Pat Henry, one of the greatest coaches in collegiate track and field history, has retired. Henry hangs it up in 2026 at Texas A&M after an illustrious career that saw 37 Division I national championships won across five decades, starting in 1988 and most recently winning the 2025 men’s outdoor track and field title.
Henry leaves behind an all-time legacy after 54 years of coaching that spanned two NCAA institutions, LSU and Texas A&M. Here’s more on the winningest coach in Division I track and field history.
Quick Facts on Pat Henry:
Years coached
1974-83: Head Coach, Hobbs (N.M.) High School
1984-87: Head Coach, Blinn College
1988-04: Head Coach, LSU
2005-26: Head Coach, Texas A&M
37 NCAA national championships
16 women’s outdoor
10 women’s indoor
8 men’s outdoor
3 men’s indoor
36 conference titles won
13 USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year honors
173 individual national champions coached
99 individual national titles at LSU
74 individual national titles at Texas A&M
47 relay titles across schools
90 Olympians coached
37 at LSU, 53 at Texas A&M
10 Olympic Gold Medalists
Henry’s beginnings
Henry got his start in 1974 at Hobbs High School in New Mexico where he won five state championships before departing for the junior college level at Blinn College in 1984. At Blinn College, Henry earned National JUCO Indoor and Outdoor Coach of the Year honors in 1986 and 1987. He won the He also swept the 1987 NJCAA men’s indoor and outdoor national championships. Henry established himself as a winner before ever touching the NCAA.
That’s part of the reason why Henry could jump straight from the JUCO level in 1987 to the SEC in 1988, taking over an LSU Tigers program that just swept the DI women’s indoor and outdoor national titles a year prior.
Starting with a dynasty
Henry didn’t miss a beat once taking over the helm in Baton Rouge. He led the LSU women to the 1988 outdoor national championship in his first year as a head coach.
It was the first of many for Henry as he would lead the Tigers to 11 straight women’s outdoor titles from 1987-97, the longest streak in the history of NCAA Division I women’s athletics.
During that same stretch, Henry would win seven indoor women’s titles, including five straight from 1993-97.
NCAA track and field championship streaks of five or more years
Length of Streak
School
Years of Streak
Type of Title
12 years
Arkansas
1984-95
Men’s indoor
11 years
LSU
1987-97
Women’s outdoor
9 years
Southern California
1935-43
Men’s outdoor
8 years
Arkansas
1992-99
Men’s outdoor
7 years
Southern California
1949-55
Men’s outdoor
5 years
Oregon
2010-14
Women’s indoor
5 years
LSU
1993-97
Women’s indoor
5 years
UTEP
1978-82
Men’s outdoor
The 1989 season might be even more impressive than the championship streaks. In only his second year as LSU’s head coach, Pat Henry led to Tigers to win 3-of-4 NCAA track and field titles, only missing out on the 1989 men’s indoor championship crown. That’s a feat that wasn’t matched for 25 years and has only been done four times in the history of NCAA track and field.
Schools to win three track titles in one year
Year
School
TItle Missed
1989
LSU
Men’s indoor title
2014
Oregon
Women’s outdoor title
2015
Oregon
Women’s indoor title
2022
Florida
Men’s indoor title
LSU transformed into a powerhouse program under Pat Henry. After the consecutive women’s outdoor title streak ended in 1997, he still won outdoor titles in 2000 and 2003, taking his winning ways into a new century. The latter outdoor title gave him his eighth single-season women’s championship sweep across the indoor and outdoor seasons, as 2003 joined 1989, 1991 and 1993-97.
While at LSU, Henry only had three seasons without a title: 1998 and 1999. In 2001 he won his first men’s indoor title. He had a women’s three-peat indoors from 2002-2004, giving him an 18-year reign of dominance in Baton Rouge.
In his final season with the Tigers, Henry became the first coach to lead a school to a sweep of the men’s and women’s indoor track and field titles as 2004 LSU hoisted both trophies.
Teams to sweep men’s and women’s indoor titles
Year
Team
Coach
2023
Arkansas
Chris Bucknam (men)
Lance Harter (women)
2016
Oregon
Robert Johnson
2014
Oregon
Robert Johnson
2008
Arizona State
Greg Kraft
2004
LSU
Pat Henry
A multi-generation winner
Pat Henry’s coaching career spanned multiple generations where he competed against all-time coaching legends across eras.
Henry went head-to-head with the John McDonnell dynasties at Arkansas during the 1990s and early 2000s, kicking off the decade with a men’s outdoor win over the Razorbacks in 1990 as LSU went back-to-back.
He added another title in 2002 amidst Arkansas’ reign as LSU won the men’s outdoor title on its home track. The outdoor win ended an 18-year drought of men’s outdoor teams winning on their home track.
Men’s outdoor teams to win title on home track
Team
Titles Won
Oregon
2015, 2014, 1984, 1964, 1962
LSU
2002
Southern California
1955, 1949, 1939
Minnesota
1948
After John McDonnell retired in 2008, Pat Henry began a new dynasty of his own, this time in a new location.
Henry left LSU to become the head coach Texas A&M in the 2004-05 academic year as the head coach. Henry needed just one full recruiting class to develop before finding success with the Aggies, breaking through as a national champion in his fourth year in College Station.
That would kickoff a run at a historic level never seen in NCAA outdoor track and field history. Henry led Texas A&M to an outdoor three-peat from 2009-11, not just on the men’s side, but also on the women’s side.
No program has ever dominated the outdoor seasons like Pat Henry-led teams in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The only program to come close to Texas A&M during that stretch was LSU in 1989 and 1990, which was led by none other than Pat Henry.
Teams to sweep men’s and women’s outdoor titles
Year
Team
Coach
2022
Florida
Mike Holloway
2015
Oregon
Robert Johnson
2011
Texas A&M
Pat Henry
2010
Texas A&M
Pat Henry
2009
Texas A&M
Pat Henry
1990
LSU
Pat Henry
1989
LSU
Pat Henry
When another all-time coach emerged in the SEC, this time at Florida with Mike Holloway, Henry continued to win. Henry and Holloway tied for the 2013 DI men’s outdoor title. Henry won the 2014 women’s DI outdoor title. He won 2017 DI men’s indoor title in College Station. Then of course, there’s 2025’s DI men’s outdoor title that was the final of his storied career.
Since 2014, Henry also won two SEC men’s outdoor titles and two SEC men’s indoor titles.
In total, Henry finished his career with 22 SEC track and field championships and 14 Big 12 track and field championships for a total of 36 conference titles.
SEC titles won by Pat Henry
SEC Title
Years Won
Men’s indoor track and field
Texas A&M — 2025
LSU — 1988, 1990
Women’s indoor track and field
Texas A&M — N/A
LSU — 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999
Men’s outdoor track and field
Texas A&M — 2017, 2014,
LSU — 1988, 1989, 1990
Women’s outdoor track and field
Texas A&M — 2013
LSU — 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996
Big 12 titles won by Pat Henry at Texas A&M
Big 12 Title
Years Won
Men’s indoor track and field
2011, 2012
Women’s indoor track and field
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Men’s outdoor track and field
2011, 2012
Women’s outdoor track and field
2007, 2008, 2008, 2010, 2011
Leader of Individual Success
Henry’s athletes have found individual success to the tune of 173 national titles while also finding success beyond the walls of Texas A&M and LSU. Henry coached 90 Olympians, 10 of which won Olympic gold medals — the highest honor one can win in the sport.
While The Bowerman has only been around since 2009, Henry led Texas A&M to the second-most Bowerman winners of any program. Thanks to Jessica Beard (2009), Deon Lendore (2014) and Athing Mu (2021), Henry is tied with Florida’s Mike Holloway and Oregon’s Robert Johnson among coaches with the most Bowerman winners.
The winningest coach in NCAA history
A great career places Pat Henry as one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history across all sports. He’s the first coach in NCAA history with double-digit national titles at two separate schools in any sport, thanks to 10 titles at Texas A&M and 27 titles at LSU.
See a complete look at the winningest coaches in NCAA track and field history below.
Winningest coaches in NCAA track and field history
Winningest track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (SChool)
37
Pat Henry (Texas A&M: 10, LSU: 27)
29
John McDonnell (Arkansas)
14
Mike Holloway (Florida)
12
Robert Johnson (Oregon)
11
Ted Banks (UTEP)
11
Dean Cromwell (Southern California)
7
Vern Wolfe (Southern California)
7
Jess Mortensen (Southern California)
7
Bev Kearney (Texas: 6, Florida: 1)
6
Lance Harter (Arkansas)
5
Vin Lananna (Oregon: 4, Stanford 1)
5
Jim Bush (UCLA)
5
Caryl Smith Gilbert (Georgia: 3, Southern California: 2)
4
William Bowerman (Oregon), Terry Crawford (Texas),
Greg Kraft (Arizona State), Bob Timmons (Kansas)
3
Jeanette Bolden (UCLA),
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Jim Elliott (Villanova),
Leo Johnson (Illinois),
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Ted McLaughlin (SMU)
2
Wes Kittley (Texas Tech), Scott Chisam (UCLA), R.L. Templeton (Stanford),
Quincy Watts (Southern California), Petros Kyprianou (Georgia),
John Wedel (UTEP), Jess Hill (Southern California), J.J. Clark (Tennessee),
Gary Winckler (Florida State), Gary Pepin (Nebraska), Edrick Floréal (Texas),
Doug Case (Arkansas), Dennis Shaver (LSU), Chris Johnson (Arkansas),
Chris Bucknam (Arkansas), Bob Larsen (UCLA),
Bob Braman (Florida State), Bill Webb (Tennessee), Bill Easton (Kansas),
1
29 coaches
Winningest men’s track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (SChool)
29
John McDonnell (Arkansas)
12
Mike Holloway (Florida)
11
Dean Cromwell (Southern California)
11
Pat Henry (Texas A&M: 6, LSU: 5)
11
Ted Banks (UTEP)
11
Jess Mortensen (Southern California)
7
Vern Wolfe (Southern California)
6
Robert Johnson (Oregon)
5
Jim Bush (UCLA)
4
William Bowerman (Oregon)
4
Bob Timmons (Kansas)
3
Jim Elliott (Villanova)
3
Leo Johnson (Illinois)
3
Ted McLaughlin (SMU)
2
Wes Kittley (Texas A&M), Quincy Watts (Southern California), Vin Lananna (Oregon: 1, Stanford: 1),
R.L. Templeton (Stanford), John Wedel (UTEP), Jess Hill (Southern California),
Doug Case (Arkansas), Chris Bucknam (Arkansas), Bob Larsen (UCLA),
Bob Braman (Florida State), Bill Webb (Tennessee), Bill Easton (Kansas)
1
25 coaches
Winningest women’s track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (SChool)
26
Pat Henry (Texas A&M: 4, LSU: 22)
7
Bev Kearney (Texas: 6, Florida: 1)
6
Robert Johnson (Oregon)
6
Lance Harter (Arkansas)
5
Caryl Smith Gilbert (Georgia: 3, Southern California: 2)
4
Terry Crawford (Texas)
3
Greg Kraft (Arizona State)
3
Jeanette Bolden (UCLA)
3
Vin Lananna (Oregon)
2
Chris Johnson (Arkansas), Gary Pepin (Nebraska), Gary Winckler (Florida State),
J.J. Clark (Tennessee), Mike Holloway (Florida), Scott Chisam (UCLA)
1
11 coaches
Winningest coaches in outdoor track and field history
Winningest outdoor track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (School)
24
Pat Henry (Texas A&M: 9, LSU: 15)
11
Dean Cromwell (Southern California)
10
John McDonnell (Arkansas)
8
Mike Holloway (Florida)
7
Jess Mortensen (Southern California)
5
Vern Wolfe (Southern California)
5
Ted Banks (UTEP)
5
Jim Bush (UCLA)
4
William Bowerman (Oregon)
4
Robert Johnson (Oregon)
4
Caryl Smith Gilbert (Georgia: 2, Southern California: 2)
3
Leo Johnson (Illinois)
3
Bev Kearney (Texas)
2
Bill Easton (Kansas), Bob Braman (Florida State), Bob Larsen (UCLA),
Dennis Shaver (LSU), Jess Hill (Southern California), Lance Harter (Arkansas),
R.L. Templeton (Stanford), Scott Chisam (UCLA), Ted McLaughlin (SMU)
1
36 coaches
Winningest men’s outdoor track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (School)
11
Dean Cromwell (Southern California)
10
John McDonnell (Arkansas)
8
Pat Henry (Texas A&M: 5, LSU: 3)
7
Mike Holloway (Florida)
7
Jess Mortensen (Southern California)
5
Jim Bush (UCLA)
5
Ted Banks (UTEP)
5
Vern Wolfe (Southern California)
4
William Bowerman (Oregon)
3
Leo Johnson (Illinois)
2
Bill Easton (Kansas), Bob Braman (Florida State), Bob Larsen (UCLA),
Jess Hill (Southern California), R.L. Templeton (Stanford),
Robert Johnson (Oregon), Ted McLauglin (SMU)
1
Bernie Moore (LSU), Bill Dellinger (Oregon), Bill Webb (Tennessee),
Billy Hayes (Indiana), Bob Timmons (Kansas), Bud Winter (San Jose State),
Clarence Robison (BYU), Dennis Shaver (LSU), Doug Brown (Tennessee),
Doug Case (Arkansas), E.J. Thornson (Navy), Elvin Drake (UCLA),
Frank Castleman (Ohio State), Harry Gill (Illinois), James Elliot (Villanova),
James Kelly (Minnesota), John Wedel (UTEP), Petros Kyprianou (Georgia),
Quincy Watts (Southern California), Senon Castillo (Arizona State),
Stan Huntsman (Tennessee), Stephen Farrell (Michigan),
Vin Lananna (Stanford), Walter Christie (California), Wes Kittley (Texas Tech)
Winningest women’s outdoor track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (School)
16
Pat Henry (Texas A&M: 4, LSU: 12)
4
Caryl Smith Gilbert (Georgia: 5, Southern California: 2)
3
Bev Kearney (Texas)
2
Robert Johnson (Oregon), Lance Harter (Arkansas), Scott Chisam (UCLA)
1
Chris Johnson (Arkansas), Curtis Frye (South Carolina), Dennis Shaver (LSU),
Edrick Floréal (Texas), Gary Winckler (Florida State), Greg Kraft (Arizona State),
Jeanette Bolden (UCLA), Mike Holloway (Florida), Ralph Spry (Auburn),
Ron Allice (Southern California), Sam Seemes (LSU), Stanley Redwine (Kansas),
Terry Crawford (Texas), Tom Heinonen (Oregon)
Winningest coaches in indoor track and field history
Winningest indoor track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (School)
19
John McDonnell (Arkansas)
13
Pat Henry (LSU: 12, Texas A&M: 1)
8
Robert Johnson (Oregon)
6
Ted Banks (UTEP)
6
Mike Holloway (Florida)
4
Vin Lananna (Oregon)
4
Lance Harter (Arkansas)
4
Bev Kearney (Texas: 3, Florida: 1)
3
Terry Crawford (Texas)
3
Jim Elliott (Villanova)
3
Greg Kraft (Arizona State)
3
Bob Timmons (Kansas)
2
Chris Bucknam (Arkansas), Gary Pepin (Nebraska), J.J. Clark (Tennessee),
Jeanette Bolden (UCLA), Vern Wolfe (Southern California)
1
18 coaches
Winningest men’s indoor track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (School)
19
John McDonnell (Arkansas)
6
Ted Banks (UTEP)
5
Mike Holloway (Florida)
4
Robert Johnson (Oregon)
3
Pat Henry (LSU: 2, Texas A&M: 1)
3
Jim Elliott (Villanova)
3
Bob Timmons (Kansas)
2
Vern Wolfe (Southern California), Chris Bucknam (Arkansas)
1
Bill Webb (Tennessee), Doug Case (Arkansas), Ed Nuttycombe (Wisconsin),
Edrick Floréal (Texas), Fred Dwyer (Manhattan), Greg Kraft (Arizona State),
John Chaplin (Washington State), John Cook (George Mason), John Wedel (UTEP),
Quincy Watts (Southern California), Ted McLaughlin (SMU),
Tom Botts (Missouri), Vin Lananna (Oregon), Wes Kittley (Texas Tech)
Winningest women’s indoor track and field coaches
No. of Titles
Coach (School)
10
Pat Henry (LSU)
4
Lance Harter (Arkansas)
4
Robert Johnson (Oregon)
4
Bev Kearney (Texas: 3, Florida: 1)
3
Viv Lananna (Oregon)
3
Terry Crawford (Texas)
2
Gary Pepin (Nebraska), Greg Kraft (Arizona State),
J.J. Clark (Tennessee), Jeanette Bolden (2)
1
Billy Maxwell (LSU), Caryl Smith Gilbert (Georgia), Chris Johnson (Arkansas),
Gary Winckler (Florida State), Jerry Schumacher (Oregon),
Mike Holloway (Florida), Petros Kyprianou (Georgia)