March 21, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - Tom Jones, the former head coach of the Arizona State University track and field program between 1988-92, has passed away following a long battle with cancer. The former Sun Devil, who had spent the past 15 years as the head women's coach at the University of Florida, was 62.
Prior to building the Gator program into a national power, Jones spent four seasons in Tempe laying the ground work for one of the top programs today. With the Sun Devils, he guided ASU student-athletes to 10 NCAA individual crowns, 45 All-America honors and three USA Track and Field National Champions.
Jones brought many top talents, including the program's most decorated athlete in Maicel Malone, a six-time national champion (four individual 400m crowns and two 4x400m relay titles) and 10-time All-American. Malone anchored the national champion 4x400m relay team to a time of 3:32.46 which, at the time, was an American record. The 2005 meet honoree at the Sun Angel Track Classic, Jones also had a hand in preparing several Sun Devils for international success, including eight Olympians and one Gold Medalist, Malone in the 4x400m relay.
For more information on his coaching career, please click here.