Bio

Nile Legania was named the head coach of Dillard's track & field and cross country programs on Sept. 1, 2020.

Legania, a New Orleans native and former multisport athlete, is a 13-year coaching veteran, including 10 years as the head coach track & field coach of Edna Karr High School in New Orleans. In addition to his work as the head track & field coach, Legania started and has run the Sprint NOLA Track Club program for the last ten years.

Among the honors that Legania has achieved in his coaching career is being named the 2020 AAU Zone B Coach of the Year, earning six Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSSA) state championships (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019), finishing as the runner-up at the LHSAA Championship four times, totaling 94 district champions, eight Region 3 Champions, 238 LHSAA State Qualifiers, 29 LHSAA State Individual titles,  49 All-Metro performers, 52 All-State performers, 16 Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) performers, three LHSAA 4A Track Outdoor MVPs, a large school track indoor MVP, eight New Balance High School All-Americans, 32 AAU All-Americans, eight AAU National Champions, coaching the AAU Club Championship High School Record Holder in the high jump (Alacia Myles), developing Louisiana’s fastest 4x100 team time by a non-All-Star Relay Team (Louisiana mile split).

Legania is also both USA Track & Field Level 2 certified, USA Track & Field Official certified and USTFCCCA Technical certified.

Following his final season of college football at Wayne State, he played professionally in the Arena Football League for the San Angelo Stampede as a defensive back/return specialist before returning home to Louisiana to pursue his coaching passion.

The former Statesman earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Delta State University and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Capella University.

He is married to his wife, Bejide Legania, a former All-American in the long jump at Louisiana Tech. The couple resides in Gretna, La. with their two children, son Nile Jr. and daughter Nia.

GCAC Championships

Men’s Track & Field Champions (2021)

Men’s Cross Country Champions (2021)

Women’s Cross Country Champions (2021)

Men’s Track & Field Champions (2022)

Women’s Track & Field Champions (2022)

Women’s Cross Country Champions (2022)

Men’s Track & Field Champions (2023)

Women’s Track & Field Champions (2023)

Coach of the year honors

GCAC Men’s Track & Field (2021)

GCAC Men’s Cross Country (2021)

GCAC Women’s Cross Country (2021)

GCAC Men’s Track & Field (2022)

Men’s Track & Field Louisiana Sports Writers Association (2022)

Women’s Cross Country (2022)

Men’s Makeda Excellence Cross Country (2022)

Women’s Makeda Excellence Cross Country (2022)

Men’s Makeda Excellence Track & Field (2022)

Women’s  Makeda Excellence Track & Field (2022)

GCAC Men’s Track & Field (2023)

GCAC Women’s Track & Field (2023)

Men’s Makeda Excellence Cross Country (2023)

Women’s Makeda Excellence Cross Country (2023)

NAIA All- Americans 

4 All- Americans (2021)

9 All- Americans (2022)

15 All-Americans (2023)

National Champions

Men’s 4x1 Relay (2021)