Howdy & aloha! Episode 414 of Airey Bros Radio brings us back to New Jersey as we sit down with Coach Nicol Starkes, Associate Head Coach for Rutgers Cross Country & Track & Field — one of the brightest rising programs in the Big Ten.Coach Starkes has played a major role in Rutgers’ distance resurgence, guiding the Scarlet Knights to school records in the 800, 1500, mile, 3000, and DMR, multiple NCAA All-Region honors, and the best team finishes in program history.
A former NCAA All-American, six-time A-10 Champion, and Olympic Trials Qualifier, she’s also a member of both the Ridge High School and University of Richmond Halls of Fame.In this deep-dive, we cover:

• Building Rutgers into a Big Ten contender
  
• Coaching philosophy, athlete development & culture
  
• Double-threshold training & lactate testing
  
• Recruiting New Jersey talent
  
• NIL, transfer portal, academics & campus life
  
• Coach Starkes’ athletic journey + Gags stories
  
• Program vision for XC/Indoor/Outdoor T&F
  

If you’re a runner, recruit, coach, parent, or NJ XC/TF nerd — this is a MUST-listen.
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SHOW NOTES + TIMESTAMP
0:00 – ABR Intro: Why We Shine Light on ALL Levels
1:07 – Official episode open: Howdy & Aloha
1:40 – Intro: Coach Nicol Starkes + Rutgers accomplishments
3:11 – Coach joins the showCoach’s Early Life & Running Journey
3:17 – Origin story: Swimming ➝ HS running ➝ Meet of Champs
6:00 – Transition from swimming to distance running
7:03 – Recruiting to Richmond, NCAA experience
8:43 – Injury, graduation, and joining NJNY Track Club
9:45 – Training under Coach Gagliano
10:28 – Coaching at NYU & early D3 experienceRutgers Era: Rebuilding the NJ Distance Powerhouse
11:05 – Getting hired at Rutgers
11:24 – Promotion to Associate Head Coach
11:31 – How the role changes (training, science, leadership)
12:11 – Using lactate testing with exercise physiologist Morgan Murray
12:34 – Recruiting responsibilities as a mom/coach2025 XC Season & Big Ten Outlook
13:08 – Season progress recap
13:46 – Princeton Invite takeaways
14:03 – Big Ten Course breakdown (Michigan State)
15:03 – New Jersey’s brutal Homdel flashbacksTraining Philosophy
16:49 – Double-threshold training at Rutgers
17:45 – How they structure double-T days
18:48 – Keeping athletes healthy & consistent
19:38 – Monitoring Strava + avoiding “secret workouts”Facilities, Campuses & Daily Life at Rutgers
21:21 – Running routes on Piscataway campus
22:47 – Training at Colonial Park, Johnson Park, Columbia Trail
23:22 – How RU’s 4-campus layout actually works
24:52 – Academic pathways & campus culture
27:00 – On-campus vs off-campus livingRecruiting & New Jersey Roots
28:31 – Why NJ runners should give RU a real look
29:43 – NIL impact on Rutgers T&F
31:07 – Transfer portal philosophy
33:23 – Targeting NJ athletes looking to come home
34:39 – Academic reputation & career pathways
35:30 – Internship power of the NYC-area
36:05 – Scarlet Knights for Life career developmentAthlete Development & Coaching Philosophy
37:48 – What post-college running looks like
38:54 – Being 10% coach, 90% therapist
40:57 – Freshman maturity & life skills
42:18 – What type of athlete Rutgers recruits
48:02 – Building culture + trusting team captains
49:00 – The new era of Rutgers DistanceFun Questions & NJ Culture
4:14 – Taylor Ham or Pork Roll?
4:51 – Is Central Jersey real?
50:03 – Jersey pride in the program
55:17 – Water/Wudder & NJ accents
56:16 – Coffee habits + Chick-fil-A milkshake breakdown
57:23 – Daily rituals, fitness & staying strong
59:48 – What she listens to (Spotify mixes)
1:01:01 – Team Jersey in college
1:01:27 – Guilty pleasures: Chick-fil-A wins
1:03:24 – Secret menu: Frosted Coffee
1:04:02 – Closing gratitude + Big Tens & postseason outlook