Allegheny’s cross country and track and field teams are entering a new chapter under the leadership of new head coach Jason Falvo. Falvo has decades of experience as both a coach and an athlete which has helped him guide the team through adverse times. Falvo has an athletic background that includes baseball, football, track and cross country, and according to women’s cross country captain Samantha Oakes, ’27, brings a mixture of discipline, enthusiasm and relatability to the teams.
Falvo’s first weeks at Allegheny have already left a strong impression.
“The transition for me has been amazing,” Falvo said. “The overwhelming support, the welcoming that I’ve had here has been phenomenal.”
Falvo said the community has been incredibly helpful.
“Everybody here at the college has been just so gracious with their time and effort with us,” Falvo said. “It’s been amazing. You know you want to work in places that have great people. The people here have been fantastic. I couldn’t feel more comfortable and excited to be here.”
Falvo has had a unique path transitioning from being an athlete in many sports to now coaching, mentioning that he grew up playing baseball and then transitioned to football late in his high school career. Falvo ended up playing football at Juniata College and then became a football coach at Waynesburg University. The Waynesburg athletic director approached Falvo requesting a favor: which was to help launch the school’s Track and Field program. “You never turn down an Italian guy when they ask you for a favor,” Falvo joked. Falvo went on to be a five-time President’s Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and also the 2010 Mid-East Region Women’s Coach of the Year. He coached 28 national qualifiers during his time as Waynesburg’s head coach.
“Coaching takes what it takes,” Falvo said. “The time and effort you have to put in, it is just what it is.” Over the years, Falvo has learned to weather the complexities of coaching, which includes building relationships, understanding personalities and learning from mistakes. While victory, strategy and performance are important to Falvo, building relationships is what he values the most. On the day that he was hired, one of his former athletes reached out to wish him luck.
Falvo’s arrival comes in the midst of a difficult time for Allegheny’s distance teams. Perseverance is vital when it comes to distance running and the loss of a former Head Track and Field Coach Ben Mourer, ’07, has had a major impact on the program which Falvo understands well. “Never settle, never quit, never stop,” Falvo said, echoing a key motto of Mourer’s. “You want to take it day by day. One step at a time. We know that there are going to be emotional ups and downs. We will ride the journey together. There is no true playbook for this one.”
Falvo’s message has resonated with student athletes like Oakes. “Personally, I want to be the strongest athlete I can be,” Oakes said. “Get new personal bests because that’s definitely what Mourer would have wanted.” Oakes also mentioned that the team goals are to grow personally, emotionally and academically. She would like to see dropping times and consistent growth. Oakes says that because the team is so small, it creates a close-knit family atmosphere. Oakes said Falvo has brought a lot of hype and enthusiasm to workouts while maintaining past traditions and bringing much-needed energy to the team. Oakes believes the transition has been as smooth as it could have been.
Falvo’s coaching style blends experience with adaptability. He’s worked closely with other coaches to learn Allegheny’s traditions while introducing his own methods, including a focus on injury prevention and strength training. Anti-gravity treadmills have become part of the regimen, helping athletes stay healthy while pushing their limits.
Logan Wagner, ’26, captain of the women’s track team, was appreciative of Falvo’s attention to detail and personal connection. “The first day that the entire track team met him, he was already knowing people’s names and everything, which was pretty big for us because it was his first time meeting us, and he already knew what events we did,” she said. Wagner appreciates how personable Falvo is, going out of his way to get to know his athletes. The team goals are about unity and resilience. “Stay strong, run for Mourer, never settle,” Wagner said. As for personal goals, she hopes to break 59 seconds in the 400-meter dash for the first time. She believes the team will become more unified as the season draws closer.
Beyond coaching at Allegheny, Falvo has a deeply rooted faith and family values. He says his competitive spirit is also seen when playing golf or softball in his free time and that he thrives when faced with challenges, so he always tries to gain the edge. This competitiveness transfers to his coaching style, using adversity as an outlet for growth.
Falvo enters his first year as a Gator with clear goals of building strong relationships, along with instilling discipline and resilience in his athletes. Falvo said he aims to lead the team with heart, grit and onward momentum.
