Trinity College

Bonnie Edmondson, a two-time national champion in the women’s hammer throw, begins her 15th season as a Trinity assistant men's and women's track & field coach in 2025-2026. Edmondson was ranked as high as No. 20 in the world and was ranked among the top five in the United States in the women’s hammer throw from 1990-1996. Edmondson has coached at the collegiate and high school levels for more than 35 years and has conducted numerous coaching clinics at the national level.  She is a Professor Emerita at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), and holds a doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Hartford, a master's degree in school health education from SCSU, and a bachelor's degree in English and communications from Eastern Connecticut State University.

Edmondson is a nationally renowned speaker on health and education policy, and athletic coaching and was appointed to expert panels for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Edmondson has held numerous leadership positions with USA Track and Field (USATF) having been selected as the Head Women’s Coach of the 2024 World Indoor Athletic Championships in Glasgow, Scotland and the 2019 IAAF World Athletic Championships in Doha, Qatar. Bonnie was the throwing events coach for the 2016 United States Olympic Team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and served as the throwing events coach for five additional World Athletic Championship teams. Dr. Edmondson is a member of the USATF Women’s Track and Field Executive Committee, USATF Alumni Association, and Ex-officio and former Chair of the USATF Women’s Commission that is charged with promoting gender equity and leadership opportunities for women and girls in track and field.

Athletically, Dr. Edmondson is the 1990 and 1991 United States champion and former world ranked hammer thrower. Bonnie placed 3^rd at the 1992 Track and Field Olympic Trials but was denied a berth on the team as the women’s hammer was not yet contested as an official event at the Olympics. She also competed at the 1996 Olympic Trails in Atlanta and was ranked among the top five in the United States in the women’s hammer throw from 1990-1996. During this time, Bonnie led the pioneering efforts in advocating for equity and inclusion of the women’s hammer throw at the international level, which came to fruition when the event was added to the 2000 Olympic Games Program. Most recently, Bonnie won the gold medal in the hammer throw and silver medal in the weight throw in her age category at the 2024 World Master’s Athletics Championship in Sweden. Bonnie continues to advocate for and champion opportunities for women and girls in sport and inspires others to pursue their goals and dreams. 

Dr. Edmondson has been recognized as an advocate and inspirational leader in her respective professional fields. She has been inducted into numerous Halls of Fame, is a recipient of the USATF President’s Award, the Alumni Service Award, Women’s Commission Inspirational Leader Award, and the Joseph Robichaux Award for her exemplary leadership and influence in the sport of track and field.  Edmondson is a member of the United States Throws Coaches Association, is a USATF Certified Coach, and has conducted numerous clinics at the United States Olympic Training Center.  She has also conducted clinics for Paralympic athletes and served as a coach for the USA Paralympic Team in the Czech Republic.