Stephen F. Austin

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Ron McCown

Event: Multis/Vertical Jumps Experience: 12th Season Honors: 2010 SFA Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee

Entering his 12th season as an assistant coach with SFA track and field, Ron McCown has been there every step of the away through the programs unprecedented run of success. Focusing on the pole vault and the multi events, McCown's has become one of the most successful multis coaches in school history. McCown's athletes have recorded 13 individual conference titles, 68 All-SLC selections, 14 NCAA Regional qualifying marks, 13 NCAA qualifiers and 12 school records. McCown has also sent three athletes to the NCAA Championships in the past five seasons.

McCown has proven himself as a versatile coach during his time at SFA. Former Ladyjack Leah Matthews, a converted hurdler, became one of the school's top long jumpers and multi-event athletes under McCown's guidance. In 2007, Matthews stepped up to become one of the country's top long jumpers. Already the owner of the school's record, Matthews shattered her old mark by jumping 20-8.00 to finish second at the regional meet, earning all-region honors and advance to the NCAA Championships. That same season, McCown worked with the men's and women's high jumpers. That group closed out the year recording six regional qualifying marks and winning two league individual titles, while adding a third all-conference honor during the '07 outdoor campaign.

McCown's ability to scout talent has been proven consistently over the years. Former Ladyjacks Jennifer Schreiner and Tracy Schuup came to SFA with a different event focus but McCown took their skills and helped them excel in other areas. Schreiner went from having never vaulted before, to becoming one of the league's top pole vaulters clearing a height of 12-10. He converted Schuup into a two-time all-conference athlete who closed out her career as a conference champion.

McCown's athletes have also produced on a national level. In 2006, former Ladyjack Crystal Chang dominated the SLC by winning the league's heptathlon individual title and advanced to the NCAA Championships in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Chang just missed All-America honors by finishing 12th in the pentathlon at the indoor championships. She followed that up by returning to the championships during the outdoor season where she recorded a personal-best of 5,266 in the heptathlon. Along with Chang, McCown has produced several national caliber athletes on both the men's and women's side including Schuup, Aaron Harlan (heptathlon and decathlon) and Chris Jones (decathlon).

McCown has coached school record holders for the pentathlon, indoor heptathlon, women's indoor and outdoor high jump, women's indoor triple jump, and women's outdoor long jump.

McCown is a 1996 SFA graduate. He is a two-time NCAA Division I National qualifier in the decathlon with a personal best of 7,564 points. He was selected to participate in the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival. McCown also competed in the 1995 Team USA vs. Canada Decathlon competition. He placed seventh at the NCAA Championships in 1994 to earn All-American honors, and was an NJCAA All-American for Odessa College in 1992. McCown was honored as one of the best athletes in SFA history when he was inducted into the SFA Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2010.

McCown received his master's degree in kinesiology from Sam Houston State in 2002. He received his bachelor's degree from SFA in 1996. McCown and his wife, Tracy, have an 14-year-old son, Sheldon.

The McCown Résumé
•68 All-Southland Conference Performers
•13 NCAA Qualifiers
•13 SLC Individual Champions
•12 School Records