Bio

Rich DeStefano enters his first year with the Central Connecticut men's and women's track and field staff as an assistant coach for the 2019-20 season. DeStefano will be working with the throwers.

Prior to joining the Blue Devil staff, DeStefano worked with the Hopkins School, Cheshire High School and Hillhouse High School as a throwing coach. He has helped coach 12 All-Americans, 10 New England and dozens of state open champions at the high school level. Along the way, DeStefano accolades include: working with USA gold medalist, Bryan Clay, 4x Olympic Trialist and 2x NCAA Champion, Kateema Riettie, former American record holder, Ann Crouse, and World Junior team member,Mike Curran,.

DeStefano was selected by the Men’s US Olympic Development Committee to coach the Junior Elite Team in 1999 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. During the same era he was Youth Development Chairman for USATF-CT. For the past 27 years, he has been running the DeStefano Javelin Clinic in locations all over Connecticut.

After competing at Southern Connecticut State University on he track and field team, DeStefano took his athletic career to the next level. DeStefano qualified and competed in the 2000 US Olympic Trials.He finished his 2000 season athletic career ranking top ten in the US. Rich retired from athletics after qualifying for the 2004 US Olympic Trials. He has a personal best throw of 73.58M.

Away from CCSU DeStefano owns and operates DeStefano Strength & Conditioning, LLC. A sports training center designed for athletes who want smaller scaled US Olympic Training Center that is located in Newington, CT.

DeStefano, a Southern Connecticut State University graduate, received a Bachelors of Science in Human Performance/Exercise Science and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Sport Psychology. He resides in Newington with his wife Diane and has three daughters, Nicolette, Alexandra and Mia.