Jimmy Stephens Position: Head Coach Years at Upstate: 2nd

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Jimmy Stephens is in his second year as the head coach of the men's and women's cross country and track and field programs at USC Upstate.

Stephens came to USC Upstate after holding the position as the recreation coordinator for the town of Mt. Pleasant (S.C.) for five years. He oversaw the youth programs for track and field, cross country, and football. After starting the Mt. Pleasant Track club four years ago, the club has grown to be the biggest track club in the state. The club has won four overall state team championship titles, multiple individual state champions, and has sent several individuals to regional and national Junior Olympic meets.

Prior to his position in Mt. Pleasant, Stephens was the director of track and field operations for the men's and women's programs at the University of Alabama from 1999-2000. He began his head coaching experience at nearby Wofford College where he started the track and field programs and also served as the head coach of the cross country teams from 1996-1999. He led the Terriers' program from Division II into the Southern Conference and Division I. He developed a highly competitive and well rounded program at Wofford and led the women's cross country program to its highest Southern Conference finish in the history of the program.

Stephens began his coaching career at the end of his collegiate career as a pole vaulter at the University of South Carolina. A member of the Gamecocks track and field team, he suffered a career-ending shoulder injury during his sophomore year. The Gamecocks coaching staff asked him to stay on as a student assistant coach for five years until he graduated from the University in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in sport administration. After leaving South Carolina, he worked with the Metro Sports Council in Columbia from 1991-93. He then became the assistant track and field and cross country coach at Furman University from 1993-1996.

Throughout his coaching career Stephens has worked with 18 All-Americans, 15 Metro Conference champions, and 32 collegiate school record holders. Stephens also coached 82 Junior Olympic regional qualifiers, 22 Junior Olympic national qualifiers and four South Carolina high school state champions.

During his time in South Carolina Stephens has been very involved with the Metro Sports Council and Charleston Metro Sports Council as well as working with the Special Olympics, Palmetto State Games, and South Carolina USA Track and Field Association. In SCUSATF he has served as Vice President, Youth Chairman, Officials Chairman, Southeast Regional Pole Vault Chairman, and currently he is in his second term as President.

Stephens is a native Spartanburg and graduated from Dorman High School in 1986. He had a standout career in pole vault for the Cavaliers. He broke the Spartanburg County pole vault record, a record that stood for nine years until a student that Stephens coached broke the record. He was a four-year letterman and served as Team Captain during his senior year as well as being named MVP in the field events. Stephens was also a 2 year letterman at the University of South Carolina.

Stephens and his wife, Pat, were married on July 21, 2007. During the summers he can be spotted all along the east coast at various track and field events officiating and running the timing system as well as working various track and field camps.