Former Ohio State Men’s Track & Field Student-Athlete and Coach, Frank Zubovich, Passes Away
8/18/2025 2:28:00 PM | General, Men's Track & Field
Zubovich was a Buckeye student-athlete and served as an assistant coach for the men’s team from 1966-1976 and the head coach from 1976-1988.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Former Ohio State men's track & field coach, Frank Zubovich, passed away on August 14 at the age of 94. Zubovich served as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes from 1966-1976 before taking the reigns as head coach from 1976-1988. At only 37 years old, Zubovich was inducted into the Ohio Coaches Hall of Fame by the Ohio Association of Track Coaches in 1968.
Zubovich grew up in Columbus, graduating from South High School before attending Ohio State under the direction of head coach Larry Snyder. A 1955 Ohio State graduate, Zubovich competed in sprints (100m, 220y and 440y), relays and high jump.
After graduation, Zubovich coached the track & field at Glenville High School, leading the team to four state championships and two runner-up finishes in the span of a decade. He then returned to Ohio State in 1966 as an assistant coach for the program he was once competing for.
When Zubovich was the head coach, he mentored 15 All-Americans, including Harry 'Butch' Reynolds who was the top 400m runner in the U.S. and ranked second in the world when Zubovich oversaw Reynolds' training for the 1988 Olympics. Zubovich also coached an individual NCAA outdoor champion, 14 individual Big Ten indoor championships and 12 individual Big Ten outdoor championships.
Zubovich grew up in Columbus, graduating from South High School before attending Ohio State under the direction of head coach Larry Snyder. A 1955 Ohio State graduate, Zubovich competed in sprints (100m, 220y and 440y), relays and high jump.
After graduation, Zubovich coached the track & field at Glenville High School, leading the team to four state championships and two runner-up finishes in the span of a decade. He then returned to Ohio State in 1966 as an assistant coach for the program he was once competing for.
When Zubovich was the head coach, he mentored 15 All-Americans, including Harry 'Butch' Reynolds who was the top 400m runner in the U.S. and ranked second in the world when Zubovich oversaw Reynolds' training for the 1988 Olympics. Zubovich also coached an individual NCAA outdoor champion, 14 individual Big Ten indoor championships and 12 individual Big Ten outdoor championships.
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