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Assistant Coach
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The University of Arizona track and field coaching staff has an advantage over many schools with the experience of a renowned vault and jumps coach on its staff. Tom Hays came to Arizona before the 1998 season after seven years at Wichita State University in Kansas.
During his tenure at Arizona, Hays has helped develop Arizona into the top Division I school in the nation for pole-vaulting. In five seasons, he has coached 11 All-Americans and has seen the school record broken several times.
Former Wildcat, Jeff Dutoit earned All-America accolades at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. He notched an outdoor PR at the 2000 NCAA Championships, clearing 18-0 ½ (5.50m) to finish third at the meet.
Dutoit's wife, Andrea has also been one of Hays' prize pupils. She continually broke her own school record in the pole vault. She won the pole vault competition at the 2001 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a vault of 14-9 ¼.
At the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championships, Dutoit cleared 18-2 and finished third, a new personal best that tied the indoor school record set in 1998 by Dominic Johnson. Dutoit later finished tied for seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Last season, Hays coached Amy Linnen to a NCAA title and a collegiate record in the indoor pole vault at 14-10 ¼. Linnen went on to finish 13th at the U.S. Championships this past summer.
In Hays' first year at Arizona, senior Dominic Johnson set school records in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault. Johnson, who competed at the NCAA Championships, cleared 18-6 to set the new school outdoor mark at the 1998 Drake Relays.
While at Wichita State, Hays coached Phil Holden to the Missouri Valley Conference pole vault title in 1993, as well as Angela Isaac to the indoor long jump and outdoor triple jump titles. Also while coaching the Shockers, Ryan Barkdull achieved All-American status and finished second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 1996 under Hays' tutelage.
Hays came to Wichita State from Nevado-Reno, where he was the assistant track and cross country coach in 1990. Prior to his stint at UNR, Hays was the head jumps coach and assistant cross country coach at Johnson Community College in 1988-89, and was an assistant with the Kansas women's program in 1988.
At Johnson Community College, Hays coached the national champion in the pole vault, and guided the national runner-up in the long and high jump. At UNR, Hays coached three national qualifiers in the triple jump, while fielding the top jump program in the Big Sky Conference.
A native of McLouth, Kan., Hays earned a B.A. in physical education from Kansas in 1989. While at Kansas, he was a six-time All-Big Eight Conference pole vaulter. He and his wife, Rebecca, have four children - Amanda, Ryan, Kevin and Kara.
