Salisbury University
Â
Address: 1101 Camden Ave, Salisbury, MD 21801
Head Coach: Jim Jones
410-543-6337
jajones@salisbury.edu
https://www.suseagulls.com/sports/xc/index
https://www.suseagulls.com/sports/xc/coaches/index
Â
 Chasing the Standard: How long have you been at Salisbury and what are some of the highlights of your program the past few years?
Coach Jones: This is the start of my 21st year at Salisbury University. Some highlights over the last 20 years have been top finishes at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships (2009 – 4th, 2010 – 2nd, and 2015 – 4th). We have won over 50 conference track and field and cross country championships in the Capital Athletic Conference, Mason Dixon Conference, and the Eastern College Athletic Conference, and we have had 62 All-Americans and 18 individual NCAA champions. We have also had two men establish NCAA Division III Records and NCAA Championship Meet Records at the NCAA Championships (Delannie Spriggs – 55 meters – 6.20 and Luke Campbell – 60 Meter Hurdles – 7.75). These two men were also named the NCAA Division III Track Athletes of the Year (Delannie Springs in 2010 and Luke Campbell in 2015 and 2016).
Having established yourself in the university, what type of alumni connection and engagement is there?
We have a very giving alumni and we stay connected to our alumni through social media, texts, emails and phone calls. We have had some come back to talk with the team about their experiences while a student athlete and they have supported our program financially, funding our spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and needed equipment for our program.
What goals do you have for the program in the near future?
We have achieved a great deal of success the last 20 years, and we just want to continue with our winning tradition that has been established and continue to build upon it. Each year our goal is to win the conference championship and send as many individuals to the NCAA Championships.
Since it would normally be XC season right now, what would a typical training week look like for your team? Do you have a general overarching training philosophy?
Yes, it has been different this year but we are continuing to train to improve ourselves for the future. We are building a good base / strength work during the fall and just began starting with our speed work, time trials, and technique work for our field events. You have to build a base first before you do anything to be fit enough to then start the speed and technical work. The team has been working hard and I feel when we are able to return to competing we will be ready.
 As far as philosophy the fall is mostly base work (speed endurance and strength work), the indoor season is when we really begin the speed work and technique for our field events and then, as I say, the spring is when we will shine!
What facilities and resources do athletes in your program have access to? What is something about Salisbury you can highlight?
We have good facilities and resources for our team and outstanding support by the administration. It’s not like at other schools where football and basketball are the major focus of the athletic department; here at Salisbury University every sport is supported equally. A good example are the meets that we take our team to each year, the spring break trip, Penn Relays, and last chance meets to try to qualify for the NCAA Championships. One highlight of our program is our team locker rooms. Both teams have their own locker rooms that are really nice to use year around.
What does the recruiting process look like at Salisbury? Are there specific time standards or something in particular you look for in a recruit? How is the process now given the limitations due to COVID?
The process is going very well this year and we began looking at our 2021 class last spring. The first thing we look for is a student athlete with a strong academic background. Salisbury University is a state supported university with outstanding academic facilities but it is one of the most difficult state schools to get into in Maryland. We are looking for students that are taking AP and honors courses. We also have high standards athletically as well, looking for student athletes that can perform at a high level at their county, region, and state level. Although we have been limited by COVID, we have been able to find some very good student athletes that fit what we are looking for, but we continue to search for others that would be interested in a quality education at a good price and want to be a part of a winning tradition athletically.
What recommendations would you give to someone interested in competing for Salisbury?
I would suggest that they go to our web site (www.salisbury.edu) to see if Salisbury University meets their needs as a student. If they believe they have the work ethic and dedication to compete at a high level athletically then they should fill out an online questionnaire:  https://www.suseagulls.com/prospectivestudents/index.
Is there a time table for returning to practice and/or competition for your conference?
 We hope to return to competition after the first of the year. In the mean time we will continue to practice each week to be the best we can be each day to prepare for when we will be able to return to competition. GO GULLS!