A
fixture at Clayton State since November of 1990 as public information assistant
and sports information director, Mead enters his 12th season in developing the
Laker cross country and track and field programs. A standout runner at West Georgia, Mead has
utilized his running experience in building a competitive collegiate program.
The building reached its zenith in the last couple of seasons. Last season, Mead
paced the Laker men to the Peach Belt Athletic Conference championship and a
berth in the NCAA Division II National Championships. The Lakers third at the
NCAA Division II South Regional, followed by finishing 23rd
at the national meet.
Mead was honored as the 2005 PBC Men's Coach of the Year in the process.
In 11 cross
country seasons, Mead has coached two All-American and nine Academic
All-Americans in addition to 39 all-conference and 13 all-region runners. During
the 2004 season, the top
women’s runner, Allison
Kreutzer, finished second at the NCAA Division II championship meet and was the
Peach Belt Conference “Runner of the Year” and “Freshman of the Year.”
In 1997, Mead guided the Laker
women
to a No. 23 NCAA Division II national ranking in the program's first season at
the NCAA level. Mead has led
both the men's and women's cross country teams to runner-up finishes in the
Peach Belt Conference Championships, the women's squad in 1996 & 2001 and the men's
team in 2003 and 2004.
In his first three seasons, Mead was tabbed Coach of the Year in the NAIA
Southeast Region, NAIA Southeast Independent Region, and three times in the
Peach Belt Conference (1996, 1997, 2001). In addition, his women's team has garnered the
All-Academic Team trophy four times (1999-2002 & 2004), and he has had
three of his male runners garner and one female runner win the Laker and Lady
Laker awards, respectively.
Mead has also built the Clayton State track & field program, which had a
breakout season in 2004. The Lakers had four runners named All-America and five
runners competing in the 2004 Division II National Championships. The 4x400 team
of Brian Etleman, Rother Heard, Carlos Guyton and Eric Simmons placed sixth in
the nation in 2004. In 2002, the program had its first All-America 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.
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 held 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.
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 the treasurer for Clayton Youth Leadership and is member
of the Southlake Kiwanis Club. He is an active member in the United State Track
& Field and Cross Country Coaches Association serving as vice-president for the Division II Cross
Country Coaches’ Association. Mead and his wife, Alison, reside in
nearby Lake City.
Hugh Toro enters his 11th season with the Clayton State cross country program after
17 years of coaching at the high school level. Toro spends his days teaching
physical education in nearby Henry County after teaching from 1986-2001 at
Fountain Elementary School in Forest Park.
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 Stockbridge and his 21-year-old son Christopher attends Georgia Southern.