Tom Kloos Last College: Columbia (1999) Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 3rd Year

Tom Kloos brings a strong history of coaching at the collegiate and prep levels, as well as international competitive experience, to the Hilltop. Kloos coached at Iona College in 2006 (New Rochelle, NY), where the Gaels achieved their highest-ever NCAA cross country rankings: Men 3rd, Women 20th. He recently finished 6th at the USATF National Championships in the 3000m steeplechase and has just returned from summer competition in Europe where he set personal best in four events.

Kloos works with both the men and women distance runners. He brings tremendous technical knowledge in the steeplechase. This past spring, he coached two NCAA regional qualifiers, Jesus Romo and Nicole Bowler, in the 3000m steeplechase. Under Kloos's guidance, Romo improved from 9:49 in 2008 to a personal best of 9:06.72 during the 2009 season. Bowler improved from 11:00 in 2008 to 10:43.93 during the 2009 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.