Brent Ayer is one of the top runners in Frederick history, and he has used that success as a runner to establish a solid foundation for Hood's men's and women's cross country and track and field programs.

After starting with just six athletes in 2003, the programs have grown to more than 60 athletes due to Ayer's relentless drive and determination. On Sept. 9, 2010, Hood added men's and women's indoor track and field to its sport offerings, bringing Ayer's head coaching responsibilities at Hood to six. Under Ayer's direction, Hood's track and field and cross country programs have earned 21 all-Capital Athletic Conference acknowledgements.

The 2010-11 men's track team broke eight school records while the women's squad set five new marks. In men's cross country, Ayer's Blazers were named an all-academic team by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) while first-year Dan Jacobs became the first male to earn an all-CAC certificate.

The 2009-10 season was highlighted by 17 school-record setting individual performances in track & field. Jessica Parrish earned her third consecutive 100-meter title at the CAC championship meet, while Chris DiGangi defended his pole vault title at CACs. Parrish became the first individual Hood College student-athlete to capture athlete of the year honors in the CAC and to qualify for the NCAA Championships in 2009. In addition, Ola Komolafe and Jessica Stanley earned second team honors, both at 400 meters, while the women's 4x100 meter relay squad of Stanley, Megan Cahill, Jessica Talley and Parrish became the first Blazer relay squad to capture all-conference accolades.

Ayer and the Blazer cross country teams served as host of the 2009 Capital Athletic Conference championship at Heritage Farm Park in Walkersville.

The Blazer women's squad was named an NCAA Division III all-academic team by the USTFCCA four years in a row (2007-10) and the men's team earned its first selection in 2006.

Ayer's commitment to the sport extends beyond Hood College, as he serves as the president of the Road Runners Club of America in 2008-09. In May 2008, Ayer was elected President of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), an association of 975 running clubs and events from around the nation. He was re-elected to a second two-year term in April 2010.

He was honored by the RRCA with the President's Award at the RRCA National Awards Banquet March 11, 2006 in Houston. The President's Award is a prestigious honor that acknowledges the service to the RRCA and the sport of running by a dedicated individual. Ayer received the award for his significant service to the RRCA when he stepped in and voluntarily handled the affairs of the RRCA National Office during a time of organizational transition.

Ayer, who holds USATF Level II Endurance and Throws Coaches Certification, won numerous awards and honors during his collegiate running career and held the records for every distance from one mile to the marathon competitions at Frederick Community College. His career bests include a 31:23 6-mile; a 2:36:38:0 marathon; and a 6:19:10:0 50-mile. Ayer has finished 17 marathons and three ultra-marathons. He was named a Masters All-America for the 3000-meter steeplechase in 1999 and the 3000-meter run in 2001 and Runner of the Year by Frederick's Steeplechasers Running Club in 1994. He also earned sprints, hurdles and relays certification from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, as a result of participating in their five-day program in Summer 2011 at St. John's University in New York City.

As distance coach of the Frederick Striders Track and Field Club since 2000, Ayer has guided athletes to two national championships at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics. Of the athletes he's coached, 15 have been national qualifiers, 30 regional qualifiers and 12 state champions.

Ayer is a graduate of Lewis University, where he briefly held the record for the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He holds a master's degree from Frostburg State University and concluded a 30-year career as a staff member for the United States House of Representatives on Jan. 3, 2011.

In May 2010, Ayer was inducted as an honorary member of the Ionic Society for exemplary service to Hood College.

Ayer is married to Mary Catherine Keegan and they, and their three children, reside in Frederick, Md.

Four-year sprinter Ola Komolafe '11 returns to his alma mater to serve as an assistant coach with the Hood men's and women's track and field teams.

A four-time all-Capital Athletic Conference honoree, Komolafe holds the Hood school records in the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes and was a member of two record-setting relays. He won 11 individual events during his time in the blue-and-grey and helped the Blazers win two relays during his tenure.

A four-time CAC all-academic team and Dean's List member, he was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma national student-athlete honor society in 2010. He was also named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District II Second Team. At the 2011 senior student-athlete awards banquet, Komolafe was lauded with a pair of departmental awards--the Most Outstanding Senior Male Student-Athlete Award and the Scholar-Athlete Award.

Komolafe received his undergraduate degree in computer science from Hood and was involved in numerous extra-curricular activities in addition to track and field. He was a member of the Hood College programming team; a public relations officer in the Hood African Student Association; a mentor for the Students Providing Understanding and ResourceS (SPURS) program; and a team leader for a web development practicum and a software engineering program. In addition, Komolafe completed a departmental honors project on wireless sensor network security.

Longtime Boonsboro High School coach Dwight Scott joins the Hood track and field coaching staff for the 2011-12 season.

Scott mentored the Warriors for 52 years in various sports including track and field, cross country and football. He guided the Boonsboro’s girls to five state championships and coached 38 individual state champions in hurdles (10 boys, 20 girls) and seven more in the pole vault (six boys, one girls). In 19 years with the cross country program, his squads captured five Maryland state titles and crowned three individual champions.

Scott was named Maryland Coach of the Year in 1985 and was inducted into the Washington County Hall of the Fame in 1989.

A 1953 graduate of Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), Scott ran track for one year and played football for four. He went on to earn a master’s degree in physical education from the University of Maryland in 1965. Originally from Washington, D.C., he also lettered in track and field and football at Washington & Lee High School in Arlington, Va.

Tim Snyder joins the Hood cross country and track and field coaching staff as an assistant for the 2011-12 season.

Snyder is a 2008 graduate of McDaniel College who competed for the Green Terror cross country and track and field squads throughout his four-year career. He was honored with the Brian Russo Memorial Award for excellence in academics and intercollegiate athletics as a junior named to the all-Centennial Conference sportsmanship team. As a senior, Snyder was named to the all-Centennial Conference sportsmanship team and was bestowed with the Charles W. Havens Award, given to the senior student-athlete with commendable achievement and humanitariansim.

After graduating magna cum laude from McDaniel with a degree in art with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in sports coaching, Snyder served a graduate assistant in the McDaniel athletic department for two years. He earned his master's degree in art education for grades K-12 from McDaniel's nationally accredited program for elementary and secondary education. Snyder was also an assistant cross country and track and field coach at Francis Scott Key High School for one season.

Snyder recently secured teaching positions at North Frederick Elementary School and Oakdale Elementary School teaching elementary art.