 MIKE MEAD
Head Coach
A fixture at Clayton State since
November of 1990 when he was a public information assistant and
sports information director, Mead begins his seventh season
in developing the track & field program. A standout runner at
West Georgia, Mead is utilizing his running experience in
building a competitive collegiate program.
The 2002 season produced a combined 20 team records
and the program's first All-American as Joni Guffey, a two-time
participant in the NCAA Track & Field Championships placed sixth
in the 1500m nationals with a time of 4:34.53. Several runners, including Guffey, won individual events
in the 1500m, 4 x 800m relay, 5,000m, 10,000m, women's discus, and men's
high jump.
In eight cross country seasons, Mead has had 25
all-conference, 12 all-region and 14 all-state selections. After
leading the 1996 women's team to the NAIA national meet, Mead guided the
1997 Lady Lakers to a No. 23 NCAA Division II national ranking in the
program's first season at the NCAA level. Mead has earned Coach of the Year
honors in the NAIA Southeast Region, NAIA
Southeast Independent Region, and three times in the Peach Belt
Conference. In addition, his women's team has garnered the CCSU All-Academic Team trophy for the last three years
(1999-2002). He
has also had two of his male runners and one female runner win the
Laker and Lady Laker Awards, respectively.
While at West Georgia, he helped the cross country
team to consecutive appearances at the NCAA Division II Championships in
1978-79. He was a two-time all-conference and one-time Georgia
Collegiate all-state runner. In track and field, Mead represented West
Georgia at three NCAA Division II Championships in the 3,000 meter
steeplechase. He holds four track records including the steeplechase
(9:08.7), indoor mile (4:18) and indoor two-mile (9:14).
Before West Georgia, Mead ran two seasons at NJCAA
powerhouse Southwestern Michigan College. He competed in two NJCAA
national meets, including the 1977 cross country championships in which
SMC finished second. Following college, Mead ran for the Atlanta
Track Club and Athletics South competitive teams during the early 80's.
He helped direct several road races in Carrollton and Americus and set
personal bests on the road of 30:54 for the 10K, 24:47 for 8K, and 14:35
for 5K. He currently runs on the Atlanta Track
Club's master's team which won the 2002 Hood-to-Coast Relay master's
division and was a member of a team that set the master's world record for the
100 x 1mile relay.
Mead holds a bachelor of arts degree in speech and
master's degree in public administration from West Georgia. Before
coming to Clayton State, he worked for daily newspapers in Carrollton
and Americus and worked two years with the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution. He also served as SID at Georgia Southwestern
for two years.
Besides his coaching duties, Mead serves as Assistant
Director of Athletics. He is also active in the community, serving as a
board member for Clayton Youth Leadership. He is an active member of
CoSIDA and holds membership in the United State Track Coaches
Association. Mead and his wife, Alison, reside in nearby Lake
City.
Toro enters his seventh season with the
Clayton State track program and his eighth season as an
assistant with the Clayton State cross country program
after 17 years of coaching at the high school level. Toro spends his
days teaching physical education at Oakland Elementary School in nearby
Henry County.
Like head coach Mike Mead, Toro is a
graduate of West Georgia. Toro competed in cross country
while at West Georgia, earning all-conference and team
MVP honors in 1976. He earned bachelor of science degrees
in education and recreation and a master's degree in
education.
In 1978, he became a physical education
teacher and coached the cross country and track programs
at former Babb Junior High School. In 1980, Toro became
the athletic director at Fountain Junior High School and
held that position until the school became an elementary
school in 1986.
Toro got his first taste of high school
coaching in 1979 when he began as a volunteer coach at
Forest Park High School. In 1981, he took over as head
coach in mid-season and guided Forest Park to a 10th
place showing at the state cross country championships.
While at Riverdale, Toro coached Kevin
Graham, who was a AAAA state champion in cross country
his senior year. Prior to coming to Clayton State, Toro
coached at Morrow High School for four seasons.
Toro has continued to be an avid
runner after college, winning numerous road races and running in every
Peachtree Road Race since 1973. He lives in Jonesboro and his
18-year-old son Christopher attends Georgia Southern University.
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