Western Connecticut State University

Western Connecticut State University named Ryan Budd as head cross country and head track and field coach in September of 2024.  In this position, Budd is responsible for six WestConn varsity programs, as he successfully ushered in the inaugural seasons of the Wolves' men's and women's indoor and men's and women's outdoor track and field teams in 2024-25.  Budd mentored last winter's Little East Conference (LEC) Women's Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year Annalee Holcomb and 2025 New England Long Jump Champion Anthony Paulino in his first season with the Wolves.

Budd, who owns 12 years experience in coaching college cross country and track and field, is a graduate of Central Connecticut State University and a former captain of the Blue Devils track and field teams.  Budd has achieved elite success at all of his coaching stops including the last two years at CCSU where he helped the Blue Devils win a Northeast Conference Women's Cross Country title in 2022 and a Northeast Conference Men's Cross Country crown last fall.  In indoor track and field, CCSU captured the Northeast Conference women's championship in 2023 and 2024 and its men won the 2024 outdoor title.  Budd was a member of the Northeast Conference Coaching Staffs of the Year in each of those championship track seasons.

Budd began his coaching career as a graduate assistant specializing in the pole vault and multi-events at the University of Central Arkansas in 2015.  He coached there for two seasons before moving on to Wagner College where he helped the Seahawks win two cross country titles ans multiple indoor and outdoor track and field titles in five seasons.  Wagner athletes set 19 school records and won 11 Northeast Conference individual championships during Budd's tenure coaching the jumpers and sprinters.  Budd also coached high school track and field locally at Pomperaug High School in Woodbury.

Budd earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from CCSU in 2015 and added a master's degree in the same field from the Central Arkansas.  He has a coaching certification from and is a strength and conditioning coach with the United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).  As an athlete at CCSU, Budd was a two-time All-NEC and All-New England selection while helping the Blue Devils win an indoor conference title in 2011 and outdoor conference championships in 2014 and 2015.