University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Track and Field Announces Staff Promotions
7/2/2021 6:30:00 AM | Track & Field/Cross Country
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss track and field head coach Jon Stuart announced a pair of promotions for current coaches, Aaron Kindt and Danisha Jones, Friday morning.
Kindt, who has served as the head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach for the past seven seasons, will now serve as the associate head coach for track and field overseeing the distance group, while continuing in his role as the cross country coach.
"Aaron has been instrumental to the success of our program over the past seven seasons," Stuart said. "He has taken our cross country team and distance group to new heights with our top finishes ever in Conference USA under his leadership.
"Aaron has earned this through his dedication to our program, and I am thrilled to promote him to associate head coach."
Kindt's distance group was instrumental in helping capture the program's first Conference USA Indoor Championship this past season, earning 46 of the Golden Eagles 109 points. The group made four trips to the podium at the meet, collecting runner-up performances in the 3000m, 5000m and distance medley relay.
After spending the last two seasons as a graduate assistant, Jones will now serve as an assistant coach, where she will oversee the throwers.
The former Golden Eagle standout was a three-time NCAA Regional Qualifier in the discus over her career. Jones earned High Point Scorer of the Meet for the women during her senior year at the Conference USA Outdoor Championships, where she finished first in the discus, third in the shot put and fourth in the hammer throw.
On top of her C-USA title in the discus during the 2019 outdoor season, the Thomasville, Ga. native also captured a conference title during the indoor season with an indoor school record of 51'11" in the shotput to claim gold. Jones' name is all across the program's record book as she ranks in the top five in all throwing events.
"I'm pleased to add Danisha to our staff," Stuart concluded. "She was a tremendous athlete for us, and did an excellent job as a graduate assistant. She's going to be a fantastic coach.
"She is very knowledgeable, brings a lot of energy and is going to be a welcomed addition to our staff."
