Texas Tech University Athletics
Track and Field Names New Assistants
June 21, 1999 | Outdoor Track
August 5, 1998
LUBBOCK, TX - The Texas Tech Mens and Womens Track and Field team announced the hiring of Chris Beene and Dave Smith as new assistant coaches today. Beene will be in charge of field events including vertical jumps, throwing events, heptaholon and decathlon. Smith will be responsible for distance events including the cross country team in the fall.
Beene, a native of Lubbock, comes to Texas Tech after serving as the multi-event/javelin coach at Abilene Christian University. While at ACU, he was responsible for the development of two NCAA Division II champions in the decathlon. Beene competed collegiately at Angelo State University where he was a two-time All-America performer in the decathlon. He graduated from ASU in 1993 with a bachelors of science in kinesiology and received his masters from ASU in the same in 1997.
"We are very excited about having Chris return home," head coach Greg Sholars said. "His enthusiasm and experience will help to bring excitement to field events at Texas Tech."
Smith comes to Texas Tech from Washington where he is the competitive team manager and womens distance coach for Club Northwest. At Northwest, which is the largest cross country, track and field, road racing and race walking club in the northwest with over 500 members, he coached the womens cross country team to a second-place finish at the USAF National Cross Championships and organized several major races in the Seattle area. He also served as a volunteer assistant coach for mens and womens track and field and cross county at the University of Washington. Smith ran distance events for Michigan State University from 1990-1993. He was the Big Ten champion in the 10,000 meters and runner-up in the 1500 meters in 1993. Smith was a three-time all-Big Ten performer and three-time academic All-America as well as seven-time academic all-Big Ten. He graduated from MSU with a bachelors of science in wildlife biology in 1993 and is currently on track to receive his doctorate in pharmacology from the University of Washington in January, 1999.
"Dave Smith brings youthful energy to our program," Sholars said. "He has strong knowledge and background in distance, as well as, experience in developing athletes in the distance events."
