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Tom Kloos brings a strong history of coaching at the collegiate
and prep levels, as well as international competitive experience,
to the Hilltop. In Spring 2011, Kloos was
elevated to Associate Head Coach.
"Tom has been instrumental in elevating our program to a new level
over the past three years," commented Lehman-Winters. "His work
ethic is exceptional and I have relied on him tremendously with the
day-to-day operations of our program. Not only is he an excellent
technician when it comes to training distance runners, he is also a
great recruiter and has worked very hard in every aspect of
supporting and pushing our current student-athletes.”
Prior to USF, Kloos coached for one year at Iona
College (New Rochelle, NY), where the Gaels achieved their
highest-ever NCAA cross country rankings: Men 3rd, Women 20th. In
2009, he finished sixth at the USATF National Championships in the
3000m steeplechase. Recently, Kloos was selected to represent
the United States at the North America, Central America and
Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) Cross Country Championships
at Mt. Irvine, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago.
Since his arrival on the Hilltop, Kloos has helped to lead the Dons
to multiple program highs; including back to back WCC titles for
USF women in 2009 and 2010. On the heels of back to back
conference title, the Dons posted their highest finish in school
history at the NCAA Regional. The 2010 season also marked the best
combined cross country finish in history for the men's and women's
programs. Kloos also brings tremendous technical knowledge in the
steeplechase. In both 2010 and 2011, he coached Eva Krchova
to the NCAA Championships in the 3000m steeplechase.
In 2009, he coached two NCAA regional qualifiers, Jesus Romo and
Nicole Bowler, in the 3000m steeplechase. Bowler improved from
11:00 in 2008 to 10:43.93 during the 2009 season; and Romo improved
from 9:49 in 2008 to a personal best of 9:06.72 during the 2009
season. Under Kloos’s guidance, Eva Krchova qualified
for the NCAA Championships in the 3000m steeplechase in back to
back seasons, posting a personal best of 10:05.53 during her
collegiate season.
Prior to Iona, Kloos was the head coach at his alma mater, El
Camino High School in Southern California, where he was named coach
of the year on four different occasions from 2000-2005. In 2000 and
2003, he was named San Diego Coach of the Year on the girl's side,
and in 2004 he received the same award on the boys' side. His top
award also came in 2004, when he was named the California Coaches
Association Boys Cross Country Coach of the Year. Along with the
numerous awards, Kloos coached AJ Acosta to the 2005 Footlocker
National Cross Country Championship.
Kloos earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from
Columbia University in 1999 where he was a two-time Cross Country
Academic All-American in 1997 and 1998.
After a successful undergraduate career at Columbia, Kloos
continued his running career at the national and international
level. He is a three time USATF competitor in the 3000-meter
steeplechase, with a best of 8:30, and was the 11th American
finisher in the 2005 IMG New York City Marathon.
Kloos is also the Chairman and Founder of the Road Scholar
Foundation, which helps fund scholarships for college bound high
school seniors. He resides in San Francisco.
