Former SPC coaches selected for Hall of Fame

(Courtesy of South Plains College Sports Information)

Helping build the South Plains College track and field program into a perennial power, former South Plains College head track and field coach Chris Beene, and his longtime assistant Blaine Wiley will be inducted into the NJCAA Cross Country, Track and Field, and Half Marathon Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the NJCAA National Office announced Friday.

The pair be recognized on Tuesday, May 11, at 1:45 p.m. at the NJCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships at the Texan Track and Field Complex in Levelland.

Beene led the SPC track and field program from 2004-2016, compiling one of the most dominant stretches on the track in collegiate history. Under Beene's guidance, SPC captured 32 combined national titles, including a collegiate record of 10 consecutive Men's Outdoor National Championships.

Beene began his coaching career following an All-American career at Angelo State as a decathlete. Beene saw stops at Texas A&M – Kingsville, Abilene Christian University and Texas Tech University as an assistant and as Head Coach at Wayland Baptist prior to his time at South Plains College.

During his tenure in Levelland, Beene was named the NJCAA National Coach of the Year 14 times and was named the National Coach of the Meet at NJCAA Championships 25 times. In 2015, Beene became the first NJCAA coach to present at the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Convention. Beene was named the 2016 Texas Track and Field Coaches Association Coach of the Year, and also served as the Secretary for the NJCAA Track and Field Coaches association in 2014 and 2015.

Beene also saw South Plains student-athletes capture three men's and five women's national meet records in individual events. South Plains College student-athletes also set nine (four – men, five – women) NJCAA records during his tenure.

An assistant at South Plains College from 2006-2015, Wiley helped elevate the track and field program at SPC to new levels, coaching sprints, hurdles, relays, and jumps. Wiley helped South Plains bring home 28 National Championships, including nine consecutive Men's Outdoor National Championships.

Wiley began his coaching career in 2000 as a student assistant at his alma mater Texas State University. In 2002, Wiley became a full-time assistant at Texas State in charge of sprints and relays until his arrival at South Plains College in August 2006.

While at South Plains, Wiley saw his athlete capture 107 National Championships and garner 187 All-American performances. Wiley also saw his athletes set eight NJCAA national records, 43 School Records, and seven NJCAA National Athletes of the Year awards. Wiley was named Coach of the Year by the NJCAA or USTFCCCA 11 times during his time at South Plains. Wiley's accomplishments at South Plains didn't end at the NJCAA level as South Plains athletes competed at the international level including IAAF World Championships and the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Wiley is currently an assistant coach at The University of Alabama working with the sprints, hurdles, relays, and 800-meter runners.