Kurt Thomas was named head coach of the track & field program in December 2010, after serving as the interim head coach for the 2010 season. He is in his 19th year overall with the Blazers after serving as an assistant track & field coach from 2008-09. He works primarily with the UAB jumpers and Heptathletes. Earlier in his time with the Blazers, Thomas has coached sprinters, hurdlers, and pole vaults.

In 2025, Coach Kurt Thomas guided a diverse and talented roster across sprints, hurdles, jumps, pole vault, throws, and multi-events. His athletes saw multiple appearances on the school record list, including Destiny Roper in the 60m and Christina Mudd, who dominated multiple events in the 60m hurdles, shot put, and pentathlon, later adding the heptathlon outdoors. Leticia Quingostas captured the 400m indoors and outdoors, while pole vaulters Noelle Hambrick and Victoria Freeland highlighted the vertical jumps. High jumpers Hope Foster and Olivia Beard added to the field success, and the distance and relay groups thrived with Lidia Longo in the mile and standout 4×400 and DMR relay teams. Birthe Franck-Petersen closed the year strong with an outdoor shot put win.

The 2024 season showcased elite sprint depth under Coach Thomas. Gabby Washington led the year with appearances on the all-time list in the 200m, 300m, and both indoor and outdoor 400m. The team excelled across the spectrum: Regina Harris in the 600m, Emily Drouin in the 3000m, and a strong vertical jumps crew featuring Trinity Fellows and Annika Huff in the pole vault. Outdoor highlights included Hannah Smith in the 100m, Alicia Abalos Cervera in the 800m, and Jasmine Dereje in the 400H. The 4×100 squad (Smith, Dozier, Dereje, Washington) and throwers Zoe Winkenwerder (hammer) and Mya McDanal (javelin) rounded out an exceptional year.

In 2023, Coach Thomas led a balanced program featuring middle-distance, throws, and multi-event success. Kathleen Schellman captured the mile while the throws group, including Meg Hamilton Strong, Birthe Franck-Petersen, Zoria Miller, and Tia Espinoza, produced champions in shot put, weight throw, and hammer throw. Outdoor distance runners shined with Regina Harris (800m) and Lauren Charlton, who claimed titles in both the 5000m and 10,000m. Hamilton Strong also added a heptathlon win, continuing the program’s multi-event excellence.

The 2022 season reflected Coach Thomas’s strength in developing sprinters, hurdlers, pole vaulters, and power event athletes. Indoors, Lisa Petkov (200m), Kat Duren (60m hurdles), and a trio of pole vaulters including Anna Massa, Danice Loney, and Julianne Manning also stood out. The year also featured field success with Nia Hill in the high jump and Karlien Botha in the shot put. Outdoors, the team expanded its dominance to include the 400m, triple jump, hammer throw, shot put, discus, and javelin, led by both veterans and emerging athletes.

In 2021, Coach Thomas guided top performers across sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multis. Makiyah Sills opened the year with a 60m hurdles win, while Lisa Petkov secured the 400m. Brittany Floyd excelled in the long jump, high jump, and pentathlon, showcasing the program’s multi-event development. The throws group remained strong through Birthe Franck-Petersen. Outdoors, the sprint groups flourished with champions in the 200m, 400m, discus, and javelin, along with several relay victories in the 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400.

During the 2020 campaign, Coach Thomas’s athletes dominated the mid-sprints and middle-distance events, with standouts including Ebony Tolliver (200m, 400m), Karri Green (300m, 400m, 500m), and Lisa Petkov (300m). Distance athletes Emily Drouin and Katie Nelson both secured spots on the all-time list in the 3000m and 5000m, and the 4×400 squad continued its winning tradition. Thrower Zieandrea Bridges contributed with the weight throw, and outdoors, Marielle Lewis claimed the 400H.

The 2019 season featured versatile excellence across sprints, distance, throws, and relays. Sprinter Amelie Dieke took the 60m, while Brittany Floyd shined in the high jump. Distance runner Emily Drouin had a steller season in the 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, and 10,000m. Throwers Zieandrea Bridges and Francesca Chambers delivered in shot put and weight throw. The program posted strong indoor and outdoor relay performances, including multiple 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400 victories.

Coach Thomas’s 2018 squad succeeded across sprints, distance, and throws, with Shelby White and Taylor Jones sweeping the 100m and 200m. Distance runners Rebecca Evans and Hannah Coffin claimed the mile, while Frankie Chambers added a shot put win. The indoor 4×400 and DMR relays also found themselves on the all-time list at UAB. Outdoors, Lauren Capone (400H), Brittney Floyd (javelin), and Chambers (hammer) also had strong seasons.

The 2017 season highlighted balance across every event group. Shelby White found herself on the all-time list in the 200m, while both Hannah Coffin and Rebecca Evans showed out in the mile. The field crew excelled with Kelia Robertson in the triple jump and Aisha Nelson in the high jump. The DMR relay added to the indoor success. Outdoors, the long jump, triple jump, discus, heptathlon, and 4×400 relay all saw success under Coach Thomas’s leadership.

In 2016, Coach Thomas guided athletes to success in middle-distance and jumps. Lucy Crookes excelled in the mile, and Hannah Hensley is a top 5 High Jumper in school history. The DMR relay added to the indoor achievements. Outdoors, the team’s strength in the jumps and throws continued through athletes such as Avril McGee, Kelli Smith, Renay Ransaw, and Zieandrea Bridges.

The 2015 season saw significant success in sprints, hurdles, and jumps. Shelby White sits in sixth all-time in the 60m, while Jessica Shelley and Autumn Burnett excelled in the 60m hurdles. Burnett added a 500m win, and field athletes such as Shanice Leach, Shelby Barker (pentathlon), and a trio of outdoor high jumpers flourished. Renay Ransaw added a javelin title outdoors, and Aisha Nelson secured the 400H.

In 2014, his athletes dominated sprints, mid-distance, distance, throws, and multis. Standouts included Shakima Knox (60m, 300m, 100m outdoors), Alexis Bates (200m), Kyana White (400m, 500m), Lovisa Skoglund (600m), and Elinor Kirk, who had a strong season in the mile, 3000m, 5000m, and multiple outdoor distance events. The year also featured success in pole vault and javelin through Neal Tisher, plus a strong season in the indoor and outdoor 4×400.

Thomas coached multiple student-athletes to school records, highlights and awards during the 2013 season. Under his leadership, graduate student Eli Kirk earned 26 points at the Conference USA Indoor Championship and was named high point scorer of the meet for her efforts. She claimed the 3000m run championship and broke both school and meet records for the event, contested Feb. 23-24, with a time of 9:23.36. She also finished second in the mile run with a time of 4:43.73, nearly two seconds under the previous meet record. Kirk, along with Rhiannon Johns and the 4x100-meter relay team of Kyana White, Angel Watson, Shakima Knox and Alexis Bates all qualified for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore. The 400-meter relay team punched its ticket to Eugene with a time of 44.81, as did Kirk, who broke a 5,000-meter mark she held earlier in the season. They, along with Johns, who qualified for the 10,000-meter run with a time of 33:36.72, represented UAB at the national championship. Kirk finished 19th of 24 runners in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 16:25.62, while Johns finished 12th at the NCAA Championships. Following their success, the six Blazers earned the USTFCCCA All-American distinction. Johns was named second-team All-American, Kirk earned honorable mention honors, while the four members of the 4x100-meter relay team were also tabbed with honorable mention honors. Johns also earned a spot on the Capital One Academic All-District Team and the Conference USA All-Academic Track and Field Team.

Thomas enjoyed success in his first year as head coach throughout the 2011 season as several student-athletes posted personal records, two school records were shattered and two athletes competed in the NCAA East Preliminaries. Rhiannon Johns qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 5,000 meters for her first collegiate NCAA final. In addition, Johns also captured her second-straight Conference USA 10,000-meter title, earning first-team all-conference honors. Akira McSwain also earned all-conference accolades as she finished third in the heptathlon at the C-USA Outdoor Championships. During his season as the interim head coach, UAB had five athletes qualify for the preliminary round of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and Nora Mehl provisionally qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in two events. At the league indoor championships, Mehl became a Conference USA champion for the second time after taking the pentathlon title. Mehl and Akira McSwain received all-conference honors. At the C-USA Outdoor Championships, Rhiannon Johns won the 10,000-meter to become a C-USA champion and Lytrice Thomas and Bianca Le[apos]Blanc both received all-conference accolades.

Thomas spent his first two years at UAB as an assistant track and field coach to former head coach Ray Stanfield. During those years Thomas primarily coached the jumpers, multi-event athletes, throwers and middle distance runners, along with the sprinters and hurdlers.

During the 2008 season, Thomas coached Erica Russ to a first-place finish in the 100m hurdles at the C-USA Outdoor Championships, running 13.41 and setting her own personal record. J.J. Scruggs was also crowned C-USA champion in the 400m hurdles, giving the Blazers conference champions in both outdoor hurdle events under Thomas[apos] guidance. Also at the C-USA Championships, senior Tara Colvin was the runner-up in the 400m, with a time of 53.93. To add to the records in 2008, Thomas' athletes, Tara Colvin, J.J. Scruggs and Alina Varpiotaite, teamed up with middle distance senior Genoah Collins to shatter the 4x400m relay school record at the Texas Relays. The foursome ran a regional-qualifying time of 3:38.54 to finish runner-up to USC in Austin, Texas.

During the 2007 season, Thomas coached three school record holders, three freshman record holders and 12 regional qualifiers. He guided fifth-year senior Penny Shields in breaking seven-time All-American Vonetta Flowers' school record in the triple jump, with a jump of 41 - 6 1/2. Freshman Samantha Hamilton set the frosh record under Thomas' coaching eye, jumping 41- 4. J.J. Scruggs also set a freshman record in the 400m hurdles, running 58.95 over the one-lap barriers.

Prior to coming to UAB, Thomas spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Mississippi State. His primary responsibilities included coaching hurdlers, jumpers and women's sprinters. While there, he coached several relay teams and individuals to first-place finishes. He also helped his athletes break four Mississippi State Outdoor Track and Field records, and set 33 personal-best marks.

Before his stint at Mississippi State, Thomas was a student assistant at the University of Tennessee. During his three years in Knoxville, Thomas assisted with the men's program and was a member of two Southeastern Conference championship teams and two NCAA national championship squads. Thomas also assisted with the UT Championship Track and Field Camps and coached the Knoxville Track Club. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in history. Thomas has three USATF Level II certifications in sprints, hurdles, relays, combined events and jumps.

He is a native of Hobbs, N.M., where he graduated from Hobbs High School as an all-state sprinter. Thomas and his wife Jill have two sons, Toliver Knox and Lucas David, and a dog named Rosie.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics

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