Director of Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Randy Thomas Announces Retirement

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- After 35 seasons at the Heights, Randy Thomas - legendary Boston College director of women's track & field and cross country - has announced his retirement, effective March 31.

"For close to four decades, Randy has forged a tradition of excellence, coaching championship teams, All-American athletes, while representing BC and the track & field community with the utmost class and dignity. We wish him all the best in his next chapter of life," said Patrick Kraft, the William V. Campbell Director of Athletics.

Throughout his tenure, Thomas has guided the Eagles to 17 appearances at the NCAA Women's Cross Country championship, finishing on the podium in 2000 with a fourth place finish. At the time, it was the highest finish at a national championship for a Boston College women's team in any sport in school history.. The Eagles also earned a sixth place finish at the national championship race in 2001. That year, Thomas' peers at the United States Track and Field Coaches Association honored him as the 2001 National Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. He was also named the NCAA Northeast Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year four times – 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006.

"It has been an honor and a pleasure to coach so many wonderful Boston College athletes, both men and women, over the past 35 years," Thomas said. "Although I will miss working with so many talented and bright athletes, I am excited for the future of the program."

Under Thomas' tutelage, 54 Boston College athletes have earned All-America honors, most recently with Emeline Delanis in the 2020 NCAA Indoor 5,000m. Thomas also brought the first NCAA Championship by a female athlete to Boston College, coaching Shannon Smith to the NCAA title in 2001 in the 3,000m run. Additionally, four Eagles have captured USATF national junior cross country individual championships during Thomas' time at BC.

In 2014, Thomas coached Liv Westphal to the ACC Cross Country crown - the lone individual conference champion for BC in ACC history. Since joining the ACC, a Randy Thomas-coached squad finished fourth place or higher on six occasions - including a pair of runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2011 - at the conference's cross country championship. In 2000, Thomas' Eagles women's cross country squad won the program's lone Big East team title. On the track, Thomas coached 24 individual conference champions on the track in the Big East and ACC.

The Boston College indoor and outdoor track & field record book has been re-written with new school standards and top 10 performances from Thomas-coached athletes. During the 2010-11 season, Thomas' contingent became the first women's squad from Boston College to win an event at the prestigious Penn Relay Carnival – the College Women's 4xMile Championship of America.

The first runner to earn All-American honors at the University of Massachusetts, Thomas was inducted into his alma mater's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982. He set seven American - and two World Records - as a professional runner, and was selected to represent the United States at four World Championships in cross country and track & field. He ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in the marathon in 1978. Following his illustrious career as an athlete, he joined the Boston College staff as the head men's cross country and assistant track & field coach in 1987. Thomas became head coach of both the men's and women's programs in 1993 and served in that dual role until 2008, when he took over in his most recent capacity as director of the women's program.

Julie Heyde will assume the role of interim director of women's cross country and track & field, while Anna Willard will continue as an assistant coach, working with the distance runners. Boston College will conduct a national search to find a replacement following the conclusion of the 2022 outdoor track & field season.

Thomas added, "I look forward to watching the tradition of excellence continue with BC women's track and cross country program. As we move into a fantastic home - The TRACK at New Balance - I know that with Julie Heyde as Interim Director and Anna Willard as another wonderful coach, the Women's Program will continue to prosper."

Director of Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Randy Thomas Announces Retirement

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