Victor Houston Named Assistant Track and Field Coach
9/8/2008 12:00:00 AM
Sept. 8, 2008
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Victor Houston, an assistant track and field coach at The University of Iowa for the past four years, has been named an assistant coach for the men's track and field team as announced by head coach Harvey Glance. Houston replaces Rod Tiffin who accepted the head track and field coach job at Samford University. Houston will oversee the field events and multi events.
"Victor is a perfect fit for our program," Glance said. "He has produced All-Americans in the field events as well as the multi events. When our position opened up this fall, to me it was a no brainer. He knew my philosophy and he was a former athlete of mine and I think he brings a lot to the table as far as bringing a competitive spirit and knowing what it takes to compete in the SEC."
Houston was a very successful athlete at the collegiate level as well as in international competition. He competed at the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics for his home country Barbados. Houston competed for Auburn where he earned the 1996 SEC individual championship in the long jump and the 1996 NCAA decathlon title as well as four All-American honors. He was also a member of the 1997 SEC 4x100 meter championship. Auburn has not won the 4x100m since.
Houston began his coaching career at UTEP where his athletes garnered five WAC individual championships and five All-Americans honors.
While with the Hawkeyes, Houston's teams produced four Big Ten individual champions and seven All-Americans.
"When I first started coaching, my ultimate goal was to get back in the SEC," Houston said. "I went through the WAC and the Big Ten and had some success there. When glance called me, I jumped to the opportunity because I ran under him at Auburn and we had a lot of success there and then I was a graduate assistant under him here at Alabama in 1999-00. I really cherish the opportunity to be coaching here."
Houston inherits All-SEC high jumper Tyler Boswell and Tim Grier who was a regional qualifier in three events in 2007 just to name a few.
