North Carolina State University Athletics
Former Wolfpack Track Coach Tom Jones Passes at 62
3/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track
Updated to include visitation and funeral information: 4:06 p.m., 3/21/2007
BY TIM PEELERRALEIGH , N.C. – Tom Jones, who guided the NC State women’s cross country team to back-to-back AIAW national championships in 1979-80 and coached 23 Wolfpack All-Americas, died Wednesday morning in Gainesville, Fla., after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 62.
Jones, who had been the head coach of the Florida women’s track and field team since 1992, spent 35 years as a head coach at NC State (1978-84), Texas-El Paso (1984-88), Arizona State (1988-92) and Florida (1992-07). He coached his athletes to a total of 335 All-America awards, led his teams to 12 conference titles and won the two national titles while with the Wolfpack. He was named NCAA Coach of the Year three times.
“Tom was a teacher in all the events and he knew every event well,” said Wolfpack track and field and cross country head coach Rollie Geiger, who was hired by Jones in 1979 as an assistant women’s cross country coach. “He was an incredible teacher and a great role model for all the athletes. He was a great mentor for me.
“In my opinion, there is not a finer coach in the NCAA in the way of expertise and how he felt his athletes were family. Tom and [his wife} Sandy both made everyone felt like family in their track program.”
Geiger eventually became the assistant for all Wolfpack men’s and women’s distance events and was elevated to head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country and track programs when Jones left for Texas-El Paso in 1984.
“Tom built the programs here and laid the foundation so that NC State track and field could have the kind of success we have had over the years,” Geiger said. “He did things the right way, both on and off the track.
“I was his assistant in 1979 when he hired me, and I am still his assistant today.”
Jones was the head coach when the Wolfpack women won the 1979-80 AIAW cross country championships and finished as the runner-up in the 1980 AIAW women’s track and field championship, with legendary Wolfpack runners Julie and Mary Shea and Betty Springs leading the way. Joan Benoit, the 1984 Olympic gold medal winner in the marathon, was one of Jones’ runners at NC State.
Jones led the men’s track and field team to the ACC Championships in 1983 and ‘84, beginning a run of six consecutive conference titles for the Wolfpack men.
Jones is survived by his wife of 30 years, Sandy, and his sons, Chris and Sean, and three grand-daughters. The family visitation will be Monday from 4-6 p.m. at Trinity Methodist Church at 4000 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, Fla. The funeral will be at the same location Tuesday at 11 a.m.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
