In the spring of 2014, Ray Winter was named the head coach of the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country programs. Now in his eighth year at the helm of these programs, he has rewritten the record books and established FPU as a top program in the West Region. Since 2014, 17 school records have been broken on the women’s track and field team, with another 25 top three all-time marks established. For the men, seven school records and another 15 top three all-time marks have been set during this time. Likewise, in cross country, both the men’s and women’s school record team times have been set. In the last seven PacWest Conference track and field championship meets, the women’s team has crowned 23 individual conference champions and the men have crowned 19, as well as a team title in 2014.
The 2019 cross country women also won a PacWest title for the first time in school history. In FPU’s four short years of NCAA DII post-season eligibility, the track program has qualified 25 student-athletes and has earned 8 All-American honors. Other individual student-athlete accomplishments in the field of play during Winter’s tenure include 2 All-Region awards in cross country, multiple PacWest Track & Field Athlete of the Year awards, and multiple PacWest Freshman of the Year awards. There have also been two Sunbird of the Year Awards (FPU’s highest athletic honor) to track and field athletes, Scholar of the Year, and multiple Senior of the Year and Freshman of the Year Award recipients from among Winter’s ranks.
Academic accomplishments during Winter’s tenure match the success on the track. There have been 4 Academic All-Americans, 4 Academic All-District athletes, one overall PacWest Scholar Athlete of the Year, and four PacWest Track and Field Scholar Athletes of the Year. Also, in the last four years the track and cross country teams have placed countless student-athletes on the PacWest Academic All-Conference teams.
Winter also has an excellent recruiting record, bringing in a high school national champion, multiple state champions at the high school and junior college levels, as well as the most dominant athletes from California’s Central Valley. The Sunbirds track and field program also continues to be the biggest ambassador for the development and support of its sport in the region—they are the host of the Run for the Dream Track Summer Series, the USATF Area and Region championship meets, as well as the host of the annual Central California Special Olympics meet.
"FPU is a gift to the Central Valley, and I continue to enjoy helping its light shine through athletics at the next level," said Winter. "These programs have the full support of the university and the athletics administration, with which I hope to continue to advance FPU as the university of choice for Valley and for all student-athletes, making our presence felt at the PacWest and NCAA Division II levels. It’s been inspiring to me to work with alumni and the community to dream big together, win big together and do it in the right way."
It was at FPU that Winter first began to develop his leadership skills, competing for the Sunbirds as a student-athlete on the cross country and track teams from 1994-1998 and serving as the team captain for both squads. He was also elected the university's student body president as a senior.
Winter went on to spend seven years as a head high school cross country and track & field coach, coaching at both Dinuba High School and Caruthers High School, where he laid the foundation for future success at both programs. He began working as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with FPU in 2005.
Winter has worked as a literature professor at both FPU and UC Merced, and holds a bachelor's degree in English from FPU ('98), a master's in literature from Fresno State ('06) and a PhD in literature from UC Merced ('10). He still actively competes in endurance races and has completed numerous events including Ironman and the Boston Marathon. He and his wife Kelly (FPU Hall of Fame student-athlete and former FPU head volleyball coach) have three children: Emma, Paige and Ethan. They are active members of North Fresno MB Church.
