Towson University cross country, track and field head coach
Mike Jackson has announced the addition of Zac Ball to his staff for the 2018-19 year. Coach Ball will serve as the recruiting coordinator and throws coach.
"We are excited to have Coach Ball here at TU," Jackson said. "He did an outstanding job at Northwood and is highly recommended by his peers. He brings great energy and I'm confident that he will be a great asset to our program!"
Ball comes from Northwood University where he was an assistant coach for three years with a focus on throws and was the strength and conditioning coach for the throwers, middle and long distance runners.While at Northwood he also was the director of operations for both the cross country and track and field teams.
Ball coached three athletes to school records as well as four NCAA provisional standard marks. Two of his runners broke school records in the 1,000 meters, while another broke the program record in discus by over ten feet and was ranked No. 23 in the country. He guided 11 of his student-athletes to rewrite the program's top 10 all-time list in multiple categories.
"During his time at Northwood, Zac Ball totally revamped our throws program, turning our student-athletes into conference and National contenders, while building the numbers in our program," said Norwood Athletic Director Dave Marsh. "He has great rapport with the student-athletes as well as the rest of the staff. He will definitely be missed at Northwood and we know he will bring success to the Towson throws programs."
Before arriving at Northwood he was a celebrated hammer and weight thrower at Ashland University. Ball was a six-time All-American in the hammer and weight throw. In 2014 he won the Indoor GLIAC Championship and received several weekly accolades for his accomplisments.
Ball was a two-year team captain for the Eagles and he made six trips to the podium at NCAA's, twice as runner ups. He ranks top-10 all-time in NCAA history in the weight throw, and his mark of 21.89 ranks him as the seventh best thrower in Division II history.
"Zac Ball went from walk on to scholarship and eventually team captain," said Ashland University head track and field coach Jud Logan. "His ability to want to learn my system and add his own twists to things, put him on the fast track. It is my opinion that he is one of the most passionate young coaches in the country and will leave an indelible mark of excellence."
The South Amherst, Ohio native graduated with a bachelor of science degree in exercise science with minors in religion, coaching and nutrition in 2015. In his spare time he enjoys golfing.
