Saturday, August 21, 1999
Murray tabbed as interim head track coach
By AL PICKETT
Sports Editor
Abilene Christian University stayed in-house in naming a head
track coach Friday.
Jon Murray, who recently completed his ninth year as an assistant
track coach and head cross country coach at ACU, was named the
Wildcats' interim head track and field coach. He will begin his
new duties effective immediately. Murray replaces Wes Kittley,
who resigned July 27 to take the head track and field job at Texas
Tech.
"Some year down the road, I saw myself taking a challenge
like this," said Murray, 31. "But I thought Wes would
retire in 15 years, and it would be a North Carolina thing (long-time
assistant Bill Guthridge replacing legendary basketball coach
Dean Smith) and I'd just take over. I'm just doing it a little
younger. But we plan to keep winning."
Kittley certainly did that, winning 29 NCAA Division II national
championships at ACU including all four men's and women's indoor
and outdoor titles this past year.
But Murray knows something about winning himself. As an assistant
since 1991, he has been a part of 22 Lone Star Conference and
22 NCAA Division II championships. His men's and women's cross
country teams have won 14 LSC titles.
Although Murray's title will carry the word "interim,"
ACU director of athletics Stan Lambert said that Murray is certainly
a candidate for the position on a permanent basis.
"Absolutely," Lambert said. "We have no timeline
to find a replacement. It may take six months to a year. We want
to give the coaching staff time to become comfortable in their
new roles. If the transition is smooth, Jon has a chance to make
this a permanent move.
"This happened so quickly, we didn't have time to do a
proper search. There may be names out there who could be candidates.
So this gives us time."
Murray also introduced his coaching staff at Friday's press
conference at the Teague Center.
Kelly Smith, who has been a part-time assistant, will become
a full-time assistant and will coach the hurdles, sprints and
relays. It has originally been announced that Smith would join
Kittley's staff at Texas Tech, but he changed his mind and elected
to stay at ACU.
Sylvia Dyer, a five-time national champion in the hurdles and
triple jump for the Lady Wildcats, will remain on the ACU staff
and coach the jumping events.
And David Hess will become the strength coach for the entire
athletic department and assistant coach in track and field, working
with the throwers. He replaces Cliff Felkins, who left to join
Kittley's staff at Texas Tech.
Hess lettered in both track and field and baseball while earning
a degree in recreation/physical education from ACU in 1979. He
has spent the last three years as general manager, owner and professional
trainer at the Abilene Athletic Club, a health club in downtown
Abilene. Hess said he has sold his partnership in Abilene Athletic
Club.
Murray will continue his duties as head cross country coach
in addition to taking over the duties as the head coach of both
the men's and women's track programs.
"Kelly will be in charge of fall conditioning," Murray
said. "I may be around the track more than in the past, but
I will still be the cross country coach.
"This is a team effort. We stand on the shoulders of the
great coaches who have been here before. I feel a great responsibility
to maintain the excellence of the ACU track and field program.
I've grown to appreciate and love the heritage here, and I think
I can help that tradition continue."
Murray, who received his bachelor's and master's degrees from
Harding University, began his coaching career at ACU in the fall
of 1991. He later moved to the athletic department on a full-time
basis as the cross country coach and Kittley's assistant. Murray
then became Kittley's full-time assistant for both men and women's
track and field in 1993 when Kittley took over both programs.
Al Pickett can be reached at 676-6772 or picketta@abinews.com.
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