South Carolina hires from within SEC for Gamecocks’ new track and cross country coach

South Carolina has a new coach for the men’s and women’s track and field programs and cross country teams.

Tim Hall, most recently an associate head coach for the University of Kentucky’s track programs, was announced Friday as the new leader for the Gamecocks. He’s the seventh head coach in the USC track and field program’s history.

It’s Hall’s first collegiate head coaching job. His five-year contract with South Carolina runs through June 30, 2028 at a base salary of $275,000 per year.

He coached the sprinters at Kentucky and worked five years as the Wildcats’ associate head coach, a title typically given to a high-ranking assistant coach.

“Coach Hall brings a lot of experience to our program and has achieved success at every level he has coached,” USC athletics director Ray Tanner said via a news release. “He is a well-respected coach in the SEC and in the track community, and he will continue his successful career here at Carolina.”

The hire comes about a week after the university announced the retirement of longtime South Carolina track and field coach Curtis Frye.

Frye, 71, officially retires June 30. He coached USC’s track and field and cross country programs for 27 years. During that time, Frye coached 28 Olympians who won 14 Olympic medals, 60 NCAA champions and 126 SEC champions.

Frye brought USC its first team NCAA championship in any sport when his women’s track team won the 2002 NCAA outdoor title.

Said Hall through a statement provided by USC: I will establish a first-class program that cultivates young ambassadors of the Gamecock brand. I look forward to getting my staff in place to work alongside me to return this storied program back to its prominence.”

Hall is a 1994 alum of S.C. State, where he was a three-time captain for the Bulldogs’ track team. He also coached at Tennessee (2014-2018), Clemson (2008-2013) and Charlotte (1996-2008). He and wife Adrean have two children (TeAnna and Timothy Jr.) and one granddaughter (Zanyla).

Frye had this to say about Hall through USC’s press release on the new hire: “Coach Hall is a dear friend and a special person that is an even better coach. He is the kind of person you want at Carolina. He is from the state of South Carolina and has coached and developed many programs and Olympians. I can’t imagine a man more prepared to be a head coach at a Power 5 institution. Many people deserve to be head coaches, but none more so than Tim Hall. He is a family man, a spiritual man and a great leader.”