NEW ORLEANS, La. - Former FDU Track and Field and Cross Country Head Coach Russ Rogers was inducted into the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame, as a member of the 2026 class, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon. 

"We are extremely proud of Coach Rogers, and even more excited that his legacy is further cemented with this induction," said Senior Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Jason Young. "Coach was not just an FDU legend, but a Track and Field coaching legend." 

Rogers was hired as the second head coach ever of the FDU program in 1978, and then ended up pioneering the women's team in Teaneck, as he led the Knights in their first six years of existence at the women's level. 

While Rogers was at the helm, his Knights set 46 FDU records, some of which stand to this day. Rogers also coached multiple All-Americans during his time with the Knights, most notably 10 time All-American Solomon Chebor.

Rogers also coached former Guinness Book of World Records holder Franklin Jacobs, who set the indoor high jump world record for the time, as well as winning three NCAA high jump titles in his time with FDU, planting the roots of a jumping legacy that the burgundy and blue still carry to this day. 

Rogers also spent some time coaching the United States National Team, where he was an assistant coach on the 1988 US Olympic Team, the same year he won FDU their first NEC title in Track and Field. Rogers helped the US National squad before that, as he mentored the famous relay team of Carl Lewis, Willie Gault, Calvin Smith and Emmitt King when the foursome broke the 4x800 meter relay world record in 1983. 

Rogers was inducted into the FDU Hall of Fame in 2007, and still stands as the most accomplished coach in the history of FDU Knights Track and Field.