Coach Bernard “Hollywood” Austin, a Hillside High School graduate, began coaching with the NCCU track & field program in 2004.
“Rarely do you find the experience, wisdom and knowledge of the sport, especially hurdles, that we have in Coach Austin,” said Walker. “I’ve had the immense pleasure of working with him for over 12 years and his track & field IQ is of tremendous value to our staff and student-athletes. Over the years, he has coached our hurdlers to conference and national recognitions and he has done so with top recruits and walk-ons. He has been a rock for our student-athletes and epitomizes what it means to be a coach.”
After a successful football and track career at North Carolina A&T State University, Austin played defensive back for the Washington Redskins and later entered the U.S. Army for three years, serving in Germany and combat duty in South Vietnam.
Austin had coaching stints at Durham High School, Riverside High School and with the Durham Striders Youth Track Club, where he produced numerous state and national hurdle champions, before he began assisting with the hurdlers at NCCU.
As a master certified track & field official, Austin has been a highly sought-after official on both the collegiate and elite circuits, thus enabling him to server in the sport for over 30 years. On the collegiate level, he has produced numerous conference and national qualifiers at the Division I and Division II ranks, in both the high and intermediate hurdles.
