Smith Adds Seasoned Division I Coaches to Complete Staff
7/24/2026 9:31:00 AM | Track & Field
Abilene Christian head track and field coach Miles Smith has added two assistant coaches for the 2026-27 seasons, creating one of the Wildcats' most experienced staffs at recent memory.
D'Nara Jones, who specializes with jumps and multis, and distance coach Wayne Angel each bring decades of coaching experience to join returning throws coach Nathan Ott as ACU moves into the rebranded United Athletic Conference.
D'Nara Jones
Jones comes to ACU after coaching at four NCAA Division I universities – the Billikens of Saint Louis University, Loyola of Chicago, Illinois State and most recently, at New Mexico. At each stop, she coached jumps, with some work with multi-event athletes and sprinters included.
Jones spent the past year and a half at D1 Training in Frisco where she was a sports performance/strength and conditioning coach, working primarily with jumps and sprints.
Jones is originally from Tacoma, Wash., and competed collegiately at Clackamas Community College and Portland State before finishing her collegiate career at the University of Alabama. She received her bachelor's degree in human environmental sciences from Alabama and her master's in leadership & organizational behavioral sciences from Saint Louis.
Wayne Angel
Angel has enjoyed a long and decorated career at the NCAA Division I level. For the past 13 years he has served as the head track and field and cross country coach at Tennessee Tech (2014-19),and Northern Colorado (2019-26). He was also the head coach for men's track and field and cross country at Florida A&M form 2010-14.
Prior to his years as head coach of both track and cross country, Angel also served stints as the head cross country coach at UT-Martin, Iowa, Wichita State, and his alma mater, llinois. During his coaching career he has coached three Olympians and 21 NCAA Division I All-Americans.
Originally from Rantoul, Ill., Angel competed for the Illinois Fighting Illini, where he was a two-time Big 10 champion and school record holder in the 400 hurdles and also earned his bachelor's degree. He competed in U.S. Olympic Trials in 1980 and 1984. Upon his graduation from Illinois, he joined he U.S. Army, where he won three gold medals at the World Military Games and was 7-time U.S. Inter-Service champion. Angel still holds the Armed Forces record in the 400 hurdles. During his service years, he received the Distinguished Honor Graduate Award from the U.S. Army's Air Assault School and received his Army Ranger tab and Airborne wings.
D'Nara Jones, who specializes with jumps and multis, and distance coach Wayne Angel each bring decades of coaching experience to join returning throws coach Nathan Ott as ACU moves into the rebranded United Athletic Conference.
D'Nara Jones
Jones comes to ACU after coaching at four NCAA Division I universities – the Billikens of Saint Louis University, Loyola of Chicago, Illinois State and most recently, at New Mexico. At each stop, she coached jumps, with some work with multi-event athletes and sprinters included.
Jones spent the past year and a half at D1 Training in Frisco where she was a sports performance/strength and conditioning coach, working primarily with jumps and sprints.
Jones is originally from Tacoma, Wash., and competed collegiately at Clackamas Community College and Portland State before finishing her collegiate career at the University of Alabama. She received her bachelor's degree in human environmental sciences from Alabama and her master's in leadership & organizational behavioral sciences from Saint Louis.
Wayne Angel
Angel has enjoyed a long and decorated career at the NCAA Division I level. For the past 13 years he has served as the head track and field and cross country coach at Tennessee Tech (2014-19),and Northern Colorado (2019-26). He was also the head coach for men's track and field and cross country at Florida A&M form 2010-14.
Prior to his years as head coach of both track and cross country, Angel also served stints as the head cross country coach at UT-Martin, Iowa, Wichita State, and his alma mater, llinois. During his coaching career he has coached three Olympians and 21 NCAA Division I All-Americans.
Originally from Rantoul, Ill., Angel competed for the Illinois Fighting Illini, where he was a two-time Big 10 champion and school record holder in the 400 hurdles and also earned his bachelor's degree. He competed in U.S. Olympic Trials in 1980 and 1984. Upon his graduation from Illinois, he joined he U.S. Army, where he won three gold medals at the World Military Games and was 7-time U.S. Inter-Service champion. Angel still holds the Armed Forces record in the 400 hurdles. During his service years, he received the Distinguished Honor Graduate Award from the U.S. Army's Air Assault School and received his Army Ranger tab and Airborne wings.
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