Lincoln University's Victor Thomas Named USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year

COACH VICTOR THOMAS
Courtesy: Lincoln University Athletics
 

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri  -- The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named Lincoln's Victor Thomas as its National Women's Outdoor Track & Field Head Coach of the Year. The USTFCCCA announced the honor on Wednesday (May 28).

Thomas led Lincoln to its seventh outdoor national title, and its 11th overall track & field national championship, on Saturday (May 24). The Blue Tigers won both relay events and scored 64 team points to beat Johnson C. Smith, which finished second with 59 points. In the process, Lincoln recorded a nation-best 18 All-American performances, with Janae Johnson, Yanique Ellington and Tamara Keane each earning three All-American awards apiece.

Prior to winning the national championship, Lincoln's first in outdoor track & field since 2009, Thomas coached the Blue Tigers to their eighth consecutive MIAA championship. Lincoln, which had won all four league indoor titles since rejoining the conference, ran away with the 2014 MIAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship. The Blue Tigers won eight events and recorded 28 top-eight finishes to score 182 points, nearly 80 more than the second-place team, winning their fourth-straight MIAA outdoor championship in the process.

Thomas, who just finished his 12th season as head coach of the Blue Tigers, also coached Lincoln the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championship in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2
006, 2007 and 2009.

By Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY BLUE TIGERS ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS