Ben Thomas

Ben Thomas returned to his alma mater in July 2023 as the head track and field coach for the Hokies, directly reporting to director of track and field/cross country Dave Cianelli. Thomas spent 2018-22 as an associate head coach at the University of Oregon, leading its cross country and distance programs.

"I am very excited to announce that Ben Thomas will be returning to Blacksburg and joining our coaching staff," Cianelli said. "Coach Thomas spent 17 seasons here at Virginia Tech building our distance program into one of the best in the nation. Over the past five years, Coach Thomas has developed world class distance runners at the University of Oregon, in addition to elite athletes at the professional level.
 
"Coach Thomas is an outstanding addition to our staff. I wish to thank director of athletics Whit Babcock and senior associate athletics director Chris Helms for their support in this process of expanding our coaching staff."

Thomas is a three-time USTFCCCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, having most recently won back-to-back indoor honors for the Ducks' incredible success during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He earned his first national award during his time at Virginia Tech following the 2017 season, becoming the first ACC assistant to ever win the award. Thomas is also a 10-time USTFCCCA Regional Assistant Coach of the Year, including four selections at Oregon.
 
"I'm excited to come home to Virginia Tech and very thankful to Coach Cianelli for bringing me back," said Thomas. "I would also like to thank Robert Johnson and the amazing staff I worked with at Oregon.
 
"I look forward to working with some great coaches and familiar faces at Virginia Tech, while helping the talented student-athletes reach their considerable potential."

Named the 2018 USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men's Assistant Coach of the Year for both indoor and outdoor, Thomas led the Virginia Tech distance medley team to the national indoor title while also coaching three men to the final of the mile. At the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships, Thomas guided Vincent Ciattei to a runner-up finish in the 1,500 meters and Rachel Pocratsky to a fifth-place showing in the women's race.
 
Thomas coached Virginia Tech student-athletes to a total of 74 NCAA All-America accolades during his tenure in Blacksburg while leading the cross country and distance program to new heights. In total, Thomas helped lead the Hokies to a combined 12 ACC team titles during his 17 seasons.

Under Thomas’ leadership, the cross country programs flourished. In 2006, the Tech women’s team made the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history, and the Hokies finished 18th. The Hokie women reached the national meet following a third-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional that year behind an unprecedented five all-region performers. Two years later, Thomas helped Tasmin Fanning to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships – the highest finish by a Tech athlete in school history.

Before arriving in Blacksburg, Thomas served as the men’s and women’s distance coach at the University of Georgia. Prior to that, he was the head track and field and cross country coach at Brevard College in North Carolina. At Brevard, Thomas was named 1999 NAIA Region XII Coach of the Year after leading the men’s cross country team to the NAIA Region XII title. Before Brevard, Thomas was the women’s cross country coach and assistant track coach at Appalachian State University from 1995-99.

A native of Lynchburg, Virginia, Thomas earned a B.A. in English from Tech in 1992 before completing coursework for an M.A., in education from Lynchburg College in 1999. Thomas began his coaching career with the track and field team at E.C. Glass High School (1992-94) in Lynchburg and later coached cross country at Blacksburg High (1994-95).

Thomas, his wife, Ann McGranahan, and their children, Reilly and Seamus, reside in Blacksburg.