Smith Joins Ohio State Track and Field – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/3/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
Sept. 3, 1999
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Athletic Director Andy Geiger has announced the hiring of John Smith as an assistant coach for track and field. Smith will handle the throws and multi-event coaching duties.%^$
%^$Smith brings an impressive coaching resume to the Buckeyes. He has coached his wife Connie Price-Smith to 22 U.S. national titles in the shot put and discus combined. She is a three-time Olympian, placing fifth in the shot put at the 1996 Olympic Games, the highest finish for a U.S. woman shot putter since 1960. She recently claimed the gold medal at the Pan-American Games this summer and is ranked No. 3 in the world in the shot put event. %^$
%^$”We are thrilled and excited with the addition of John Smith to our staff,” Russ Rogers OSU head coach, said. “John has great experience working with exceptional young athletes, especially the great success he has had coaching his wife. His strong international coaching experience will bring a great training atmosphere to our students.”%^$
%^$Smith also coaches Dee-Dee Nathan, the silver medalist at the Goodwill Games in the heptathlon and the American record holder in the indoor pentathlon. Nathan also was the 1999 indoor pentathlon world champion. %^$
%^$He has been involved with personal high school coaching in shot put and discus since 1980. He has trained 20 Indiana state champions and five Track & Field News high school All-Americans. Two of his students were national champions and five were named to the U.S. Junior National Team.%^$
%^$Smith was the track and field coach and the strength and conditioning coach at Southern Illinois University from 1984-86. During his tenure, he coached four NCAA All-Americans and nine Missouri Valley Champions.%^$
%^$After graduating from Southern-Illinois at Carbondale in 1984, Smith was a member of two Olympic Festival teams and a part of the USA vs. Great Britain National Team. He participated in five national championships, with his highest finish seventh in the shot put. %^$
%^$Smith was an All-American in the shot put and a winner of eight Missouri Valley Conference titles in the shot put, discus and hammer while at Southern-Illinois at Carbondale. He was the Midwest champion in the shot put while at Portage High School (Portage, Ind.). %^$
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-GO BUCKS!- %^$
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