Photo by: Matthew Minard
T&F Announces Three Full-Time Staff Additions
7/14/2023 11:18:00 AM | Track & Field
London Jr., Richards and Hood officially join staff as assistant coaches
WACO, Texas – Baylor track and field added three new additions to the full-time staff, head coach Michael Ford announced on Friday. Wilbert London Jr. and Brandon Richards both go full-time after their volunteer stints, while Chase Hood rejoins the Bears after a season as a volunteer assistant at Colorado State.
"We are excited to officially have three new staff members," said Ford. "All three have had a tremendous impact on our program and me and I am looking forward to continuing in the seasons to come."
A familiar face for decades around the track, London Jr. officially joined the volunteer assistant staff before the 2016 season when his son, Wil London III, joined the team. Since then, he has assisted in the relay and sprint events, resulting in 19 All-Americans and 30 Big 12 Champions.
Coach Ford says that London has "been by my side since I got hired, and I am looking forward to him continuing to mentor me. The student-athletes really enjoy him, and he does a great job with the parents, too."
Continuing his role with an established pole vault program, Richards takes the full-time assistant role entering his 10th season with the team. His career with the Bears included coaching 2021 indoor national champion, Olympian and current American record holder KC Lightfoot from 2019 to 2021. He has also worked with three additional All-Americans, Ben Conacher, Tuesdi Tidwell and Annie Rhodes, BU's first women's All-American in the event.
"[Richards] has been with us for a decade and has done a great job with our pole vaulters over the years," said Ford. "I am looking forward to having him continue the excellence in our pole vault tradition."
Hood returns to his alma mater and the coaching staff, where he served as a volunteer assistant for two seasons, to coach the multis events and assist with the jumps and pole vault event groups. Before his graduation in 2017, Hood was an All-Big 12 finisher in the 2016 outdoor decathlon and 2017 indoor heptathlon.
"It will be good to get Chase back after being a volunteer assistant with us already for a couple of years," said Ford. "He is a Baylor Bear, and I am looking forward to having him back on our team."
The three officially take their full-time assistant coaching positions following an indoor and outdoor top-20 finish season for the men and three All-Americans in the women's program.
"It is going to be great continuing with these additions, and I am looking forward to this next season with them officially on board," said Ford.
To stay up to date throughout the year on all things Baylor track and field, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorTrack.
"We are excited to officially have three new staff members," said Ford. "All three have had a tremendous impact on our program and me and I am looking forward to continuing in the seasons to come."
A familiar face for decades around the track, London Jr. officially joined the volunteer assistant staff before the 2016 season when his son, Wil London III, joined the team. Since then, he has assisted in the relay and sprint events, resulting in 19 All-Americans and 30 Big 12 Champions.
Coach Ford says that London has "been by my side since I got hired, and I am looking forward to him continuing to mentor me. The student-athletes really enjoy him, and he does a great job with the parents, too."
Continuing his role with an established pole vault program, Richards takes the full-time assistant role entering his 10th season with the team. His career with the Bears included coaching 2021 indoor national champion, Olympian and current American record holder KC Lightfoot from 2019 to 2021. He has also worked with three additional All-Americans, Ben Conacher, Tuesdi Tidwell and Annie Rhodes, BU's first women's All-American in the event.
"[Richards] has been with us for a decade and has done a great job with our pole vaulters over the years," said Ford. "I am looking forward to having him continue the excellence in our pole vault tradition."
Hood returns to his alma mater and the coaching staff, where he served as a volunteer assistant for two seasons, to coach the multis events and assist with the jumps and pole vault event groups. Before his graduation in 2017, Hood was an All-Big 12 finisher in the 2016 outdoor decathlon and 2017 indoor heptathlon.
"It will be good to get Chase back after being a volunteer assistant with us already for a couple of years," said Ford. "He is a Baylor Bear, and I am looking forward to having him back on our team."
The three officially take their full-time assistant coaching positions following an indoor and outdoor top-20 finish season for the men and three All-Americans in the women's program.
"It is going to be great continuing with these additions, and I am looking forward to this next season with them officially on board," said Ford.
To stay up to date throughout the year on all things Baylor track and field, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorTrack.
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