NATCHITOCHES -- Richard Fisher will take over an accomplished Northwestern State jumps programs as he joins the track and field coaching staff, head coach Mike Heimerman announced Wednesday.

Fisher spent three years at Purdue as a volunteer assistant coach, helping coach jumps and multi events.

Five Boilermakers achieved NCAA Indoor All-American status with two winning Big 10 individual championships and another four stepping on the medal podium.

All hires are subject to the approval of the Louisiana Board of Supervisors, of which NSU is a member, as well as pass through other University human resource processes. 

"We're very excited to bring Richard in because he has a lot of knowledge and experience working with jumps," Heimerman said. "He has coached a female high jumper to the Olympics.

"He has come in and hit the ground running, so it should be fun."

NSU produced NCAA Indoor champion Jasmyn Steels in 2019 to continue a long trend of jumps excellence, which includes national champion Brian Brown and Olympians LaMark Carter and Kenta Bell.

Fisher has also excelled at the high school level.

The New Jersey native coached for five seasons at Paul VI High (sprints, hurdles and jumps) with his athletes garnering seven state titles and four high school All-America honors.

Fisher has Louisiana connections as an LSU alumni, competing as an 800-meter runner from 2009-13.