James Thomas serves as Head Coach Track & Field and Cross Country for University of Oklahoma's Cross Country program in Norman, Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione announced the hiring of James Thomas as head track and field/cross country coach Nov. 29, 2023. In his first inaugural season, Thomas directed the program to three school records, one Olympian, two individual conference titles, 15 All-America honors, 47 all-conference awards and 59 top-ten performances in OU history.
Thomas’ commitment to academic excellence aided his student-athletes to 20 4.0 GPAs, 47 3.50+ GPAs and 16 graduates during the 2023-24 year. Career Coaching Numbers: 9 NCAA National Champions 9 Olympians 31 National Team Members 138 NCAA Division I All-Americans 11-time USTFCCCA Regional Assistant Coach of the Year 1 NCAA National Team Championship (2019) 6 Conference Team Championships 9 Top-5 NCAA Team Finishes 45 Individual Conference Champions 2 Collegiate Records 8 NCAA All-Time Top 10 Performances 61 School Records 13 USTFCCCA Region Athletes of the Year Honorees 2 Bowerman Award Finalists Thomas served as the primary coach for the high jump group during the 2024 track and field season where freshman Kyren Washington claimed sixth place and First Team All-American honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Washington posted the third-best jump in OU outdoor history, 2.20m (7-2.50), and the fifth-best jump in indoor history at 2.18m (7-1.75). Thomas guided the freshman to two All-Conference honors, including a sixth-place finish at the Big 12 Indoor Championship and fourth place at the outdoor championship.
