Legendary Indiana State Track & Field / Cross Country Program Coordinator John McNichols is the final inductee into the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame this year. McNichols led the Sycamores in cross country and track from 1983 until his death in 2016. He finished his career by coaching in exactly 100 career MVC Championships, including 33 indoor meets, 33 outdoor meets and 34 cross country championships.
He posted 38 total team titles, including 11 in cross country, 10 in indoor track and 17 in outdoor track. He was named the MVC Coach of the Year 23 times. During that time, McNichols coached 456 MVC Track Champions, eight MVC Cross Country Champions, 355 MVC Track Scholar-Athletes and 110 Cross Country MVC Championships.
He coached 15 NCAA Track National Champions, 112 All-Americans, 173 NCAA Track National Qualifiers and 13 NCAA Cross Country National qualifiers. He oversaw the design, development and construction of the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course which has hosted 12 NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships.
McNichols also served as the head meet official at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta and was a meet official at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles as well as the 1987 Pan-American Games and the 1988 United States Olympic Trials. He was a three-time head coach of the United State Men's Junior Pan-American Team.
Additionally, McNichols served as chairman of the NCAA Rules Committee, a member of the NCAA Division I Track & Field Subcommittee and was inducted into the Indiana Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame in 2007 as well as the Drake Relays Coaching Hall of Fame in 2008.
- 100 Missouri Valley Conference Championships as a Head Coach (33 indoor, 33 outdoor, 34 cross country)
- 38 total team titles -- 11 cross country titles (nine men, two women), 10 indoor track titles (six women, four men) and 17 outdoor track titles (10 men, seven women).
- Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year 23 times
- He coached 456 MVC Track Champions (251 women, 205 men), eight MVC Cross Country Champions (four men, four women), 355 Track MVC Scholar-Athletes (201 women, 154 men) and 110 Cross Country MVC Scholar-Athletes (56 men, 54 women).
- Missouri Valley Conference All-Centennial Team
- Coached 15 NCAA Track Champions, 112 All-Americans, 173 NCAA Track National Qualifiers, 13 NCAA Cross Country National Qualifiers
- Oversaw the construction and development of the first cross country only course in the nation, the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, host of 12 NCAA Championships
- Hurdles Broad Event Chair from 2000-09 for USA Track & Field's Men's Development Committee.
- Meet official 1984 Summer Olympic Games, the 1987 Pan-American Games, the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials
- Head meet official 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
- Three separate times served as the head coach of the U.S. Men's Junior Pan-Am team.
- Assistant coach in charge of hurdles and sprints for the 2007 U.S. team for the Pan-American Games.
- Chairman of the NCAA Rules Committee, but he also served time on the NCAA Division I Track & Field Subcommittee.
- Inducted into the Indiana Track & Cross Country Hall of Fame (2007), the Drake Relays Coaching Hall of Fame (2008)
- Inducted into Hall of Fame January 18, 2018
- Inducted into Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame 2019
