By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech head men's and women's cross country and track & field coach Peter Dalton announced the promotion of Tony Cox to assistant coach. Cox spent the past two years as the programs' volunteer assistant coach and will continue to serve as the track & field team's jumps, multis, and throws coach.
"I want to thank Coach Dalton for this opportunity," Cox expressed. "I am thrilled to be back at Tennessee Tech in the assistant coach capacity. I have a passion for this sport and for coaching. I enjoy interacting with these great athletes and teaching them about track & field, as well as some life lessons along the way. I have three degrees from Tech and proudly consider it to be 'my school.' I wouldn't want to coach anywhere else and look forward to continue working with Coach Dalton and [associate head] Coach [Accaiya] Evans to build these programs to the highest possible level.
During the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, Cox focused his coaching efforts working with the track & field team's throwers, jumpers, and multi-events crew. Despite back-to-back years dealing with the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, several Golden Eagle youngsters saw vast improvements in their respective crafts.
"Coach Cox's passion for Tech and service to our student-athletes made this choice easy," Dalton said. "His legendary status in the region and all facets of track and coaching will mean that our athletes get the best guidance and support possible."
Cox assisted several of Tech's underclassmen achieve new heights at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships during the 2021 outdoor campaign. Sophomore Jalena Curbeam placed fourth with a personal record in the triple jump while true freshman Katie Long boasted PR in the javelin to collect two points towards the Golden Eagle effort.
Also in the OVC Championships, sophomore Anya Akili turned in a fourth-place finish in the heptathlon, her first attempt at the event in her career. Rookie Cayla Johnson set a pair of PRs at the event in the heptathlon and the long jump while fellow freshman Samaria Allen erupted for an incredible third-place showing in the long jump with a massive personal best mark.
Tech's head coach for both cross country programs and the track and field team from 2004 to 2014, Cox returned to the program as a volunteer assistant coach upon the hiring of Dalton in 2019.
Prior to returning to the Golden Eagles as a volunteer assistant, Cox served as the head throws official for Vanderbilt University, working with USA Track & Field.
During his five years away from the program, Cox also worked as the head throws official for the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships and the Southeastern Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships.
He began his career as a Golden Eagle staffer in 1998-1999 and 2002-2004 as an assistant cross country and track & field coach. He assisted with recruitment efforts, scheduling meets, training athletes, directing meets, and budgeting.
In addition to serving as an assistant coach at Tennessee Tech, Cox worked as the Tennessee State Parks Running Tour Director. He oversaw the 15-race Grand Prix series, working to define the rules for the series and determining the awards structure at the end of each tour.
Cox has USATF Level II certification in all events. The USATF offers three levels of coaching education as part of its mission to promote and develop all aspects of the sport of track and field. Cox completed the Level I program in July 1999. The Level II course is a comprehensive, 60-hour program focusing on a particular event area as well as an in-depth look at training theory, physiology, biomechanics, and sports psychology.
He also boasts nearly 30 years of experience as a competitive runner, is a four-time Boston Marathon qualifier, and was a 1997 recipient of the Tennessee Service Award for his work with the tour.
Cox, a Crossville, Tenn. native, earned a bachelor's degree in geology from Tennessee Tech in 1983, before adding a second bachelor's degree from the University in chemistry in 1992. He also graduated from Tech with his master's degree in exercise science in 2009. During his time at Tech, Cox was a member of the men's cross country team from 1979 to 1981.
Photo by Tennessee Tech Track & Field
