TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Reactions have been pouring in from every stretch of the country today to mourn the loss of legendary Indiana State track & field and cross country head coach John McNichols, who passed away this morning at the age of 66 due to complications from a stroke.
 
Below are statements from members of the Indiana State administration and coaching staffs, former student-athletes and coaches, as well as coaches from around the country who worked alongside Coach McNichols these last 34 years. At the bottom is a collection of all social media tributes for Coach McNichols.
 
This story and the social media collection will be updated as more tributes and statements come in.

MEDIA TRIBUTES

Tribune-Star ("McNichols was our pillar, our rock, our legend," by Todd Golden)
Tribune-Star ("ISU's McNichols dies from complications of stroke," by Craig Pearson)
Tribune-Star ("Remembering John McNichols," by Tom Reck)
Tribune-Star ("McNichols' life, values and legacy celebrated," by Howard Greninger)
Tribune-Star Obituary
Indianapolis Star ("Indiana State coach taught athletes much more than just track," by David Woods)
WTWO ("Coach Gartland on passing of longtime friend, colleague Coach McNichols," by Brett Edwards)
WTWO ("The Impact of Coach McNichols," by Brett Edwards)
WTWO ("Among the Legends: Remembering John McNichols," by Sadie All)
WTHI ("Indiana State remembers John McNichols," by Casey Miller)
MileSplit Illinois ("Tony's Take: Coach McNichols had right temperament for all," by Tony Jones)
TrackTown USA ("A tribute to John McNichols," by Curtis Anderson)

IN THE HAUTE, 1130 THE FAN - THURS., DEC. 22, 2016



INDIANA STATE ADMINISTRATION
 
Dr. Dan Bradley – University President
"John McNichols truly epitomized the spirit and values of Indiana State University. He strived for excellence and worked hard to help his student-athletes succeed in all aspects of their lives. He was a man who treated his responsibility to family and community as critically important parts of his being. Without him the community would not have a developed set of trails in the Wabashiki and ISU would not have the Gibson Track and Field Complex. I will miss him as a friend and colleague. I would like to send heartfelt condolences from Cheri and myself to Linda, his family and his friends."
 
Sherard Clinkscales – Director of Athletics
"Our hearts are broken today. It's hard to put into words how much Coach McNichols meant to this University and this community, not to mention on a personal level as a friend of all of us here and as a devoted mentor to our student-athletes. Coach McNichols was a truly great man, and we are all going to miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with Linda and the McNichols family."
 
Angie Lansing – Senior Associate AD, Senior Woman Associate
"I'm incredibly saddened both personally and professionally. Coach McNichols meant so much to me and so many others at Indiana State, the Terre Haute community and to the sports of cross country and track and field. He was highly respected around the nation, and this news hits us all very hard. We have lost a great man who has been a friend and a mentor to many. We will do our best to pick things up where he left them. We are here for his immediate family, as well as his cross country and track and field family."

John Sherman - Senior Assistant AD
"John McNichols is and always will be Indiana State in my mind. John's knowledge of this place and this community was unbelievable, and he loved to pass that along to anyone who would listen. He was old school, which I loved. He let you speak your mind, didn't always agree, but in the end if it was about the kids, he was all for it.  I'll miss our conversations about all sports, not just track or cross country, politics, history and I'll miss those bus rides with him to and from conference championship meets, having that clipboard and already having scored the meet.

He loved his kids and fought for them every day, always wanting them to have the best and getting them to be the best. If John needed help and asked those former athletes, it always amazed me how many came back to help. It didn't matter with time, with weather, or anything else: they came back because Coach wanted them. His vision for the cross country course and getting the National Championship to come to Terre Haute, that doesn't happen without his passion and leadership. He and John Gartland were part of recruiting my wife to Indiana State, and he would joke about recruiting our son. They are part of our family in so many ways. Our heart goes out to Linda, Matt, Rachael, Janie and all the grandkids. Thank you for sharing John with us. Everyone one of us is a better person for being touched by him."
 
Joel McMullen – Assistant AD, Compliance
"For me, Coach McNichols defined success. Championships and accolades aside, Coach McNichols believed that the most important thing in life are the relationships you build during your lifetime and the impact you have upon other people's lives. Coach McNichols' life epitomized that and I'm proud to have called him a friend and colleague since 2007. He meant a lot to me and my family from the time we arrived in Terre Haute and I will forever be in his debt. His friendship, mentorship and strength of character and toughness will stay with me forever. Indiana State has lost a true icon. Rest in peace, John."

Ace Hunt - Director of Media Relations
"I remember meeting with him on my job interview in late 2000, and he was showing me these plans that had basically come to fruition by the time I got here. He was telling me about his dream of turning a landfill in eastern Vigo County into a world-class cross country course, and boy he had me believing by the end of my interview. And now 15 years later we've hosted 12 of those NCAA Championships. People don't realize what an accomplishment that was. Most people in cross country think they have to build those things around a state park or around a golf course, and he had the vision to do it out of a landfill on Max Gibson's land. It's just amazing the foresight he had into things like that."

INDIANA STATE TRACK & FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY COACHES
 
John Gartland – Former Head Women's Track/Cross Country Head Coach
"John and I started working together at Indiana State in 1988. He had been the head men's coach since 1983. Our goal was to combine the programs to use our coaching resources and strengths in a more efficient way. When we started working together, I realized right away what a good coach he was, but what I didn't realize right away was what a good human being he was. He was tough but always fair to the athletes. He was totally dedicated to his family, even with the stress and time constraints of coaching. He took great pride in attending his children's activities – and later his grandchildren's events. He logged a lot of soccer spectating time.
 
"His list of elite athletes coached and developed is phenomenal. He coached All-American athletes in four different decades. He was always an elite coach, even into the latter part of his career. His former athletes took great satisfaction in staying in touch with him, and they took great pride in a program they had been part of."
 
"But I won't remember him for his coaching accolades as much as I will for his friendship. We coached together at Indiana State for 28-and-a-half years. We always joked that this had to be some kind of world record. Our original agreement to always be loyal to each other kept us together for a long time. When I needed back up at meets in contentious situations, he was there. When I became ill several years ago, it was John and Linda who took care of me. When relationships ended or I lost close people, it was John McNichols who was there to help me. When John passed this morning, we lost one of the greatest collegiate coaches in history, but I lost my best friend who was always there for me. He will be missed by so many people."

Erin Gilreath - Assistant Track & Field Coach
"I never competed for Indiana State or under the tutelage of Coach McNichols, so in that respect I am kind of an odd ball on our staff. This also means that I knew Coach for much less time than most people. I first met Coach, and his wife Linda, when I came to Terre Haute to interview for my job in 2011. When I was offered, and accepted, the position he and Linda let me live in their house with them for about a month while I looked for a place of my own. For that month it was like I was part of the family; participating in Sunday gatherings and cookouts, and chatting with Maya and Macy about how to braid hair.

Since then, Coach and I have logged countless miles across the aisle from each other on our team buses, and hours on the track. As a young coach, I am prone to crises of confidence, and he never failed to lift me up and to offer an encouraging word when I needed it. His experience in the position and knowledge of the sport has been the perfect temperance to my youth and inexperience, and I am forever grateful for him taking a chance on me. The hug he gave me as we shared our first Missouri Valley Championship is something that I will never forget.

The love and respect I had for him is proportional to my grief now. Thank you to the McNichols family for sharing Coach with us all. Sitting across the aisle from anybody else on the bus just won't be the same. Rest in peace, Coach."
 
Angela Martin – Head Women's Track & Field Coach
"Indiana State has been so fortunate to have had Coach McNichols for all these years. He was so proud of keeping ISU known throughout the nation. He was a great coach to me and an even greater mentor. He and Coach Gartland took a chance on me more than once and I am so grateful for that. He accepted me as an athlete, a coach and as part of his family. I know so many of his athletes look at him as a second father like I do. He will be missed more than anyone can imagine, and I hope that we can make him proud and continue his tradition of successful track and cross country teams."
 
Jeff Martin – Assistant Track & Field Coach, Former Sycamore hurdler under McNichols
"I am at a complete loss and this is extremely hard to process. Coach McNichols was one of those men who you always wanted and expected to see. He recruited me into the ISU track family when I was 18 years old and I am so grateful that he believed in me. I am a better person because he touched my life along with so many others. His belief in everyone is what really sets him apart. Moving forward I will do my best to continue to build upon the values that he set forth for all his athletes and friends. He will be missed but not forgotten."

Darrow Ramsey - Assistant Track & Field Coach, Former Sycamore sprinter under McNichols
"I was greatly saddened and hurt with the news of Coach McNichols' passing. It was Coach McNichols who gave me a chance to be a part of the college track world when everyone else had given up on me. That truly saved my life. Growing up in the inner city, a person had two choices: go to school or the military. While in school, McNichols was like a dad, always on us about our grades, staying focused; he kept us in line. Due to that tough love I'm a better person. I'm very proud to have been part of his first of many championships (in 1988). I remember that smile he had when we won that title for the first time, he was so proud of us. He will truly be missed but never forgotten."
 
Kyle Walsh – Women's Cross Country Head Coach/Assistant Track Coach, Former Sycamore distance runner under McNichols
"I, along with Indiana State, Terre Haute and the world of track & field and cross country are devastated and deeply shaken with the news of Coach McNichols' passing. Coach McNichols was my second father and one of the largest mentors to me and hundreds of other men and women throughout his lifetime. His passion, dedication and loyalty are unmatched, and it's been an honor to compete for him and work beside him. I'm very grateful to have known Coach so closely."

OTHER INDIANA STATE HEAD COACHES
 
Shane Bouman – Softball Head Coach
"Coach was the ultimate Sycamore. He has set the standard of greatness in all areas of life at Indiana State, and he's going to be greatly missed."
 
Greg Lansing – Men's Basketball Head Coach
"I've never met a better man, or coach.  He was a mentor, a dear friend and he helped me in more ways than I could put into words. He touched the lives of every athlete he coached, every coach he worked with and set standards of greatness for his programs. The outpouring of support from so many that knew him shows the magnitude of a life well-lived. Our hearts go out to his lovely wife, Linda, and their family. Thank you Coach, you will be greatly missed."
 
Matt Leach – Women's Swimming & Diving Head Coach
"In the short time I that I spent with Coach McNichols he was always so upbeat and positive. His positivity and commitment to his family and team was something that we can all strive for. Our condolences go out to his family and all the great people that he helped mentor."
 
Greg Towne – Women's Golf Head Coach
"He gave moments to me that I cherish. Sometimes it was wisdom and coaching and sometimes it was politics. I felt a genuine presence when talking with him that is extremely rare. I was honored to be worthy of his time and he always made me feel proud to be a coach and to have the opportunity to serve the athletes and Indiana State."

Joey Wells - Women's Basketball Head Coach
"The word that comes to mind with me is passion. Not just for him and his sports and his athletes; he knew what was going on with everybody. When you catch him in the halls he knew whether your team had won or lost and who your next team is, and it wasn't just me, it was any sport that was involved in their season at Indiana State. Just the pride that he had not only for himself and the program that he built, but the pride in Indiana State for everybody to be successful. As coaches we talk about 'team players,' and he was the ultimate team player on top of the ultimate coach and he cared so much about his players."

TERRE HAUTE COMMUNITY

Greg Gibson - Terre Haute Businessman
"I met John over 30 years ago when I was a student at Rose-Hulman, competing in cross country and track and field. It was easy to tell that John was a great coach right from the start. He had an immediate impact on the program at Indiana State University.
 
John and I became good friends and, in 1995, I told him that my family was interested in building a cross country course in our community. He took that idea and built the best course in the United States. He was tireless in his efforts to improve and enhance the facility. Without Coach McNichols, our community would not have hosted 12 national championships and become Cross Country Town, USA.
 
John was an excellent coach, a leader, and a mentor to many athletes, but he was also dedicated to making our community a better place to live. He loved Terre Haute and, although he surely had opportunities, never wanted to leave. His dream to develop the riverfront led to the construction of a fantastic track and field stadium near the Wabash River. John wasn't afraid to dream big and all of us are better off because of his dreams.
 
He was a special friend to my family and I'll think of him every time I visit the Course or the Track. I'm heartbroken for Linda and his family, but I'm also sad for the community as a whole. We've lost a great man and we'll all miss him."

Dave Patterson - Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau
"I am deeply saddened by the loss of Coach John McNichols. My deepest sympathies are with his wonderful family. John enhanced so many lives through his passion for running both on and off the trail, track or course. This passion and leadership gave athletes coaches and visitors a great feeling about our community. This is a terrible loss for his family, friends, and Vigo County. We are all going to miss you, John."
 
FORMER STUDENT-ATHLETES AND COACHES

Anthony Bertoli - Former Sycamore, Current UNI Assistant Track & Field Coach
"The loss of Coach McNichols is one that will be felt throughout the track and field world. His pursuit of bettering the sport was relentless and always with the student-athlete in mind. Never once while competing for, working under, or coaching against Coach McNichols did I think that he was out for personal gain. It was always about providing a positive and fair environment for young men and women to compete. He was one of the good guys. 
 
Personally, I would not be where I am now if Coach McNichols hadn't given me countless opportunities and support as a student-athlete, a coach, and a person. He was instrumental in my education on and off the track and is one of the few people who have truly shaped me into who I am now.  
 
Although he is in a better place now, his influence will be felt for years to come through the countless collegiate and high school coaches that have come up under his tutelage. 
 
He will truly be missed by all who knew him."
 
Jordan Fife - All-American Sycamore and current Missouri State Cross Country Coach
"Coach McNichols was all-in, all the time. His passion and vision for the sports of track & field and cross country were always evident to those who knew him. The positive influence that Coach McNichols brought to the lives of people around him, both his athletes and peers, was literally life changing. His guidance and support helped mold me into the person I am today. I will be forever grateful to him for that. Sycamore Nation lost its leader, but his legacy will live on."

Kyle Hobbs - Former Academic All-American/Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame
"After spending the last day collecting my thoughts on the passing of the greatest and most decorated coach in Indiana State University history, I came to the conclusion that words cannot express how much this man meant to me. Coach was the kindest man I have ever known. He has been the most influential father figure in my life. Coach taught me much more than how to run fast and compete as a top athlete. He taught me how to live life and treat people with the utmost resect. Coach brought out the best of me on and off the track and I would like to think I brought out the best in him as my coach. He will be missed by many but will always be in our thoughts. Godspeed, my friend. You will always be my coach."

Keith Hopkins - Former Assistant Track & Field Coach
"I can remember being very eager to find a place to coach collegiate track and field as I completed my first master's degree and assistantship in Kansas. I spent months sending letters and emails to coaches and after almost 100 letters I started to wonder if this was the right career move for me. As a collegiate student-athlete who competed against Indiana State every year in the Gene Edmonds cup meet, I knew a lot about Indiana State and their hurdle program led by Coach McNichols. I reached out to Coach and he was the one and only person to respond right away and with great excitement. He didn't just send a cookie-cutter response, he actually remembered me as a student-athlete, invited me in to meet with him, and offered me an opportunity to be a volunteer assistant in his program. I was absolutely elated. I spent three years assisting Coach with the hurdles and eventually having a hand in training almost all the student-athletes. Coach told me one day in a meeting with him, "I know you're only a volunteer so there are limits to what I can do for you, but I want to give you the fullest coaching experience I can while you are here." He was always true to his word. He gave me more and more responsibility and I eventually ended up on staff and I must say if not for him, I'm not sure I would still be in this profession. I can remember talking to him on bus rides and food stops, watching his extreme excitement during the shuttle hurdle event at the Drake Relays, sharing a room with him in Eugene, and listening to him and Coach Gartland go back and forth (as true best friends should) was hilarious. I am very sad to have lost someone who was a father figure for me. I only hope to someday positively affect as many people as he has."

Kylie Hutson - Four-time NCAA Champion Pole Vaulter (via David Woods and the Indianapolis Star)
On recalling a Lake Tahoe trip on her first trip to nationals in Sacramento
"I will always remember the joy he had in educating me on the history of the area. It was my first time out to California, and he really made me appreciate the beauty that is this world. We stopped to explore and enjoy a lake and the surrounding mountains. We were freezing because we decided to go straight from the track and we weren't dressed for the 20-degree temperature change! I will always be thankful for that moment because it wasn't about track or pole vault. It was a lesson in appreciating your surroundings. Coach McNichols will be sorely missed, but will be looking down upon all of us lighting our way."

Holli Hyche - Seven-time NCAA Champion Sprinter, 10-time All-American (via David Woods and the Indianapolis Star)
"I love Coach McNichols. He was a great man as well as a great coach. I'm just in shock and hurt right now."

Dr. Larry Judge - ISU Shot Put Record Holder, Former ISU Coach, USATF National Chairman of Coaches Education
"Visionary—that one word serves to encapsulate the life and career of Coach John McNichols, who was a legendary coach and national track and field icon that put Indiana State University on the Cross Country and national Track and Field map. I first met Coach McNichols in 1984 as a sophomore on the team when he was first hired. Right away, he brought a new excitement, energy and work ethic to the program. Being a member of the ISU track and field team as an athlete, and later an assistant coach, taught me countless significant life lessons that have impacted me both personally and professionally. In short, he had a profound impact on my life. He was my coach, mentor, boss, colleague and friend. Coach McNichols taught us to dream big, work hard, and always believe in yourself. Our goal was to be the best track and field program in the state of Indiana, win the Missouri Valley Conference, and be one of the top programs in the nation. Coach McNichols was a builder. His accomplishments go far beyond all of the championship trophies. Take a quick look around campus, and you will see cross country and track and field facilities that are second to none. Coach remained loyal to the university and continued to persevere to fulfill his vision in creating a top-notch program.
 
Coach McNichols was a leader on and off the track. He taught us to never settle for second best and always have great hope, in addition to a philosophy to not ever stop fighting. Coach McNichols embodied these philosophies and often gave student-athletes a second chance or fresh start, as he had a keen eye for seeing and understanding the good and the vast potential in each individual. Coach McNichols always gave you purpose and pride—he told you and taught you what hard work was about. Furthermore, Coach McNichols taught his athletes and colleagues these lessons through his own examples. His actions enabled you to understand and embody the cause for the greater good and fulfillment of your own personal potential and visions and his own for the team. He felt that we were all absolutely equal in having the opportunity to make the most of what talent we had. Coach McNichols' impact did not cease once you stopped being a student-athlete or a coach in the program. He continued to mentor, teach, coach, advise, and assist his athletes and colleagues long after their time at ISU had ended. He was a life-long coach who never stopped being my mentor and my friend. Coach McNichols will undoubtedly be missed by all of the countless lives that he touched, including my own."

Mark King - Former Student-Athlete/Coach, Father of IU Olympian Lilly King
"I was in Coach McNichols' first recruiting class back in 1984. I was never his star pupil. Like many boys at that age, I could be difficult and even defiant. Coach showed a lot of patience with me, even though I often didn't deserve it.
 
After graduation, he invited me back to serve as a graduate assistant. I was responsible for coaching an extremely talented and valuable part of his team. If this group performed poorly, it would have reflected on him, not his graduate assistant. Despite this, he gave me complete autonomy over this group. He never looked over my shoulder, and he never second-guessed the methods that I used. I learned a lot about working with kids who were not much younger than me, who competed in different events that I competed in, and came from a variety of backgrounds. I probably learned more in those two years with Coach McNichols and Coach Gartland than I learned in my whole life. He treated me like an equal, and I always appreciated that.
 
My thoughts tonight are with the entire Sycamore family – all of the athletes and coaches who followed that first class back in '84. To Linda, Janie, Rachael, and Matt, we all thank you for sharing your husband and father with us. We are all better people for knowing John."

Steve Smith - Three-time NCAA Runner-Up High Jumper (via David Woods and the Indianapolis Star)
"We had a shining example of what true manhood was. Sure, he was a great coach, and everyone knew that. But to know him outside of track and field, to be exposed to such a high-character man day-in and day-out was truly a blessing."

Konstantinos Tzirtziris - Former All-MVC Sycamore
"My sincere condolences for Coach McNichols. We didn't always agree, but that's the magic with him, that there was always a way. I never got to tell him how much I appreciated him and how much I appreciated his dedication. He was a stubborn, hard as nails, committed-to-a-cause son of a gun. He may be resting now, but his work is everlasting. Some of us became better runners with him, but all of us became tougher runners and stronger people."

Geoff Wayton - Former All-MVC Sycamore, Member of MVC All-Centennial Cross Country Team, Former ISU Assistant Coach, Current Head Coach at Rose-Hulman
"Our family has had the wind knocked out of us by the passing of my former coach, John McNichols. Coach certainly was a pillar of many communities -- but more importantly: he was a beacon for many of us. When tragedy would invariably strike -- many of us turned to Coach for answers and his steady calm was always reassuring. John's passing cuts so very deep for many reasons -- but for many of us -- our beacon is no longer visible, and we're simply lost momentarily for the correct sentiment to express and understand our loss.

I can't separate my life from Coach. I owe my start in coaching to John McNichols. I met my wife, Jessica, through our shared experience in Sycamore Track and Field. Nearly all of my very best friends are former teammates. Aside from my born family -- what else is there? John McNichols was always my Coach. The best choice I ever made as a young person was to attend Indiana State University to be coached by John McNichols. He was the best educator I ever had.

I chose to run for John McNichols for a very simple reason: on my visit in April of 1995, Coach explained that my brother and I would make a difference -- an impact. As young men, we were a little rough. We needed purpose. Eighteen months after that visit, Indiana State University had won its first Missouri Valley Championship in Cross Country in Cedar Falls, Iowa. On that same visit we visited a reclamation site that would slowly become the world's finest cross country course. Every young person needs to feel special -- that was one of the very best talents of John McNichols.

There are very few track coaches who have made impacts on their respective communities in the ways John McNichols has. There is Bill Bowerman and Vin Lananna at the University of Oregon. There is John McDonnel at the University of Arkansas. And there is our John McNichols at Indiana State University. Let that soak in for a moment.

I believe that one of the main motivators for Coach to make such a difference in Terre Haute was that he simply wanted a better community for his children and grandchildren. I also believed that Coach wanted Terre Haute to be a place where his athletes would put down roots.

I served as an assistant to John McNichols for eight years. One of Coach's incredible talents was his ability to identify and size-up potential in all of us, followed by an astute talent to correctly place us in a position where we could best make a difference.

If track coaches could select their event group each season -- the area of short sprints would likely be picked last every year. The athletes can often be described as high maintenance, and the shelf life of short sprint coaches is brief.  Coach believed in my ability to teach this group effectively.  It was the greatest compliment in my career as an educator. I loved those athletes, my demeanor fit theirs, we had fun, and we had success. What a genius John McNichols was to place a former distance runner in that position. Coach pushed hard for me to serve as the Meet Director for the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. Coach told me repeatedly that he believed in my ability to identify changes that matter to the athletes. I directed the Championships from 2008-2011, and was supported unconditionally by Coach through many difficult decisions. 

Coach McNichols valued toughness over all other character traits. Toughness was showing up and doing your job in high pressure situations. He loathed grandiosity, he relished moments where his toughest athletes went to the line and simply delivered. If John McNichols called you tough, you had made it, and that designation was more important than any ring, plaque, or banner. 

Our race -- our community's race -- has been called to the line. It is time for all of us to deliver toughness for the athletes of Indiana State University. They are hurting at a time in their lives where they are ill-equipped to process and handle a tragedy of this magnitude. We will be judged for eternity by how we support them in this time of great need. We need to be tough -- we need to simply deliver for them. We can make a difference.

Lastly, I believe in Heaven. A long running joke among John's assistant coaches was his reason for leaving the office early during the warm months: 'I'm going home to mow.'  'Where's Coach?' 'Mowing,' we would say. We all understood 'mowing' as going home to spend time with his family, and would often see him eating with Linda during mowing hours. Coach, please go home and mow now in Heaven. It is up to us to pick up your life's work now. We will try to do so with great toughness, and hopefully -- kindness. None of us will get through this tragedy without help. No one gets anywhere without help. We are so very fortunate to have been helped by you."

Kirk Wrightsman - Former Sycamore Student-Athlete and Assistant Coach
"As the reality of Coach's passing has started to set in, I am flooded, like everyone, with all of the memories of my interactions with Coach. However, there is one that keeps coming back to me that speaks to the genuine man that was John McNichols. It was the yearly trip to Des Moines for the Drake Relays, but the 2001 trip was a special one.  It was so special that the Sunday morning Des Moines Register had the headline, 'Indiana State overcomes hurdles,' and below that a subtitle that went on to say, 'Sycamores overtake what was expected to be Arkansas glory.' With four titles that year at the Drake Relays, it was the most decorated trip ever to the Relays for Sycamore track, but it wasn't the best memory I have of that trip.  It was the day before when after a usual morning run with Coach, he told me to get cleaned up and eat breakfast because he had somewhere he wanted to go.  Along with the team trainer and another coach, we loaded the bus, and he took us on one of his 'history lessons' to his childhood home of St. Charles, Iowa. This was where he grew up until his family moved to Bloomington, where he finished school. We spent that morning driving all over the countryside looking at where so-and-so lived and where he went to school. We even stopped at a home in the downtown where he remembered a very close friend had lived. Coach wondered if his friend's parents still lived there, so he went to the door to find out. An elderly lady slowly cracked open the door and looked puzzled at first. Then tears came to her eyes when she realized who was standing in front of her. It had probably been nearly 40 years since she had seem him, and he took the time to stop and say hello and see how the family was doing. It was a kind gesture from a kind man. That was John McNichols, a caring, down to earth teacher of life, whose greatest traits were his morality and integrity. There isn't a day of practice or a day in the classroom where I don't share his influences on me with the kids I work with. I am forever grateful for having such an influential person in my life."
 
AROUND THE MISSOURI VALLEY AND THE NATION

Ralph Lindeman - Head Coach, Air Force
"Lost a very dear friend today. A Godly man who loved his family above all, was passionate about our sport and profession and devoted to Indiana State University."
 
Chris Bucknam - Head Coach, Arkansas (formerly of Northern Iowa)
"I am extremely saddened by the passing of John, what a wonderful person and coach. When Northern Iowa joined the Missouri Valley Conference in 1991, he was one of the first coaches to call me and welcome the Panthers into the league. Since then our teams became fierce rivals, and believe me, there was no let up. Whether it was cross country, indoor or outdoor track, you could count on the Sycamores to bring it. They were a reflection of Coach McNichols' competitiveness and coaching philosophy; if they had to show up for a meet, they were going to try and win it. In particular, as we all know, John always had outstanding hurdlers and sprinters, but he was equally, in my opinion, an outstanding distance coach. I dreaded Valley cross country championship meets; his teams were tough, feisty, and won often.  And of course, the LaVern Gibson Cross Country complex speaks of this vision; he was not one dimensional in his coaching. 

What really made an impression on me though, and what I have tried to emulate in my coaching career, is the relationship he had with his staff, and in particular Coach Gartland. In fact, I could never figure out for the longest time who was the head coach for the men, the women, or if there was a director. They treated each other with so much mutual respect, I couldn't tell who was in charge. He never acted like the 'head coach' when I was around him. His team philosophy started with him, and his fellow ISU coaches were his teammates, not subordinates. It was powerful, wonderful to watch, and proved to be extremely effective in winning championships and producing champions. Their student-athletes benefited from this unselfish coaching style in a big way.

Finally, despite our competitive battles on the track, there wasn't a meet he didn't ask about my family, how my kids were doing. We talked about our families a lot, always on his initiative.

I have been blessed to have known John and I am a better person and coach because of him. I send my deepest condolences to Linda and the family. I know I speak for many, many coaches: thank you for sharing him with us."

Joe Rogers - Former Head Coach, Ball State
"I just wanted to add my condolences to the athletic family at Indiana State University. My comments are an echo of the many sentiments already stated, but I feel that I must  add a little something.
 
What a fine man.  I first came to know John well in 1985 just shortly after taking over as head men's track coach at Ball State. We spent many hours working as partners for our sport with USATF, NCAA Coaches Association, and other bodies. He was a dedicated advocate for his athletes, his school, as well as the track and field world. We shared many hours in committee meetings, at track meets, as well as some social events. I will always remember him for his courtesy, compassion, and tireless efforts to improve all that he was involved with. He was a fierce competitor, rival, and friend.
 
He, Ralph Lindeman, and I celebrated our anniversaries as all three of us were married on either the 19^th or 20^th of December in 1970. So many great memories. Rest in peace, old friend. All best wishes to Linda and family."

Matt Roe - Head Coach, Butler
"I have long admired John on both a personal and professional level. I feel fortunate to have worked in close proximity to John this past decade.
 
Professionally speaking, John's knowledge spanning the entire sport was remarkable. In an era of increased specialization, John was a renaissance coach. Equally remarkable to his knowledge base was his unwavering advocacy for the advancement of track & field and cross country. It's hard to grasp the magnitude of his professional impact.
 
On a personal level I admired his conviction, character, and humility. I found John to be a great advocate for the coaching profession. He was a tremendous resource for coaches coming up in the business. I always looked forward to seeing him and talking with him at meets. John was a positive influence and role model in my coaching life. I am forever grateful for the impact he had on me and the sport. Like so many others I will miss him deeply."

Sue Parks – Head Women's Coach, Eastern Michigan
"I knew Coach McNichols well from my 12 years of coaching at Ball State. We had a friendly rivalry with ISU and he was always kind and encouraging to me. I saw him at the recent NCAA meet and he took a few minutes to congratulate me on the success of my team even though he was very busy putting on the meet. That's the kind of person he was. This is a tremendous loss to everyone who knew John and the entire track and field community."
 
Bob Braman – Head Coach, Florida State
"Most people nationwide will first think of cross country nationals when they think of John, but those of us who've been around a few years know him as one of the finest hurdle coaches in the nation. John was an old-school coach who could coach all 19 events, but he truly excelled at developing hurdlers and also sprinters. John is irreplaceable and moving forward is going to be really tough for his Family and also the ISU track family. My heart breaks for their loss."

Todd Lehman - Head Coach, Grand Canyon University (former ISU assistant coach under McNichols)
"I am so very proud to have had the privilege to be mentored by John McNichols and John Gartland. They did so much for me and I've done my very best to continue to pay it forward to my athletes and assistant coaches. I gave him a big hug last week and thanked him again, and I am so glad I was able to do that. I'm crushed by his passing and know that so many others are as well. I will never forget how important both of them are to so many people. I'm so sorry and sad for this loss."

Mike Turk - Head Coach, Illinois
"Very sad today hearing of the passing of Coach John McNichols. What a tremendous leader, mentor, colleague and friend. I am so thankful for the many hours I spent with Coach this summer while in Poland with Team USA. Indiana State University has lost a legendary coach, the sport of track and field has lost a caring ambassador and the world has lost one of its finest people. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who knew him, but especially his family, which I know he loved very much."

Jeff Bovee - Head Coach, Illinois State
"The Valley and the sport of track and field has lost an amazing coach, mentor and friend. John McNichols was a gift to all.

He had a quiet fire burning inside of him that was just under the skin and which ignited his team at every turn. I often enjoyed digging at him so to light him up and get him going on a topic so I could learn more about why he felt a certain way about an issue. He was articulate, he was passionate, he was a pioneer for Indiana State and the Missouri Valley Conference. He always wanted to see good track and field. He said to me at our recent meet at EIU, 'We are going to have a very good meet in January against you guys.' This coming after he saw our freshman hurdler run 8.01. I said to him, 'We have a hurdler that may be able to keep up with yours,' and he said back, 'That is great, that's good for the Missouri Valley."
 
Ron Helmer – Head Coach, Indiana
"The passing of John McNichols will have an impact not only on his family and friends outside of the sport of track and field but will have a far reaching impact on many, many of us in the track and field world. It was obvious he was committed to the sport, to its future health and to the athletes he coached and mentored over the years. He was a modestly successful hurdler on the IU track teams in the late 60's and early 70's but that experience apparently spawned a love for the hurdle events that he parlayed into unprecedented success, coaching numerous high level hurdlers during his career. While he has been a Sycamore for the last 35 years we at IU, where he earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees, will consider him a Hoosier forever. He was an outstanding competitor and the friendly face I always looked forward to seeing whenever we had a chance to compete against one another. I feel deeply for his family during this time as well as the many, many individuals who feel the void with his passing.  He was one of the 'good guys' in the sport and will be missed by us all."

Chuck Koeppen - Head Coach, IUPUI
"I have known John McNichols since way back in the early '70s when I was coaching at Carmel High School and he was coaching at Bloomington North. He always impressed me as not only a very knowledgeable coach, but a wonderful human being. He has accomplished so many outstanding things during his career coaching at Indiana State University. There were many, many conference championships, plus NCAA All-Americans. His  development of the LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course, the site of numerous NCAA National XC Championships, helped to put Terre Haute on the map as "Cross Country Town, USA." What a tremendous legacy! John was someone I always admired and respected. He had more integrity than anyone I have ever met. He is someone we will all miss, but certainly never forget. What a great coach and friend; a true gentleman. God bless his family and friends."

Mike McGuire - Women's Head Coach, Michigan
"I'm so very sorry for our coaching profession's loss. John McNichols was a great coach and a better person. His legacy will endure and our continued competitions in Terre Haute will have meaning beyond a team score at meet's end."
 
Kevin Sullivan – Men's Head Coach, Michigan
"I am extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Coach McNichols. He was truly a visionary in the sports of cross country and track and field. Watching the early development of the Lavern Gibson Cross Country Course from the time I graduated college to its current state that my athletes are able to compete on is a testament to Coach McNichols' vision of what NCAA Cross Country should look like for athletes, coaches, and spectators alike. Never satisfied with the status quo, Coach McNichols has continued to push for continued improvements to both the course and the student-athlete experience whenever the NCAA Championships were being hosted by Indiana State. Coach McNichols brought national recognition to the sport of Cross Country, Indiana State University, and the city of Terre Haute like no one else before him. His passion and dedication to the sport, the student-athletes, and the coaching profession will be sorely missed."

Walt Drenth - Head Coach, Michigan State
"My first thought when reading the release of Coach McNichols' passing was of losing a person of the highest integrity. There are many highly skilled coaches, butthere are few who had the dignity and integrity John possessed and displayed."

Marc Burns - Head Coach, Missouri
"John McNichols will go down in history as one of the great coaches and leaders our sport has ever produced. As a former coach in the Missouri Valley Conference, I know firsthand how tough it is to compete against his teams. They are always ready to go at the championship meets and if you are going to beat them you have to be ready for a dog fight. He has put together fantastic cross country and track & field teams over the years. The championships speak for themselves, but what I will remember Coach McNichols for was his passion for the sport and how much he cared about his staff, student-athletes and fellow coaches. He made this sport better in so many ways and what a fantastic legacy to leave behind in the work he did on the national cross country course and outdoor track complex. I appreciate all he did for me as a coach and understand from the outpouring of support what an amazing impact he made on so many people. Coach you will be missed by many. Thanks for all you did for each of us!"
 
Ron Boyce – Head Coach, Missouri State
"I've known Coach McNichols for 21 years and I've competed against him in the MVC for that same length of time. Coach McNichols never wavered from his thoughts, or intent. He cared tremendously about the well-being and promotion of the MVC, its members, and the sport of track and field. I will miss him."
 
Patty Viverito – Senior Associate Commissioner, Missouri Valley Conference
"John McNichols is the one constant in my 34 years since starting as commissioner of the Gateway Conference, and then the Missouri Valley Conference, in 1982. I can't imagine a league track coaches meeting without the benefit of his extraordinary knowledge and his steady, positive influence on the group. The MVC and I lost a great friend today."

Derrick Docket - Associate Commissioner for New Media & Technology, Missouri Valley Conference
"He had tremendous impact not only on our conference as a whole and the sport, but you can see with the comments coming in from all over the country -- not just our conference but from all over the country -- says a lot about the kind of coach that he was but the kind of man that he was as well."

Jeff Mlynski - Assistant Director, Championships and Alliances, NCAA
"Today my heart is heavy learning of the loss of Coach John McNichols. Often times we remember people for what they were rather than who they were. Yes, John McNichols was a track and field/cross country coach, but he was so much more. He was a humble man of integrity. Anyone who ever had the opportunity to talk with Coach McNichols is a better person because of it. The track and field and cross country world lost one of the finest men to ever grace our sports. We will miss you, Coach McNichols, but your footprints have left a lasting impression forever on our sports. My deepest sympathies and prayers to the entire McNichols family and the Indiana State community."

Connie Price-Smith - Head Coach, Ole Miss (formerly of Southern Illinois), 2016 Rio Team USA Women's Head Coach
"I am truly sorry for the loss to the Indiana State University family, the Terre Haute community and to the McNichols family. Coach McNichols was a good ambassador for the sport and he will certainly be missed. I worked very closely with John during my time at Southern Illinois, and he never failed to impress as someone who was not only an excellent coach, but as someone who also cared so deeply about making this sport and our conference as good as it could possibly be. Everyone is in my thoughts and prayers."

Kelly Sullivan - Head Coach, Oregon State
"From all of us at Oregon State Track and Field, we want to send our thoughts, prayers and condolences to John's family, ISU track and field staff and team, Indiana State athletics and the community of Terre Haute. We have lost a great person, coach, educator and visionary. He will be sorely missed! Blessings to all of you."

Rolando Greene - Head Coach, Purdue
"I was at a loss for words when I heard that John went on home to glory with the Lord. John was one of a kind; he has impacted the lives of so many young men and women. The track & field world lost a great advocate for the sport and for young people. We here at Purdue University send our deepest sympathies and our thoughts and prayer for John's family and the student-athletes at Indiana State University."

Kathleen Raske - Head Coach, Southern Illinois
"John emulated professionalism and integrity in all that he did in serving his team, staff, university, and our track community. He was a leader and mentor to so many, more than he probably ever knew. Aside from all that he accomplished as a coach and contributed to our sport, John was a wonderful person, devoted to his family and friends. He was always there to lend advice and help out in anyway. He was passionate about doing things the right way for the right reasons, especially in our sport. He worked tirelessly to make all of us better at our craft, no matter what it was in track and field. His legacy will remain in all of us, and it will be up to all of us to carry it on and pay it forward. He will be sorely missed in the MVC. It just won't be the same without him."

Don Kopriva - Track & Field News Contributor, NCAA XC Press Conference Moderator
"I was just stunned yesterday morning when (longtime IU public address announcer) Chuck Crabb called to tell me of John McNichols' passing.
 
John was one of the great ones in our sport. If you looked up 'track coach' in a dictionary you wouldn't be surprised to see John's name and picture as the definition. He cared deeply about Indiana State, his athletes and his fellow coaches, but at heart his family was always paramount.
 
In my 50 seasons of covering track and XC, I've met and become friends with many coaches, but John is certainly one I will also remember fondly and I will treasure our 30-plus years of friendship. We always enjoyed the sometimes hair-raising trips in his gator over and around the course during the NCAA meets. I had so much fun with 'the Johns' in the meets at ISU. There will be an empty spot in my heart, and those of his athletes and so many friends and colleagues, at future NCAA XC championships."

Vin Lananna - President, TrackTown USA | Former Oregon Head Coach | 2016 Rio Team USA Men's Head Coach
"John was one of the most respected coaches in the country. He was a good friend, an incredible innovator for our sport, and a class act at all times. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife, Linda, his family, and the Indiana State community.

One of my fondest memories of John was watching him and co-meet director, John Gartland, blowing the standing water off the cross country course the day before the NCAA meet. A lot of people were concerned about the puddles and the muddy conditions on the course, so in John's inimitable style, he rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He never complained, but rather looked for solutions."
 
Sam Seemes – CEO, U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
"We are certainly sad that the coaching community lost Coach McNichols. Our thoughts are with his family and to all of those his life touched. He fulfilled all the roles embodied in a coach – he was a teacher, mentor, and a person who served his institution and community well. Along with giving back to his athletes and the community, he gave back to the sports of track & field and cross country immensely. We will always be mindful of his lifelong dedication." 
 
Kyle Kepler - Head Coach, Utah
"My perspective of Coach McNichols is unique as both an athlete and a coach competing against him and his teams for the last 23 years; 12 hard-fought MVC Championship meets as an athlete at UNI and then as a coach at UNI for seven more years before leaving the state we both grew up in (Iowa) to head west to my current job (Utah). Coaching against his teams were no different than running against his athletes. It always demanded your best effort of the year physically and mentally. His kids were fully prepared to compete as if that meet were their last.
 
Like most NCAA coaches, LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course has been the site of several great moments and others that we were forced to learn from. In a stretch of 12-13 years there was only one other institution to host the NCAA DI Championship meet and it happened to be fellow MVC member UNI, where I had gone from athlete to coach under former longtime head coach, Chris Bucknam. Coach McNichols and Coach Gartland shared their entire 'playbook' with us. We had an open line to them nearly 24 hours a day and I used it a lot.
 
In my time as a coach (18.5 years) I don't think I ever passed Coach McNichols without a friendly greeting and a short conversation about our teams and family life. It was always a pleasure to see him at the various meets all these years after some very intense track and XC meets as an athlete.
 
My condolences and prayers go out to his wife, Linda, his entire family, and the ISU Athletics Department."

Gregg Gensel – Head Coach, Utah State
"John was both a peer in the coaching world, and I would count him as one of the great friends we have in our sport. I spent many hours picking his brain about building a cross country course and in a lot of ways modeled the one we built here at Utah State after your great facility in Terre Haute. I would also consider him one of the great minds in the track and field world, as I considered him also as a mentor. I will greatly miss him in our sport but mostly as our friend."
 
John Sauerhage – Head Coach, UT Arlington
"I didn't know John that well but I always thought he was just the nicest man. He would return a phone call or answer an email and would always say hello when you passed him in the stands at a meet. There are a lot of egos in sports and track and field, but John was one of the good guys."

Steve Rainbolt - Head Coach, Wichita State
"I have so admired what a wonderful and thoughtful coach and leader of young people Coach McNichols has been. I have also very much admired his consistent, long-term leadership with the Indiana State Track and Field and Cross Country program. John McNichols was truly a coach for the ages – a wonderful teacher, administrator and director, but most importantly a wonderful coach to so many. Godspeed to John McNichols and prayers for strength and comfort to his family and the Indiana State University community."
 
Mick Byrne – Head Coach, Wisconsin
"Our coaching family has lost another great one. Coach McNichols' contribution to our sport, to Indiana State athletics and to the city of Terre Haute was exemplary. He worked tirelessly to make a difference, and he did. His longevity, rare today, is testimony to his success and to his commitment to those he coached. Coach McNichols touched the lives of many. RIP John."

Ed Nuttycombe - Former Head Coach, Wisconsin
"I'm still in shock and saddened to hear of the passing of our good friend John McNichols. The national track world has lost a wonderful, dedicated and professional coach. It's obvious from the outstanding consistent results of his ISU teams that he was a talented, knowledgeable, and visionary leader of coaches and young college men and women.
 
But, I will remember John as much more than a great coach. I first and foremost admired and respected him as a first-class person who had the highest integrity both on and off the track. A fierce competitor and rival, he was one of the 'good guys.' I never met anyone who had anything bad to say about John.
 
Over the years, we would often talk at track events and the conversation would frequently pivot toward his family, university or something in his community. It was obvious that he loved and cared deeply about them above all. You could not help but notice and admire how he interacted with his athletes and coaching staff and how much they respected and responded to his guidance.
 
John, I'm a better person for having known you and I thank you for sharing all your valuable time and friendship. My deepest condolences to Linda, family and close friends. If a picture is worth a thousand words, I can only trust these simple words can somehow paint a gratifying picture of the extraordinary man we all knew as John McNichols: Considerate. Dedicated. Admired. Leader. Respected. Enthusiastic. Inspiring. Integrity. Humble. And Loved. We miss you!"