Ron McCown enters his third season as the Head Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coach at Texas Lutheran University.
Texas Lutheran Director of Athletics Bill Miller announced on June 16, 2023 that he had selected 1994 NCAA Division-I All-American Ron McCown to oversee TLU's combined men's and women's track and field program.
The 2025 season saw continued success in the Sprints, Jumps and Hurdles for Coach McCown’s athletes. In the 2025 season his athletes posted 13 SCAC scoring performances and 2 school records. School records were set in the women’s 60 meter hurdles (Taylor Norrell) and the Men’s Triple Jump (Amir McClain). Norrell ran 9.17 and McClain jumped 14.20(46’7”). This was McClain’s first year competing in the Triple Jump. Senior Ezra Acero qualified for the NCAA Championships once again in the Pole Vault and brought home 2nd Team All- American honors. Shayne Moss led the Bulldogs in the Long Jump with a jump of 7.01(23’). Weston Guzman ran 10.59 in the 100 meters setting a personal best and leading the way for the sprint group that had 4 guys run 10.79 or faster.
Year one at TLU brought some impressive performances on the track and in the field events for Coach McCown’s athletes. Senior Trinity Murdock defended her Conference Championship title in the 100 meters. She ran a personal best for the year of 12.03. Both the Men and Women’s 4x1 relays won Conference titles and the Men’s time of 40.80 qualified for the NCAA Championships. Ezra Acero also qualified for the NCAA Championships in the Pole Vault with a personal best height of 16’5” and freshman Parker Cabra achieved a personal best in the high jump of 6’7”.
A native Texan who became an NJCAA All-American decathlete at Odessa College in 1992 and an NCAA Division-I All-American at Stephen F. Austin in 1994 - entering the Lumberjacks Hall of Fame in 2010 - has overseen the track and field program at James Madison since 2018. In 2022, the Dukes won their first ever Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship. In 2023, McCown had two student-athletes qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary Outdoor Championships as well as coaching an ECAC champion in the indoor triple jump and a school record performance in the Indoor pole vault. McCown coached the first two field athletes to earn All-Sun Belt honors in the program's inaugural season in the conference - earning the honors in the outdoor javelin and indoor pole vault. In total, McCown coached five school record holders (Indoor/Outdoor Pole vault, Javelin, Heptathlon, Hammer) during his tenure with the Dukes.
Prior to taking over the track and field program at James Madison, McCown was an assistant at his alma mater, Stephen F. Austin for 17 seasons. During his 17 seasons at Stephen F. Austin, McCown's student-athletes garnered 37 individual conference titles, 27 NCAA Preliminary qualifying marks and 12 school records. He also coached eight national qualifiers. In his final season with the 'Jacks, McCown guided 15 conference scorers in eight separate events. His responsibilities included high jump, pole vault, heptathlon, decathlon, long jump and triple jump. He coached six conference champions in the heptathlon with five athletes over the 5,000 point mark. McCown coached the second and third best performers in SFA history in Madde Kaufmann (5272) and Crystal Chang (5266). Chang also posted the school record in the pentathlon at 3,962 and finished 12th at the NCAA Indoor Championship. In the jumps area, McCown guided eight high jumpers that posted marks of 5'8" or higher, including SFA record holder Teresa Murray at 5'10 3/4". He developed Jennifer Schreiner from a triple jumper to a pole vaulter with her personal best mark of 12'10". McCown coached Leah Matthews to a school record and NCAA appearance in the long jump with a mark of 20'8". He also helped coach four girls to jump over 40' in the triple jump.
McCown has helped five decathletes reach marks over 7,000 points, including Chris Jones, who posted a mark of 7,380 in 2011 to rank 28th in Division I. During his 17-year tenure, McCown coached 34 team championships, including a Southland Conference title for the women in outdoor track and field in 2017.
McCown competed collegiately at Odessa College before finishing his career at Stephen F. Austin. Starring for the Lumberjacks, McCown was a two-time NCAA Division-I National qualifier in the decathlon with a personal best of 7,564 points. He was selected to participate in the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival. McCown also competed in the 1995 Team USA vs. Canada Decathlon competition. He placed seventh at the NCAA Championships in 1994 to earn All-American honors, and was an NJCAA All-American for Odessa College in 1992. McCown was honored as one of the best athletes in SFA history when he was inducted into the SFA Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2010.
He earned his bachelor's degree in Education from Stephen F. Austin in 1996 and completed a master's degree in Kinesiology from Sam Houston State in 2001. Coach McCown and his wife Shannon reside in San Antonio.
