– Virginia Tech director of observe and subject/cross nation Dave Cianelli introduced the hirings of Ben Thomas and Alan Dunson on Wednesday.Thomas, who would be the head coach of observe and subject, returns to Tech after serving as an affiliate head coach on the College of Oregon and head coach of the Oregon Monitor Membership for the previous 5 years. Previous to Oregon, Thomas spent 17 years with the Hokies.Dunson, who will function an assistant coach for sprints, hurdles and relays, joins Hokie Nation from Northern Arizona the place he was part of the Lumberjacks’ observe and subject program for the previous 5 years. Most just lately, Dunson was elevated to affiliate head coach in December 2022 at NAU.”I’m very excited to announce that Ben Thomas shall be returning to Blacksburg and becoming a member of our teaching workers,” Cianelli stated. “Coach Thomas spent 17 seasons right here at Virginia Tech constructing our distance program into the most effective within the nation. Over the previous 5 years, Coach Thomas has developed world class distance runners on the College of Oregon, along with elite athletes on the skilled degree.”Coach Thomas is an excellent addition to our workers. I want to thank director of athletics Whit Babcock and senior affiliate athletics director Chris Helms for his or her assist on this technique of increasing our teaching workers.”Thomas is a three-time USTFCCCA Nationwide Assistant Coach of the Yr, having most just lately received back-to-back indoor honors for the Geese’ unbelievable success in the course of the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He earned his first nationwide award throughout his time at Virginia Tech following the 2017 season, turning into the primary ACC assistant to ever win the award. Thomas can also be a 10-time USTFCCCA Regional Assistant Coach of the Yr, together with 4 alternatives at Oregon.”I am excited to come back house to Virginia Tech and really grateful to Coach Cianelli for bringing me again,” stated Thomas. “I’d additionally prefer to thank Robert Johnson and the superb workers I labored with at Oregon.”I look ahead to working with some nice coaches and acquainted faces at Virginia Tech, whereas serving to the gifted student-athletes attain their appreciable potential.”Named the 2018 USTFCCCA Southeast Area Males’s Assistant Coach of the Yr for each indoor and outside, Thomas led the Virginia Tech distance medley staff to the nationwide indoor title whereas additionally teaching three males to the ultimate of the mile. On the 2018 NCAA Outside Championships, Thomas guided Vincent Ciattei to a runner-up end within the 1,500 meters and Rachel Pocratsky to a fifth-place displaying within the ladies’s race.Thomas coached Virginia Tech student-athletes to a complete of 74 NCAA All-America accolades throughout his tenure in Blacksburg whereas main the cross nation and distance program to new heights. In whole, Thomas helped lead the Hokies to a mixed 12 ACC staff titles throughout his 17 seasons.The Lynchburg, Va., native bought his begin in teaching at E.C. Glass Excessive Faculty in his hometown, the place he was an assistant observe and subject coach for 2 seasons (1992-94). Thomas then spent the 1994-95 season because the assistant cross nation coach at Blacksburg Excessive Faculty earlier than making the transfer to Appalachian State.Thomas graduated from Virginia Tech (’92) with a bachelor’s diploma in English. He and his spouse, Ann, have three kids: Reilly, Seamus and Roisin.”I’m joyful to announce that Alan Dunson shall be becoming a member of our Hokie household as our subsequent sprints, hurdles and relays coach,” Cianelli expressed. “Alan involves us from Northern Arizona College the place he developed quite a few convention champions and NCAA nationwide meet qualifiers.”Coach Dunson has developed champions at each degree of our sport, and I think about him to be one of many prime younger dash coaches within the nation. I look ahead to Coach Dunson’s arrival in Blacksburg and may’t wait to get began with him.”Moreover, I want to thank Tim Vaught for his very profitable nine-year tenure as our sprints, hurdles and relays coach.”In 2022, Dunson’s sprints and hurdles groups noticed seven particular person champions at each the indoor and outside Massive Sky Championships en path to the lads’s and ladies’s groups sweeping the competitions for the primary time since 2018. Dunson’s dash staff skilled success in the course of the 2019 indoor observe and subject season as the lads’s staff received the Massive Sky Championships.”It is an honor and privilege to be entrusted by Dave Cianelli and Virginia Tech with the chance to contribute to one of the prestigious applications in collegiate athletics,” Dunson stated. It’s with immense pleasure that I start teaching and mentoring a spectacular group of student-athletes, in addition to working alongside an distinctive workers of coaches that immediately make me really feel at house in Blacksburg.”Coach Cianelli’s established tradition, staff philosophy and wealthy Hokie custom are what makes Virginia Tech a particular place to pursue excellence on the highest doable ranges. I wish to sincerely thank Coach Cianelli, Virginia Tech and Hokies far and vast for this as soon as ina lifetime alternative to affix the Hokie household.”Previous to Northern Arizona, Dunson was an assistant coach at Grand Valley State College the place he coached 47 USTFCCCA All-Individuals and the 2018 NCAA Division II Girls’s Indoor 4×400 Relay Nationwide Championship staff. He was named the 2018 Division II Nationwide Girls’s Outside Assistant Coach of the Yr. Dunson was additionally awarded Girls’s Midwest Assistant Coach of the Yr in the course of the indoor and outside seasons.Previous to GVSU, Dunson returned to his alma mater, Ashland College, the place he was the assistant coach accountable for sprints and hurdles. Throughout that point, he coached 4 first-team USTFCCCA All-Individuals in the course of the indoor season and two in the course of the outside season. Dunson additionally coached three sprinters who would go on to turn out to be GLIAC champions, together with the 2015 GLIAC Indoor Freshman of the Yr.Dunson started his teaching profession as the pinnacle observe and subject coach at Bluffton Excessive Faculty in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Whereas at Bluffton, he coached two particular person state champions in addition to a third-place finisher.Dunson attended Ashland College the place he earned a bachelor’s diploma in built-in arithmetic. Whereas attending Ashland, he was a two-sport athlete, receiving eight varsity letters between observe and subject and soccer. Dunson was a two-time convention champion within the 110-meter hurdles, a seven-time All-GLIAC choice, and a two-time NCAA Nationwide Championship qualifier. He was a key member of three GLIAC outside observe and subject championship groups for Ashland.
