Kurt Thomas - Track & Field Coach

Kurt Thomas

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
kt89@msstate.edu

Kurt Thomas joined the Mississippi State staff in 2004 as a graduate assistant, and in 2005, was promoted to assistant coach. His primary responsibilities are coaching hurdlers, jumpers and women's sprints.

This past season Thomas directed the women's 4X800-meter relay team that includes Jen McPherson, Andrea Wahlin, Liz Grube, and Zita Magloire. They set a Mississippi State school record with 8 minutes, 47.84 seconds, and finished second only behind No. 1 nationally ranked Texas at the Texas Relays, and also went on to win the LSU Tiger Relays and the Alabama Relays. In the Distance Medley, McPherson, Wahlin, Magloire, and Antrese Banks won both the LSU Tiger Relays, Alabama Relays, finished second at the Texas Relays, and seventh at the Penn Relays. With Thomas's assistance Marrissa Harris finished in the top 5 of all six of her 100-meter hurdle events, including a first place finish at the Jace Lacoste Invitational. In conclusion to the year Thomas helped guide four Mississippi State Outdoor Track and Field records to be broken including the 100-meter hurdlers by Harris, 13.52, 4X800-meter relay, and the High Jump by Jasmine Walls with a five feet, 10-and-three-quarter inches jump. Also, three freshman records were broken including the 100-meter hurdles by Harris, High Jump by Dot Youmans with 5-07, and the Triple Jump by Janelle Finley with 39-08. In addition, Thomas oversaw 19 personal best marks achieved by the women's team in sprints, hurdles, and jumps. Thomas also assisted in leading the men's team to 14-personal best marks in the hurdles and jumps for the 2006 year, and assisted Allen Cassell to a 5th place SEC finish in the high jump finishing with 6-08 ? jump.

Prior to coming to Starkville, Thomas was a student assistant with the University of Tennessee men's program. Under Vince Anderson, he aided in the training and development of athletes, as well as meet and administration management. He was also a part of two Southeastern Conference championship teams and two NCAA national championship squads.

Thomas worked with numerous all-Americans and SEC champions in all events and worked with professional athletes, including world champion and Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin, Leonard Scott, Tom Pappas, Gary Kikaya, Jabari Greer and Stephan Harris.

Thomas also assisted with the UT Championship Track and Field Camp for three summers. He instructed athletes from ages 8-18 in areas of correct warm-up procedures, as well as instruction in sprints and sprint starts, long jump, basic track and field techniques and proper nutrition.

In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Thomas coached the Knoxville (Tenn.) Track Club. His primary area of interest was among 7-18 year olds competing in sprints, hurdles and relays. One of his athletes qualified for the Amateur Athletic Union national trials in the boys' 100-meter dash.

As an undergraduate at the University of New Mexico, Thomas scored at the Western Athletic Conference indoor meet in the 60-meter dash and 4x400-meter relay. He also participated in the WAC outdoor meet in the 100-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay.

As a high school athlete, Thomas was an all-State performer in the 4x100-, 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays at Hobbs (N.M.) High School. He was a three time all-District selection in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, 4x100-, 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays and district champion in all three relay events.

Thomas received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Tennessee in 2004, and is currently pursing a master's degree in kinesiology from Mississippi State. He has two USATF Level II certifications, the first in sprint, hurdles and relays and the second in combined events.