Mayde Creek graduate James Thomas had a major accomplishment recently, as he was named the new head track and field and cross country coach at the University of Oklahoma, a huge accomplishment after years of hard work as an assistant coach.

Thomas joins the Sooners from the University of Georgia, where he spent the last two years as an assistant and associate head coach. He helped the Bulldogs to top 10 finished in the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships, with the men finishing seventh and the women finishing 10^th and top five finishes in the indoor championships, with the men finishing second and the women fifth.

"We're thrilled to welcome Coach Thomas to Sooner Nation," said OU Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione. "James has an established background in helping build championship-level programs and he holds a great vision for our track and field teams, building upon the momentum our student-athletes and coaching staff have created in the past few years. His pedigree is proven having worked with and for some of the best coaches in the sport, positioning him and our program for success. Most importantly, he has an extreme focus on developing the whole student-athlete, and I know our Sooners will benefit immensely from his support and mentorship. We look forward to welcoming him, his wife Ebony, and their sons Jordan and Jameson to the Sooner family." 

After graduating from Mayde Creek, Thomas graduated from Sam Houston State and got a master’s degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Thomas went on to coach at Kentucky and TCU before joining the Texas Tech coaching staff in 2012, where he spent nine seasons until 2021, becoming the associate head coach and helping the Red Raiders to a National Outdoor Title in 2019, one of the major accomplishments of the University’s track and field program.

"James Thomas has been preparing to be a head coach for a long time,” said Texas Tech Director of Track and Field Wes Kittley. “He has been diligent in being a student of the game in track and field and has proven over and over he can recruit, develop and lead young men and women. He is now being given the opportunity to be a head coach. He will not be afraid to go after it full throttle. He is ready for this opportunity. I am so happy for him and his family."