Baker Named Director of Operations for Michigan Track and Field, Cross Country
10/4/2021 2:12:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Former University of Michigan women's track and field student-athlete Bailey Baker will serve as the director of operations for the Wolverines' track and field / cross country programs, program director Kevin Sullivan announced Monday (Oct. 4).
"Our entire staff is really excited that Bailey is back here at Michigan," said Sullivan. "With anyone who has been a high-level student-athlete, she understands how to work and respond under pressure.
"In this role, there's so many different things that kind of come at the director of ops. You really have to be able to prioritize; you have to be able to work under tight deadlines and in pressure situations; and you have to stay calm through it all. I think those are some of her qualities that really are going to make her a great asset to our program."
In this role, Baker is charged with planning and executing the Wolverines' home competitions at their new indoor and outdoor facilities at the Athletics South Competition and Performance Center. She also manages the numerous logistical operations required for the Wolverines when they practice and compete at home or travel for competition on the road.
"Being a director of operations has been a goal of mine, and to be able to have the opportunity to do it here where I went to school and worked for the past couple of years with a staff I've gotten to know well is very exciting," Baker said. "I'm looking forward to being part of the team again and working in any capacity I can to help the team succeed."
Baker, originally from Eaton Rapids, Mich., was a thrower for the Wolverine women from 2015-19. A competing member of the 2016 squad that swept the Big Ten indoor and outdoor championships team titles, Baker blossomed into a national-caliber competitor during her fifth year as she advanced to the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds and scored at the Big Ten Championships in the hammer throw. She owns the school record in the hammer throw at 61.90m (203 feet, 1 inch) and previously held a share of the school record in the indoor weight throw.
Upon graduation in 2019 with her master's degree in sport management -- after previously earning her undergraduate degree in applied exercise science in 2018 -- she served as the recruiting coordinator for the track and field / cross country teams for two seasons.
She returns to Ann Arbor after a brief tenure with the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as its director of legislative services.
