FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The 2011 track and field season at Northern Arizona University brings a legend back to Flagstaff. U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame coach, Ed Jacoby, returns to NAU for his second stint, serving as the sprints, jumps and hurdles coach for the Lumberjacks. Last season, the men's sprint and jump squads scored 23 points at the Big Sky Indoor Championship and a stellar 54 points at the outdoor championship.

Having coached the jumpers and multi event athletes from 1999-2000 at NAU, Jacoby is looking forward to working with more athletes and helping them achieve excellent results.

"I have a lot more to do," Jacoby said. "I have the sprinters and hurdlers along with the jumpers which I had the first time I was here. The thing I am happy with is that the kids seem to be responding."

The Lumberjacks welcome back a loaded roster full of returners and newcomers that will look to give the men's team its third-straight indoor championship.

"They know what they have to do," Jacoby said. "It's a good group, but I want to get them a lot better than they are now. We want to be a step beyond that in the near future."

"The thing about the sprinters in particular is that they are a great bunch of kids," Jacoby said. "They are very loyal to the program and have been an inspiration to everyone involved."

The sprint squad returns senior captain, Josh Heck, along with fellow senior DeVaughn Shead. Sophomore Miles Di Sabella, a third-place finisher in the 100 and 200-meter dashes at the outdoor championship last year, returns as well.

"I told him before we left for the break that I am really pleased with him," Jacoby said of Di Sabella. "He's intense about what he is doing. He's there ready to go and is a force to be reckoned with."

Newcomers Adel al Nasser and Stefan Johnson are welcomed additions to the Lumberjacks, as both have excelled on the track prior to their arrival at NAU.

"Adel is yet to be tested," Jacoby said. "He is just full of talent and I think that his training age is pretty young. I expect him to step up and do something really special."

"Both Stefan and DeVaughn could and should be the class of the conference," Jacoby said of the former teammates from Central Arizona College. "I look forward to watching them compete."

The NAU jumps group was led by sophomore Charles White during the 2010 season. The Las Vegas, Nev., native returns for his second campaign after finishing runner-up in the triple jump at the indoor conference championship, winning the event during the outdoor season and finishing 22nd overall in the West Region with a career-best mark of 50 feet, three inches.

"He can bring a lot to the team," Jacoby said about White. "I think that Charles is coming around. Once he understands what his responsibilities are as far as training, there is no limit to what he can do. I think he could be something very special."

He will be joined by sophomore Edgar Panford, who finished third at the indoor championship meet in the triple jump, and redshirt freshman, Andre Gaines.

"We are looking for a lot of improvement from Andre and Edgar," Jacoby said. "I think they have the capabilities to do it."

The Lumberjacks landed a surprising mid-year transfer in Vladimir Jakovljevic, a freshman from Serbia who Jacoby expects big marks from in the near future.

"We just got him in here and he just looks like he is going to do something good," Jacoby said. "He has a great attitude, is on top of things, and did everything a semester sooner than we thought he would. He's something special already."

With many returners back, sprinkled in with the solid newcomers, Jacoby will look to take the men's sprints, jumps and hurdles crew to new heights in 2011.