Brendan McMaster enters his first season as the head cross country and track and field coach for both men and women at Park University Gilbert in the 2020-21 school year. McMaster was hired on February 19, 2020.
McMaster comes to Park from Poston Butte High School where he was the Head Cross Country and Track Coach. His teams set 39 individual records in cross country and track and he led the Broncos to their first ever state championship appearance. During his tenure, Poston Butte never failed to make the postseason. His players received All-America honors and were the first to receive scholarships for cross country from the school.
In 2018, McMaster received the "House Recognition" Award from the Joe Foss American Legion Post 97 in San Tan Valley for exemplary service as a coach and teacher. The award was for outstanding commitment and dedication as a coach, mentor and teacher who gives much of his time before and after school in developing strong athletes and students of character.
McMaster is a 2006 graduate of Corona Del Sol High School in Tempe, Ariz., where he was a three-time letter winner in cross country and track. He was coached by Pat Smith and was a two-year letter winner for the Aztecs Soccer team. McMaster was a three-time All-State athlete in both cross country and track and he led Corona's cross-country team to the 5A state championship competition all three years he competed. McMaster finished 32nd as a sophomore, 23rd as a junior and 11th as a senior in the 5A Cross Country State Championships. In track, he was the 2006 two-mile champion in the Central Region before he finished 8th in the same event at the 2006 5A State Championship.
McMaster was named Corona Del Sol's cross-country team captain and MVP his junior and senior seasons along with earning the teams "Will to Win" award.
McMaster then moved on to compete at Mesa Community College where he was a Junior College All-America. He holds the half marathon record at MCC
McMaster is a 2010 graduate of Brigham Young University at Hawaii in Laie, Hawaii where ran two years for the Seasiders. He received his degree in Exercise and Sport Science. Athletically, McMaster ranks 17th (26:07) and 19th (26:09) in the 8K and is fourth (16:06) all-time in Seasiders history in the 5K. At the time he set the 5K mark he broke the previous record set at the school, and it stood for four years. He was a two-time NCAA Division II All-Conference player in the PacWest Conference. McMaster captured the Hawaii Pacific University Invitational at Kualoa Ranch by covering the course in a time of 24:52 on Sept. 5, 2009.
McMaster lives in Florence, Ariz, with his wife Caitlin and three daughters Margaret (6), Emily (3) and Audrey (1).Â
