Lou Tomlinson enters his 19th season as an assistant coach with the Rutgers men's track & field program in 2019-20, working primarily with the long and short sprints and relays. His energetic and enthusiastic coaching style has made an immediate impact on all of the runners.
In 2018-19, Tomlinson led Izaiah Brown to his fourth straight Big Ten Indoor Championship title in the 400m, becoming the first Scarlet Knight to earn four Big Ten titles in the same event. The feat also established Brown as the first four-time First Team All-Big Ten selection for the program. The indoor and outdoor 4x400m relay records both fell under Tomlinson’s watch. The quartet of Sterling Pierce, Christopher Jenkins, Taj Burgess and Brown broke the indoor record with a time of 3:08.00 at the conference championships. the group of Jenkins, Brown, Pierce and Burgess then reset the outdoor record with at time of 3:04.27 at Penn Relays. The 4x400m relay qualified for NCAA Outdoor Regionals, along with Burgess individually in the 400m. Burgess advanced to his second straight NCAA Championships, picking up his second All-America accolade with Honorable Mention status.
Under the guidance of Tomlinson in 2018, Brown collected his third straight Big Ten Indoor Championship title in the 400m, along with First Team All-Big Ten recognition. During the outdoor season, the 4x400 relay team of Jermaine Griffith, Izaiah Brown, Taj Burgess, and Boaz Madeus set a new school record of 3:04.67 at the historic Penn Relays. The 4x400 relay quartet went on to claim Second Team All-America status at the NCAA Championships. Burgess collected a silver medal and Second Team All-Big Ten status in the 400m at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, going on to earn Second Team All-America recognition at the NCAA Championships. Madeus collected Second Team All-America accolades in the 400m hurdles at nationals as well.
Tomlinson's sprinters continued to collect accolades in 2017. At the Big Ten Indoor Championships, Izaiah Brown defended his conference title in the 400m with a Rutgers and Big Ten Championships record of 45.32. One of the fastest athletes in the country, Brown owns both indoor and outdoor 400m school records.
Jermaine Griffith also enjoyed an impressive 2017 indoor campaign with the help of Tomlinson. Griffith finished seventh at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas, as he collected First Team All-America accolades.
Tomlinson was recognized for his accomplishments in 2016 by earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) Mid-Atlantic Assistant Coach of the Year honors. During the 2016 campaign, Tomlinson’s sprinters produced five school and two Busch Bubble facility records.
2016 was a banner year for the Scarlet Knight sprinters under the close watch of Tomlinson. Brown, Griffith, Rajee Dunbar and Calvin Knox all qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, where Griffith earned second team All-America designation in the 400m. All four combined for the school record in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3:06.01 at the NCAA East Regional.
Tomlinson helped Brown burst onto the collegiate scene during his rookie season. Brown captured both Big Ten indoor and outdoor 400m titles, where he also produced school-record times in both indoor (45.62) and outdoor (45.27) events. At the indoor conference championships, Brown was named Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Track Athlete of the Championships.
In his first year, the 4x400 team won the Penn Relays Metropolitan Championship and that same foursome earned All-BIG EAST honors. Under Tomlinson, the relay groups have enjoyed great success, capturing a number of BIG EAST and IC4A Championships. He has also mentored several All-BIG EAST, All-East and All-America selections.
In 2007, Tomlinson saw his 4x200 relay team set the all-time indoor National Collegiate record at 1:25.05. His 4x400 relay squad also set a BIG EAST meet record of 3:10.33.
He saw his group win the outdoor 4x100 and both the indoor and outdoor 4x400 races at the BIG EAST Championships in 2005. The 4x200 relay team also set a school record at the Penn Relays. His sprint group produced 15 All-BIG EAST and 14 All-East (IC4A) performers in 2005. He has also coached 33 BIG EAST Champions during his tenure. He produced his first All-American in 2010 with Bruce Owens in the 200m.
During his tenure, his group has set eight school records which still stand.
Tomlinson, a class of `85 Rutgers graduate, had a distinguished career as a Scarlet Knight, winning a Metropolitan Championship in the 100 dash and being named to the All-East team on the 4x100 relay. He was also the recipient of the Colin McManus award, which is awarded annually to the team's most improved athlete.
Tomlinson currently resides in Willingboro, N.J.
