Track and Field
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- jah7119@utulsa.edu
- Phone:
- 918.804.5794
Coach Hughes began his time at Tulsa in January of 2017 as an assistant track and field coach. He is tasked with coaching the men’s and women’s sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-events.
In his first season, Hughes helped his athletes capture 13 Tulsa top-ten times, nine of them being top five including a school record in the women’s 4x1 relay.
During the 2018 season, Hughes continued to guide his sprinters into the Tulsa record books with them claiming eight more Tulsa top-ten times, seven of them top five, including a school record in the men’s 400mH by Freshman Henry Visser. At the conference level, Hughes coached sophomore Aaliyah Birmingham to a conference title in the 400m.
The 2019 season brought more records. Six more Tulsa top-ten times were claimed including one school record in the women’s long jump by junior Carsyn Spurgeon. At the Drake Relays she won gold with a wind aided jump of 21’ 1.25”. She then leapt into the record books beating the old school record of 19’4.25” multiple times to finally set it at a wind legal 6.30m (20’8”) to win gold at the conference championship. She went on to place 13th at the NCAA West Regional meet. Senior Bailey Stewart bettered his number 2 spot on the Tulsa All Time list in the 400m taking his time down to a 46.89. Stewart also played a key role anchoring the men’s 4x4 to a 3rd place finish, the highest outdoor finish since joining The American Conference.
Although the 2020 season was cut short, during the indoor season Jr. Carsyn Spurgeon set the long jump school record at her first meet of the season jumping 6.08m. She went on to break it again with a jump of 6.14 at the American Athletic Indoor Conference meet taking the gold medal and winning her second conference championship.
During the 2021 outdoor season Hughes took over coaching the Javelin and coach Ali Lund to an improved #2 all-time Tulsa javelin throw with a mark of 47.38m (155' 5") and a 4th place conference finish. Hughes also coached the Men’s 4x1 to a school record with a time of 40.22, good for 2nd at conference; breaking the previous record of 40.38 set in 2013.
Before being hired at Tulsa, he was a volunteer assistant coach for two and half years at Baylor University. While volunteering with the track and cross-country teams, Hughes earned a Master's in Sports Pedagogy while teaching undergraduate fitness classes in weightlifting and running. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Condition Association. Hughes earned his bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Fitness from The University of Missouri in 2014 while competing for the track and field and cross-country teams. Hughes is a native of Center, Mo.
Hughes earned two degrees from Missouri, including his bachelor’s degree in May 2014 in human environmental sciences and a master’s degree in sports pedagogy in December 2015.
