Ursuline College Athletics

Alaric Best was named Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track & Field Coach at Ursuline in July of 2015. In August of 2017, Best was promoted to Associate Head Track and Field Coach. In January of 2021, Best was promoted to Head Track & Field Coach. Named Director of Cross Country and Track & Field in October 2024, Best introduced Ursuline’s first-ever men’s cross country and track & field programs. He now oversees all women’s and men’s cross country and track & field programs at UC. Year: 11 at UC in 2025-2026 season. 

All-Time Track & Field Records Book
All-Time Cross Country Records Book

AT URSULINE COLLEGE   
Cross Country: 

• 8 Women’s Cross Country USTFCCCA All-Academic Team 
• 14 Women's Track & Field USTFCCCA All-Academic Team 
• Cross Country-24 Top 10 times in school history in the 6k 
• Cross Country- 25 Top 10 times in school history in the 5k 
• Cross Country- 12 Top 10 times in school history in the 4K 
• Cross Country-7 School Record holders 
• 1 First Team All- GMAC (Emma Esteves 9th overall, 2023) 
• 2 Second Team All- GMAC (Emma Esteves 12th overall 2021,2022) 
• 1 G-MAC Freshman of the Year (Emma Esteves) 
• 1 GMAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Gabrielle Post) 
• 28th Overall at NCAA Midwest Regional Meet (Highest individual finish in school history- Emma Esteves 2023) 
• 2 Cross Country Invitational Meet Individual Champion 
• 3 Cross Country Invitational Meet Individual Champion (Daniel Walker Invitational, Terra Cotta Open - 2021, and Liv In Lou Women’s 5k Silver Race, 2024) 
• Highest finish at conference meet since having a full conference (6th, 2018) 
• Highest finish at NCAA Midwest Regional meet (24th, 2021)
• Cross Country- 4 Top 7th Finishes at G-MAC Championships (most recent 2022)
• USTFCCCA Cross Country All Academic American (Emma Esteves 2022, 2023, A’Zaria Thomas, 2024)

Track & Field:  

• Track & Field-Highest NCAA National Ranking in program history – Ranked 13th 
• Track & Field-Highest Midwest Region Ranking in program history – 5th 
• 4 National Individual Champions (Janelle Perry- 100mh, 60mh, 100mh, Alaysia Brooks-800m most recent 2024) 
• 11 NCAA Division II All-America Performers (Alaysia Brooks- 800m indoor national champ and 800m 8th place outdoor finish most recent 2024)
• NCAA National Championship Finishes: Alaysia Brooks 18th in 800m (indoor track, 2023), 16th in 800m (outdoor track, 2023), 1st in 800m (indoor track, 2024), 8th in 800m (outdoor track, 2024)
• 16 NCAA National Meet Qualifier (Alaysia Brooks, indoor and outdoor 800m 2025)
• 50 NCAA Provisional National Qualifiers (Banks(DMR), Brooks(DMR, 800m indoor & outdoor), Dornbirer(DMR), Thomas(DMR), Gyasi-Nimako(TJ), most recent 2025)
• 20 All-Midwest Region Athletes (800m indoor & outdoor best performance in the region -Alaysia Brooks, 2025), (TJ indoor best performances in the region - Savahnna Gyasi-Nimako, 2025)
• 306 Ursuline Track & Field Top-5 performances 
• 102 All- GMAC Conference athletes 
• 66 School Records 
• 30 G-MAC Champions  (800m indoor & outdoor -Alaysia Brooks, Savahnna Gyasi-Nimako, 2024)
• 21 All-Time Great Midwest Athletic Conference Record Holders  (TJ- Savahnna Gyasi-Nimako, 2024)
• 2nd All-Time Mark in NCAA D2 History (Alaysia Brooks 600m 1:31.37,2024)
• 2nd All-Time Mark in G-MAC History (Alaysia Brooks 800m indoor- 2:05.66) 
• 7th All-Time Mark in NCAA D2 History (800m indoor all-conditions-2:05.66) 
• 23rd All-Time Mark in NCAA D2 History (Brooks,800m outdoors- 2:05.28) 
• 5 G-MAC Championship Meet Record (Alaysia Brooks 800m indoor & outdoor track 2024, Savahnna Gyasi-Nimako)
• 4 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year 
• 5 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Field Event Athletes of the Year 
• 4 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Track Athletes of the Year (Alaysia Brooks indoor & outdoor, most recent 2024)
• USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Athlete of the Year (Alaysia Brooks, indoor 2024) 
• Coached Alaysia Brooks to be the first ever UC athlete to compete at sixth consecutive national championship meets (800 meters)
• Coached A’Zaria Thomas to break the five minute barrier in school history in the mile running 4:59.93 being the first ever UC athlete to accomplish the milestone
• 3 Second Place Finishes at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Championship Meet 
• 2017 Indoor Track & Field Great Midwest Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year 
• 2017 Penn Relays Champion in the Heptathlon 
• 20th Place Finish in Women’s NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (2017) 
• 13th Place Finish in Women’s NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships (2018) 
• 29th Place Finish in Women’s NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (2018) 
• 7th Overall Team Finish G-MAC Conference (indoor & outdoor 2023 full conference)
• 17th Midwest Region Ranking (2023, highest since 2018)
• 45th NCAA National Ranking (2023, highest since 2018 indoor track)
• 48th NCAA National Ranking (2023, highest since 2018 outdoor track)
• 14th Midwest Region Ranking (Indoor & Outdoor, 2024)
• 20th NCAA National Finish (Indoor, 2024)
• 57th NCAA National Finish (Outdoor, 2024)
• 1 Track & Field Relay Meet Team Champion (4x200m- Tiffin Track Carnival, 2022)   
• Recruited the largest recruiting class in school history (13 student-athletes, 2023) 
• Recruited the first men’s sports in UC history in 2024-2025
• G-MAC Hall of Fame Class of 2023 (Janelle Perry-Harris coached under Tutskey and Best 2015-2018)
• 7 USTFCCCA Track & Field All Academic American (Alaysia Brooks-800m, Savahnna Gussie-Nimako-TJ, most recently 2025)

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN 

• 4 Women’s Cross Country USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award winner 
• 5 Northeast 10 Conference All-Academic Cross Country and Track & Field performers 
• 57 Track & Field Northeast 10 Conference team performers 
• 10th place finish in the Women’s Northeast 10 Cross Country Championship in 2011 
• 9  New England Champions Individual Qualifiers 
• 15th place finish in the Women’s NCAA Division II Cross Country East Region Championships in 211. 
• 2013-14 had eight student-athletes earn All-America laurels in a program record seven events. 

CAREER ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS   

• 2021 SUNY Delhi Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee 
• Competed two years at New Haven and two years at SUNY Delhi 
• 4 All-America honors  between cross country and track & field at SUNY Delhi  
• Led the team to two NJCAA Division III National Championships 
• Team Captain as a Senior 

EDUCATION 

• Earned an Associate’s Degree at SUNY Delhi 
• Earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Management of Sports Industries and Business Management at New Haven 
• Earned a Master’s Degree in Labor Relations at New Haven 
• Earned a Master’s of Science in Recreation and Sport Science/Coaching Education from Ohio University 

CERTIFICATIONS 

• USTFCCA Endurance Specialist 
• USTFCCA Strength & Conditioning 
• USTFCCCA Meet Management Certification   
• USA Track & Field Level I Coach  

FAMILY 

• Resides in South Euclid with his wife Danielle and their daughter Amerie.