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Neil Houlihan

Neil Houlihan

Neil Houlihan was named an assistant coach track and field coach for the Flames ahead of the upcoming 2017-18 season on October 10, 2017.

"The UIC track family is extremely excited to welcome Neil to the program," said Lucas. :His knowledge and love for track is clearly evident in his desire to help bring the Flames to the next level. What is even more impressive is his drive to make the student-athletes better both on and off the track. I know Neil is going to have an immediate impact with guiding our student-athletes here at UIC and helping formulate the vision we have for this program."   

Houlihan returns to Chicago after working at multiple schools at the high school and collegiate levels in the western United States. Most recently he was the head men's and women's track and field coach as Gompers Academy in San Diego, Calif. Prior to that, he established the track and field and cross country programs and served as the head coach at Feather River College in Quincy, Calif. Houlihan was an assistant coach working with the sprint, jump and hurdle group at the University of Nevada in 2016.

His experience guiding student-athletes in the Chicagoland area began at North Park University in 2014. Houlihan worked as a graduate assistant with the men's and women's spring, jump and hurdle groups. He coached two student-athletes that would go on to collect All-America honors in the long jump, decathlon, heptathlon and 200-meter dash. Houlihan also worked as the team's recruiting coordinator and social media specialist. He received a Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology with performance enhancement emphasis from North Park in 2016.

In 2014 Houlihan completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in human behavior and social understanding from the University of Arizona. He captained the Wildcats' track and field team which finished fifth overall at the 2014 NCAA Track and Field Championship. Houlihan was an All-Pac 12 sprinter at Arizona and an NJCAA All-American in sprints and hurdles while competing at Mesa Community College in 2012.