COLUMBIA, Ky. - Anthony Thompson has been named Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Lindsey Wilson College, athletics director Willis Pooler announced on Friday. 

Thompson returns to Lindsey Wilson where he was once a standout track & field student-athlete and later an assistant coach.

"I am beyond grateful to return home and lead the Blue Raiders," Thompson said. "Our young men and women will have the opportunity to grow their faith and be pushed to become champions in the classroom and on the playing field." 

"There is unwavering support at Lindsey Wilson, and I feel we have a tremendous opportunity to be great, brick by brick," Thompson added.

Thompson embarks on his first head coaching position after spending the last five years at Campbellsville (Ky.) where he was an assistant track & field coach and the recruiting coordinator. During his stint with the Tigers, Thompson was a three-time Mid-South Conference Assistant Track & Field Coach of the Year while recruiting and coaching 96 NAIA national qualifiers and 21 NAIA All-Americans.

Before Campbellsville, Thompson spent one year as an assistant coach at Lindsey Wilson where he helped 16 Blue Raiders qualify for nationals, including seven NAIA All-Americans. While on the Lindsey Wilson staff, Thompson helped the Blue Raiders capture the 2019 MSC Women's Indoor and Outdoor Championships.

"I'm excited to bring Coach Thompson back to Columbia," Pooler said. "He has been an incredibly successful coach and is going to do big things for our Track & Field and Cross-Country programs. 

"His vision to provide a great student-athlete experience while helping to grow and develop each individual and winning at the highest level of the NAIA and MSC is exactly what we were looking for in the leader of our programs," Pooler added. "As a former all-American student-athlete and graduate of Lindsey Wilson, he completely understands our mission and is eager to share it with our current and future student-athletes. I can't wait to watch our programs thrive under his leadership."

While competing at Lindsey Wilson, Thompson earned NAIA All-American honors three times and All Mid-South Conference honors eight times. He was part of four Mid-South Conference team championships and helped Lindsey Wilson to a program-best fourth-place finish at the 2017 NAIA Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

"I want to thank Dr. Bill Luckey, Dr. Dean Adams, and Willis Pooler for this opportunity to return to a place where I have so many great memories," Thompson said. "I'm eager to get to work building a championship-caliber program while helping our student-athletes achieve their academic and athletic goals."