles that the NSU women’s program has won (2010 indoor, 2011 outdoor). He has also been on staff for the majority of the NSU men’s record run of seven straight MEAC indoor-outdoor championship sweeps and eight straight MEAC indoor crowns.
While working primarily with the Spartan women, Bengono has tutored many athletes who have reached NCAA postseason competition. In 2009, former MEAC champion sprinter Shanneka Claiborne and the NSU women’s 4x100 squad qualified for the NCAA East Regional. The 4x100 team advanced to the regional again in 2011 and 2013.
In 2012, the NSU women reached the Championship of America finals in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relay events at the Penn Relays. And in 2013, in addition to the 4x100 team, both Torie Cunningham and Brittney McCants qualified for the NCAA regional in the 100 meters.
Bengono came to NSU from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he assisted during the 2005 outdoor season.
Bengono boasts a wealth of collegiate and international experience. He is a two-time Summer Olympian, having competed in the 1996 (Atlanta) and 2000 (Sydney) Games for his native Cameroon in the 100 meters and on the 4x100 relay team. He participated at four IAAF World Championships and won numerous medals at the African championships.
Bengono lettered three years at George Mason University and excelled in the short sprints (60, 100 and 200 meters) and on the 4x100 relay team. He won the IC4A title in the 100 meters as a sophomore in 2001. At one time, Bengono held school records in the 60 meters (6.74), 100 meters (10.25) and as part of the 4x100 meter relay team (39.65). Bengono earned NCAA Division I All-America honors on the Patriots’ 4x100 relay team as a senior.
Bengono transferred to George Mason from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas, where he won multiple NAIA All-American honors and also played soccer as a freshman in 2000. He was the school’s Newcomer of the Year for 1999-2000.
Bengono earned his bachelor’s degree in communication from George Mason in 2003 and his master’s in education with a concentration in school counseling from Cambridge College.
