BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech track and field program announced Wednesday the hiring of Tim Vaught as the sprints and hurdles coach. Vaught replaces Charles Foster, who announced his retirement from coaching last week.
"I am extremely excited to welcome Tim Vaught to Virginia Tech and our track and field program,” said Dave Cianelli, Tech’s director of track and field and cross country programs. “Coach Vaught owns an impressive history of success at each program he has been a part of. His reputation of being a relentless recruiter and outstanding developer of talent makes him a perfect fit for our program. His extensive background of working with football players on the track will really enhance our ability to attract these dual-sport athletes. His areas of responsibility will include the men's and women's sprints, hurdles and relays."
Vaught comes to Tech from the University of Illinois, where he had been serving as the women’s associate head track and field coach since the spring. Prior to that, he had spent more than a year as an associate head men’s and women’s track and field coach at Coastal Carolina. He helped lead the Chanticleer women to the 2013 Big South Indoor Championship and coached Erica Peake, who earned second-team All-America honors. During the outdoor season, two of the Chanticleers’ relay teams under Vaught earned honorable mention All-America status. In addition, Jessica Gelibert was named Big South Freshman of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Following the 2013 season, Vaught was named the Southeast Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). He also received this honor in 2009 and 2012.
From 2008-12, Vaught coached at Charlotte, overseeing the sprints, hurdles and relays areas. While at Charlotte, he was a part of 49er teams that won five indoor conference championships and six outdoor titles. In all, 107 track and field athletes earned All-Atlantic 10 honors while he worked there.
Prior to Charlotte, Vaught opened the P2 Peak Performance Training Center and coached a pair of Olympic Trial automatic qualifiers in the triple jump as well as a 100-meter and 200-meter sprinter. He also helped train NFL athletes and NFL rookies in their preparations for the NFL Combine.
Vaught also spent a year (2006-07) at Florida State University, where he was the multi-event coach and recruiting coordinator. When not helping pull in top-rated track recruits to Tallahassee, he helped football coach Bobby Bowden as a speed development consultant. During his time in Tallahassee, he signed three high school national champions and was a member of the coaching staff for the Seminoles’ ACC, East Regional and national championship team in 2006.
From 2002-06, Vaught worked as assistant men’s and women’s track coach at Coastal Carolina. In two stints at Coastal Carolina, he was part of five teams that won outdoor conference titles and three that won indoor championships.
Vaught is a 2001 graduate of Western Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in sociology and a minor in criminal justice. While at Western Carolina, he served as team captain of the track squad during his senior season and earned all-conference honors as a member of the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relay teams, and he also was a member of the 4x400-meter NCAA Championship qualifying team.
Vaught was a junior college All-American at Brevard College in North Carolina as a member for the 4x400-meter relay team. After getting his associate’s degree, he transferred to Western Carolina.
While not on the track, Vaught was a member of the Catamount football team. A running back and defensive back by trade, he twice earned letters in football. He got his coaching start at his alma mater as a graduate assistant. While with the Catamounts, he assisted in coaching 11 All-Southern Conference performers including a pair of 4x400-meter relay teams. He also worked with six conference champions and a national provisional qualifier.