Long Beach State University Athletics
Former Cross Country, Track and Field Coach, John Tansley, Passes Away
5/17/2021 4:00:00 PM | Cross Country, General, Track and Field
Tansley served as the cross country and track and field head coach of Long Beach State from 1982-85.
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Former cross-country and track and field coach, John Tansley, has passed away at the age of 85. He served as the head coach of the two programs from 1982-85.
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His ties to Long Beach State began as a student-athlete in 1957-58 as a member of the first NCAA track and field team. He graduated with a degree in kinesiology and served as an assistant coach for the program in 1959.
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After a very successful coaching tenure at Glendale Community College, Tansley returned to the Beach where he served as the head coach for three years that included a Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) title with men's cross-country in 1983.
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The track and field legend is a member of the Glendale Community College Hall of Fame and the Cal State LA Hall of Fame. He was the 1987 NCAA West Region Coach of the Year for CSULA and also served as the USA Olympic high jump coach at the 1976 Olympics.
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Coach Tansley is famously known and remembered for his innovative training techniques and extremely strong work ethic.
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His ties to Long Beach State began as a student-athlete in 1957-58 as a member of the first NCAA track and field team. He graduated with a degree in kinesiology and served as an assistant coach for the program in 1959.
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After a very successful coaching tenure at Glendale Community College, Tansley returned to the Beach where he served as the head coach for three years that included a Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) title with men's cross-country in 1983.
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The track and field legend is a member of the Glendale Community College Hall of Fame and the Cal State LA Hall of Fame. He was the 1987 NCAA West Region Coach of the Year for CSULA and also served as the USA Olympic high jump coach at the 1976 Olympics.
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Coach Tansley is famously known and remembered for his innovative training techniques and extremely strong work ethic.
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