Clemson’s Jarrett Foster Named USTCA East Region Men’s Outdoor Assistant Coach Of The Year

June 13, 2005

SACRAMENTO, CA – Clemson men’s track and field assistant coach Jarrett Foster was named the East Region Assistant Coach of the Year for Jumps and Combined Events by the United State Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The United States Track Coaches Association announced the Mondo Outdoor Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year for NCAA Division I. The Assistant Coach of the Year awards are sponsored by Mondo, USA, the world’s largest supplier of track & field surfaces. Mondo is the official provider of all tracks and equipment for the Track and Field Competitions for the Athens Olympic Games.

The sixth-year assistant earned the inaugural award after coaching a long jumper and triple jumper to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, as well as a high jumper, pole vaulter and two throwers to competition at the East Region Championships, while a decathlete exceeded the NCAA provisional qualifying mark in that event. His athletes also earned two ACC Championships, four All-ACC honors and eight individual qualified for the region meet during the 2005 outdoor season.

“This is an outstanding honor for Jarrett to receive,” said Clemson head coach Bob Pollock. “This recognition speaks well of his acheivements here at Clemson with the Tiger field event athletes. It is also a special recognition from Jarrett’s coaching colleagues for a job well done.”

During his time at Clemson, Tigers have earned seven All-America honors under Foster. Indoor, George Kitchens brought home All-America certificates in the long jump in 2004 and 2005. Kitchens is also a two-time All-American outdoor (2003, 2004), and Andy Giesler earned the honor in the decathlon in 2001. Nine Tigers have advanced to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships between 2001 and 2005 under Foster, while 11 Tigers have competed at the national meet outdoor since 2001.

Among the Tiger accomplishments under Foster, Clemson’s first indoor long jump All-American was crowned (George Kitchens, 2003), as well as the first decathlon All-American (George Kitchens and Adam Linkenauger won their events. Notably, the Tigers swept the decathlon at the 2004 ACC Championships, as Brent Hobbs and Ryan Hunter finished second and third. A Clemson athlete has won the ACC indoor high jump three of the last five years, and two of the last five years outdoor. At the conference meet, the Tigers have also claimed the decathlon three times since 2001, and Clemson has won the outdoor long jump the last two seasons. Overall, Foster has coached 37 Tiger field event athletes to NCAA qualifying marks.