Ricardo Page is in his third season as an assistant coach at Purdue in 2023-24 and works with the Boilermaker throwers.
Page’s second year at Purdue saw another Boilermaker thrower reach the NCAA Championships, his third in just two seasons, as Johnny Vanos placed 11th nationally in the weight throw and was bestowed with Second Team All-America honors. Vanos became the program’s first indoor NCAA qualifier in a throws event since 2019. Vanos’ NCAA finish came after he won a Big Ten silver medal in the event. Page also coached Vanos to top-10 marks in both the weight throw and hammer throw, with his weight throw at No. 2 being Purdue’s first top-10 entry since 2015.
In his first season in West Lafayette in 2021-22, Page quickly made an impact as two throwers, Kelly Cook Jr. and Kaia Harris, advanced to the national championships. The pair were Purdue’s first throwers to qualify outdoors since 2018. Harris placed 13th in the discus to earn Second Team All-America distinction and Cook was 18th in the hammer throw to collect honorable mention accolades. Cook Jr. and Harris also posted the second-best throws in school history in their events under Page’s tutelage, while Cook Jr. added Academic All-America honors to his impressive season. Additionally, Page coached decathlete Isaiah Martin in the throws events as Martin finished ninth nationally.
Page's career also has included stints at Lane College, UCF, Georgia State, Jackson State, Union College and Southern Mississippi. Along with his time at Purdue, his 15-year career has featured 17 conference champions, 12 student-athletes that have qualified for an NCAA meet, four conference-record-holders, six All-Americans and two conference athletes of the year. Page’s teams also have won a pair of team conference titles.
Prior to Purdue, Page served as the head coach of the Lane College men’s and women’s track & field and cross country program in 2020-21. The program opted out of the season due to Covid-19.
From 2018-2020, Page was an assistant coach at UCF. He coached two throwers to NCAA Prelims appearances with the Knights, and his student-athletes won five all-conference accolades. In 2019, Page’s throwers recorded four top-five finishes at the AAC conference meet, while six personal-best marks were set. Additionally, three throws ranked No. 2 in program history.
In four seasons as an assistant coach at Georgia State from 2014-18, Page coached two athletes to three All-America honors, which included the No. 3 ranking in the indoor weight throw. Three Panthers competed at NCAA Prelims, with two advancing to the national championships and making prelims three consecutive years. He led student-athletes to seven conference titles and four Sun Belt medals, while one of Page’s throwers was named the league’s athlete of the year twice. Additionally under Page’s guidance, 10 school-record marks were set and four conference records were broken.
Page was an assistant coach at Jackson State from 2012-14. He coached the SWAC champion and runner-up in both 2012 and 2013, while the school’s discus record was broken under his tutelage. Additionally, Page’s Tigers earned three all-conference accolades.
As a graduate assistant coach at Union College from 2010-11, Page coached one NAIA nationals qualifier, six conference champions and contributed to the program’s first men’s and women’s conference championships.
Page’s coaching career began at Southern Mississippi, where he was a volunteer assistant coach from 2008-09. In one season, two Golden Eagles made the NCAA East Prelims and two won conference titles under Page’s direction.
Additionally, Page was a high school coach in Jamaica, where he coached three high school championships in the shot put and discus, and two national junior representatives at the CARIFTA and CAC junior games.
As a member of the Southern Mississippi squad from 2005-08, Page broke the discus throw record and holds the second-best shot put mark in team history. He was a bronze medalist in the discus at the 2008 Conference USA Championships. Competing for Jamaica, Page broke the under-17 high school record in the discus throw, represented Jamaica twice at the junior level, where he earned silver and bronze medals at his first CAC Games.
A native of St. Catherine, Jamaica, Page earned his bachelor’s degree in coaching education from Southern Mississippi in 2008. He earned a master’s degree in health and physical education from Union College in 2011.
Page lives in West Lafayette with his wife, Samarla. The couple has two children, Keenan and Kalice.
Page’s second year at Purdue saw another Boilermaker thrower reach the NCAA Championships, his third in just two seasons, as Johnny Vanos placed 11th nationally in the weight throw and was bestowed with Second Team All-America honors. Vanos became the program’s first indoor NCAA qualifier in a throws event since 2019. Vanos’ NCAA finish came after he won a Big Ten silver medal in the event. Page also coached Vanos to top-10 marks in both the weight throw and hammer throw, with his weight throw at No. 2 being Purdue’s first top-10 entry since 2015.
In his first season in West Lafayette in 2021-22, Page quickly made an impact as two throwers, Kelly Cook Jr. and Kaia Harris, advanced to the national championships. The pair were Purdue’s first throwers to qualify outdoors since 2018. Harris placed 13th in the discus to earn Second Team All-America distinction and Cook was 18th in the hammer throw to collect honorable mention accolades. Cook Jr. and Harris also posted the second-best throws in school history in their events under Page’s tutelage, while Cook Jr. added Academic All-America honors to his impressive season. Additionally, Page coached decathlete Isaiah Martin in the throws events as Martin finished ninth nationally.
Page's career also has included stints at Lane College, UCF, Georgia State, Jackson State, Union College and Southern Mississippi. Along with his time at Purdue, his 15-year career has featured 17 conference champions, 12 student-athletes that have qualified for an NCAA meet, four conference-record-holders, six All-Americans and two conference athletes of the year. Page’s teams also have won a pair of team conference titles.
Prior to Purdue, Page served as the head coach of the Lane College men’s and women’s track & field and cross country program in 2020-21. The program opted out of the season due to Covid-19.
From 2018-2020, Page was an assistant coach at UCF. He coached two throwers to NCAA Prelims appearances with the Knights, and his student-athletes won five all-conference accolades. In 2019, Page’s throwers recorded four top-five finishes at the AAC conference meet, while six personal-best marks were set. Additionally, three throws ranked No. 2 in program history.
In four seasons as an assistant coach at Georgia State from 2014-18, Page coached two athletes to three All-America honors, which included the No. 3 ranking in the indoor weight throw. Three Panthers competed at NCAA Prelims, with two advancing to the national championships and making prelims three consecutive years. He led student-athletes to seven conference titles and four Sun Belt medals, while one of Page’s throwers was named the league’s athlete of the year twice. Additionally under Page’s guidance, 10 school-record marks were set and four conference records were broken.
Page was an assistant coach at Jackson State from 2012-14. He coached the SWAC champion and runner-up in both 2012 and 2013, while the school’s discus record was broken under his tutelage. Additionally, Page’s Tigers earned three all-conference accolades.
As a graduate assistant coach at Union College from 2010-11, Page coached one NAIA nationals qualifier, six conference champions and contributed to the program’s first men’s and women’s conference championships.
Page’s coaching career began at Southern Mississippi, where he was a volunteer assistant coach from 2008-09. In one season, two Golden Eagles made the NCAA East Prelims and two won conference titles under Page’s direction.
Additionally, Page was a high school coach in Jamaica, where he coached three high school championships in the shot put and discus, and two national junior representatives at the CARIFTA and CAC junior games.
As a member of the Southern Mississippi squad from 2005-08, Page broke the discus throw record and holds the second-best shot put mark in team history. He was a bronze medalist in the discus at the 2008 Conference USA Championships. Competing for Jamaica, Page broke the under-17 high school record in the discus throw, represented Jamaica twice at the junior level, where he earned silver and bronze medals at his first CAC Games.
A native of St. Catherine, Jamaica, Page earned his bachelor’s degree in coaching education from Southern Mississippi in 2008. He earned a master’s degree in health and physical education from Union College in 2011.
Page lives in West Lafayette with his wife, Samarla. The couple has two children, Keenan and Kalice.