Sports
Jack Daniels, Legendary Coach and Innovative Scientist, Dies
Jack Daniels, widely acknowledged as one of the most influential and successful running coaches and exercise scientists in the United States, died on September 12 at age 92. According to an email from his wife, Nancy, “He died happy after watching the Green Bay Packers win last night. He tested the Packers team when he was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, and has loved the team ever since.”
During a career that spanned more than six decades, Daniels worked directly with dozens of elite American distance runners, authored several books and more than 50 articles on running, and produced ground-breaking innovations and research. But his most cherished experiences involved helping more “normal” athletes find success and enjoyment in the sport.
Daniels fell into distance running, and eventually began coaching, in a roundabout way. A strong collegiate swimmer in the early 1950s, he became a two-time Olympic medalist in modern pentathlon despite initially struggling in the event’s running component. It was through working to improve his own running that Daniels developed a passion for human performance and coaching others to success.
Born in Detroit, Daniels was still an infant when his parents moved the family to the Bay area of northern California. There Daniels had an active childhood and, after failing at baseball tryouts, became an accomplished competitive swimmer at Sequoia Union High School in Redwood City before entering the Colorado School of Mines in 1951. A year later he transferred to the University of Montana in Missoula, where he was a standout on the swimming and rifle teams and also went through the ROTC program.
Daniels graduated from Montana in 1955 with a double major in physical education and mathematics and then served a year in the U.S. Army in Korea. Despite labeling himself “such a terrible runner,” Daniels won a military triathlon consisting of pistol shooting, swimming, and running. He immediately committed himself to improving his running in pursuit of a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in modern pentathlon, an event consisting of fencing, 200-meter freestyle swimming, show jumping, and pistol shooting incorporated into a 3200-meter cross-country run. In November 1956, Daniels competed for the U.S. in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and brought home a silver medal in the modern pentathlon men’s team event. Four years later he was a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Unfailingly intrigued by human physiology and sports performance, Daniels was relentless in his pursuit of a better understanding of the human body and its adaptation to physical activity and training. He spent most of 1959 in Sweden, continuing pentathlon training while enrolled in Stockholm’s Royal Gymnastic Central Institute, where he studied anatomy and psychology. In the 1960s, Daniels completed two advanced degrees in physical education and exercise physiology, an M.Ed. from the University of Oklahoma (1965) and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin (1969).
Daniels took on a string of research and coaching assignments during the ensuing decades. He served as head cross-country coach at Oklahoma City University from 1961 to 1965, and then began work on his Ph.D. Summers were spent conducting altitude research with elite U.S. athletes and for the space program with the Federal Aviation Agency. This led to an assignment with the 1968 U.S. Olympic team, consulting on issues of competition at high altitude prior to the Mexico City Games. Daniels became acquainted with Kansas University track and cross-country coach Bob Timmons during the mid 1960s and undertook performance testing and conferred with Timmons on the training of top U.S. miler Jim Ryun.
After coaching the Peruvian national team for a year, Daniels served as men’s distance coach at the University of Texas from 1969 to 1972. His next move was to Hawaii, where he coached one year before returning to Texas to help start and direct the Longhorn women’s track and field and cross-country programs.
Nike hired Daniels as an exercise physiologist in 1980. He spent his first three years with the company in Exeter, New Hampshire, before relocating to the Eugene, Oregon lab affiliated with the shoe company’s Athletics West elite program. There he was responsible for conducting a range of tests on the athletes while pursuing research into topics such as differences in male and female running economy, effects of head- and tailwinds while running at varying speeds, and the aerobic demands of road, track, and treadmill running at sea level and high altitude.
Among the athletes Daniels consulted with during his stint at AW was Joan Benoit (Samuelson), who arrived at his lab in late April 1984 unable to put weight on her foot following arthroscopic surgery a few days earlier. The first women’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials was two weeks away, and Benoit was in a panic. Daniels, ever-calm and innovative, suspended an exercise bike from the ceiling and instructed Benoit to pedal with her arms. The activity provided some aerobic and mental benefit while allowing Benoit to stay off her foot. She went on to win the Trials race and, on August 5, 1984, triumphed at the inaugural women’s Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles.
Although he enjoyed his work with Athletics West, Daniels missed coaching on the collegiate level, and in 1986 left Nike to take a position at the State University of New York at Cortland. Daniels had great success at Cortland over the following 17 years, heading up the men’s and women’s cross-country programs while teaching physical education. His women’s team won seven NCAA Division III national titles while the men qualified for nationals eight times and finished as high as sixth.
It was while at Cortland that Daniels wrote his best-known book, Daniels’ Running Formula, the fourth edition of which was published in 2021. The book manages to present a good bit of Daniels’ scientific approach to training without getting bogged down in it, and all the formulas and numbers are nicely contrasted by plenty of simple and effective instruction. Key to Daniels’ approach is being sure runners train at intensities appropriate for their current fitness, and that they run no farther or faster in training than necessary to optimize results. Scores if not hundreds of high school and college coaches have adopted Daniels’ method with considerable success.
Daniels was 72 when hired in March 2005 to direct the Center for High Altitude Training at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. There his responsibilities included coaching emerging elite athletes in middle-distance and distance events as well as working with Team Altius, a community-based running club. NAU closed the facility in early 2009 due to budget concerns, and the following year Daniels took a position at Division II Brevard College in North Carolina. When asked why he’d take such a low-profile position, Daniels gave a response that perfectly summed up his life’s work:
“Simply put, I love to coach both young ladies and young men, and to be able to continue doing that makes life real enjoyable for me,” he told Runner’s World in 2011. “I truly get as much enjoyment out of watching a young runner improve his or her performance as I get from seeing one of my runners make it to the Olympics.”
Daniels left Brevard in 2012 and returned to Flagstaff, but the following year accepted the head men’s and women’s cross-country coaching position at Wells College in Aurora, New York, an NCAA Division III school with an enrollment of only 600.
Daniels’ influence on U.S. distance running is hard to overstate, from coaching individuals elites such as Olympic marathoner Magdalena Lewy Boulet to mentoring other coaches such as Flagstaff’s Mike Smith to educating untold numbers of recreational runners.
For the first time ever all 14 athletic programs earned a semester G.P.A. above a 3.150. Six teams earned their highest semester G.P.A. in their respective program’s history and four others achieved their second highest semester G.P.A. in their program’s history.
This marked the 13th consecutive semester of a 3.0 or better department wide grade point average and the seventh consecutive semester that UNT improved on the previous semester’s departmental G.P.A.
“The Fall 2025 semester was an outstanding one for Mean Green Athletics in the classroom,” said UNT VP/Director of Athletics Jared Mosley. “Our student-athletes continue to demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence, and their success is a direct reflection of the support and expectations we have in place. I want to thank our academic services team, led by Suzanne Dickenson, for their leadership and dedication in supporting our student-athletes and helping them reach their full potential both on the field and in the classroom.”
For the sixth consecutive semester the UNT women’s golf team led the way for the department as they earned a 3.907 fall semester G.P.A.
The Mean Green tennis team has now recorded a team G.P.A. of 3.0 or better for 28 consecutive semesters. The UNT soccer team and swim and dive team have both also maintained streaks of 20-plus consecutive semesters with a team G.P.A. above a 3.0.
Fifty-two UNT student-athletes this past fall earned a 4.0 grade point average. The Mean Green women’s track team led the way as they had 11 student-athletes named to the prestigious 2025 Fall President’s List. The tennis team had the highest percentage of student-athletes earning President’s List honors as 72% of its roster had a 4.0 G.P.A.
The UNT men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s track and field, women’s basketball, women’s cross country and women’s track and field teams all earned their highest semester G.P.A.s in program history.
Lastly, 47 UNT student-athletes earned their diplomas this past fall.
McLachlin becomes the eighth head coach in UCSD program history and will coach the Tritons in their final season as members of the Big West (2026) before the program transitions to the West Coast Conference ahead of the 2027 campaign. He joins JJ Van Niel (Arizona State), Tyler Hildebrand (Saint Mary’s College), and Amy Pauly (Orlando Valkyries) as former USC assistants under Brad Keller who have moved into head coaching positions.
“This opportunity is no surprise and has been a long time coming for Spencer,” said Keller. “UCSD is getting one of the best coaches in the game. Spencer and I have worked together in many different phases of our careers, and I know USC is in a better place with a brighter future for everything he has done here. Spencer is an innovator, a creator, and most importantly, a dreamer. Our game needs more leaders like him. I couldn’t be prouder of what he has done and for this new opportunity for him and his family.”
In his three seasons at USC, McLachlin helped lead the Women of Troy to three straight NCAA tournament appearances. The Trojans advanced to the second round in each of their three postseason berths. Most recently, McLachlin helped USC reach 25 wins and finish in a tie for third place in the Big Ten. Six Trojans received awards on all-conference teams and USC led the league in blocking (2.76 bps). The Trojans also ranked second (12th in the NCAA) in total blocks (322.5) and were second for opponent hitting percentage (.184). OH London Wijay earned AVCA All-America honorable mention.
With McLachlin on staff in 2024, USC advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third straight year and finished 22-10 overall with a 13-7 mark in the Big Ten (tied for sixth). Setter Mia Tuaniga was named to the AVCA All-America third team. In his first season with the Women of Troy, McLachlin helped USC go 19-13 with a 12-8 mark in the Pac-12 for a fifth-place finish. That season, OH Skylar Fields was honored with AVCA All-America first-team recognition.
McLachlin is married to former USC volleyball standout opposite hitter Diane Copenhagen (2004-07), a 2004 Pac-10 All-Freshman Team selection. The McLachlins are parents to two daughters, Leila and Malia, and a son named Koa.
The 14th-ranked Trojans (25-7, 15-5 Big Ten) finished the regular season tied for third in the Big Ten and were awarded one of 33 at-large berths—and a hosting bid—into the 2025 NCAA tournament. USC made its fourth straight appearance in the tourney under sixth-year head coach Brad Keller (41st all-time) and moved into the second round for the fourth consecutive year with a 3-0 sweep of Princeton. The Women of Troy were eliminated from postseason play in a hard-fought five-set loss to Cal Poly in the second round.
For more information on the USC women’s volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Sports
Defending Big West Regular Season And National Champion Long Beach State Chosen As 2026 Preseason Coaches’ Poll Favorite
Long Beach State’s status as a national powerhouse was further reinforced in the 2026 AVCA National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Preseason Poll (Dec. 23), where the Beach were ranked No. 3 nationally behind UCLA and Hawai’i.
The Beach also placed multiple student-athletes on the 2026 Big West Preseason Coaches’ Team, as Skyler Varga and Alex Kandev earned preseason recognition following standout performances during Long Beach State’s championship 2025 season.
Varga returns as one of the nation’s premier attackers. During the 2025 season he played a central role in Long Beach State’s run to the NCAA National Championship, earning NCAA All-Tournament Team honors for his performance in the title match. He finished the year with 270 kills (2.73 per set) on a .368 attack percentage, while adding 33 service aces, 70 total blocks, and 341 points across 99 sets. In addition to his on-court excellence, Varga also received CSC Academic All-America recognition, underscoring his impact as a scholar-athlete.
Kandev, now a sophomore outside hitter, made his mark on the national stage during the 2025 NCAA Championship match. In the title match victory over UCLA, Kandev helped the Beach secure their fourth national title and earned NCAA All-Tournament Team honors in the process. He concluded his freshman season with 210 kills (3.23 per set) while hitting .458, ranking among the team leaders in efficiency, and added 21 aces, 36 blocks, and 250 points in 65 sets.
Following Long Beach State atop the Big West preseason poll, Hawai’i was chosen second with 22 points and two first-place votes, and UC Irvine was tabbed third with 17 points. CSUN, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara rounded out the poll, each earning nine points.
With proven postseason performers and returning national contenders, Long Beach State enters 2026 as both the team to beat in the Big West and one of the top programs in the nation.
2026 Big West Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Long Beach State – 24 points (4)
- Hawai’i – 22 points (2)
- UC Irvine – 17 points
- T-4. CSUN – 9 points
T-4. UC San Diego – 9 points
T-4. UC Santa Barbara – 9 points
First-place votes in parentheses
2026 Big West Men’s Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Team
George Bruening, UC Santa Barbara
Alex Kandev, Long Beach State
Jalen Phillips, CSUN
Tread Rosenthal, Hawai’i
Adrien Roure, Hawai’i
Kristian Titriyski, Hawai’i
Skyler Varga, Long Beach State
NATCHITOCHES—After dipping into the transfer portal for a midfielder and defender, Northwestern State soccer head coach Ian Brophy now picks up a goalkeeper in the form of transfer Saki Tsuchiya.
Tsuchiya, a native of Takasaki, Japan, comes to NSU following a season at Valparaiso.
“We are very excited to add an experienced goalkeeper who really fits our style of play,” Brophy said. “Her ability with the ball at her feet is something that definitely suits us and should help us as a team. She will instantly provide competition in an already very competitive group and certainly makes us better.”
She played in three games for the Crusaders, sporting a save percentage of .708 and goals against average of 3.36 in just under 134 minutes. She recorded 12 saves this past season, seven coming against Drake and then posting five saves against Illinois.
Prior to her season at Valpo, Tsuchiya started her collegiate career at Tyler JC, where she competed for two seasons.
For Tyler JC, she appeared in 30 matches during the two years, where she posted a 1.18 GAA and a .780 save percentage.
She recorded three solo shutouts and five combined shutouts among her 13 wins as a sophomore in 2024. That season also earned her a Second Team All-Region selection, as her team captured the Region XIV championship and played in the NJCAA National Tournament 2023 and 2024.
As a freshman, she was named to the NJCAA Second Team All-Academic Team for 2023-24.
She played summer soccer in 2024 for TLH Reckoning of the USLW and in 2025 for Peoria City of the WPSL.
In high school at Kaishigakuen JAPAN Soccer College koutoubu, she was a three-year starter in net.
She joins an already impressive goalkeeper room that includes Second Team All-Southland Conference selection Kennedy Rist and rising sophomore Audrey Marfia, who recorded a goals against average of 0.39, surrendering just one goal in 230:32.
Tsuchiya will be the first Japan native to play for the Demons and joins Hosane Soukou, Ravina Sandhu and Anika Sproxton as players on the team not from the United States.
SAN DIEGO — Defender Lauren Watson became the first player in USD beach volleyball history on Monday afternoon when she signed a grant-in-aid agreement to play for the Toreros.
Watson, who hails from Phoenix, Arizona, attends Notre Dame Preparatory High School, where she was twice named the Arizona Beach Volleyball Player of the Year by the Arizona Republic. She will join San Diego for its inaugural beach volleyball season in the spring of 2027.
“Lauren is a really good all-around talent,” said USD beach volleyball head coach Derek Olson. “As a defender that can sit in the pocket and run shots down, she has good defensive instincts and covers a lot of sand.”
Her high school career thus far has seen her earn two Arizona Beach Volleyball Pairs State Championships, three All-League First-Team honors, and her league’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
“She also knows how to win and that’s very apparent by her results in tournaments,” Olson added. “But what I appreciate most about Lauren is her ability to play with anyone and make them better. She adds value to the environment that she is in.”
On Tuesday, Dec. 23, UC San Diego Athletics announced that USC associate head coach Spencer McLachlin will be the next head coach of Triton women’s volleyball. He replaces Melanie Greene, who stepped down on Dec. 6 after two seasons as head coach.
The coaching change comes after a tumultuous 6-24 season where a promising Triton team never found its rhythm. The Tritons were eliminated from postseason contention with three games left in the season following a loss to UC Riverside on Nov. 17. Assistant coach Kara Barkdoll Coy was named interim head coach for the final six games of the season after Greene’s departure.
“Spencer brings exactly what we need at this moment,” athletic director Andy Fee said in a press release. “He’s helped build winning programs, developed All-Americans, and knows how to compete at the highest level.”
McLachlin played collegiately at Stanford, winning a national championship with the Cardinal in 2010 and ending his four years in Palo Alto ranked third in career kills. McLachlin then served as an assistant coach at Hawai’i, California, UCLA, and Indiana before joining USC as associate head coach in 2023. This past season, the Trojans went 25-7 but fell in the second round of the NCAA Championship in a five-set upset loss against Cal Poly. McLachlin’s new position at UCSD will be his first head coaching role.
“I am thrilled to join UC San Diego as the Head Coach of the women’s volleyball program,” McLachlin said. “This is an incredible opportunity for my family and me to be part of an historic and beautiful university and build a program with great potential.”
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