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Tom Service is entering his seventh season at Santa Clara and his fourth as the head coach of both the men's and women's distance programs. Service also oversees the men's and women's outdoor track teams, which became varsity sports in 2005. Last season, Service led the women's cross country team to a third place finish in the WCC, while the men placed fourth. Individually, Shannon Bell came in second in the WCC Championships, tying the highest finish ever for a Santa Clara runner. She was named first-team All-WCC for her efforts. She also placed 59th in the NCAA Regionals, the second highest finish in program history. When he was hired as Santa Clara's women's cross country coach in 2001, few could have predicted such as rapid rise of the Bronco distance program. In his first season, Service guided the Broncos to the school's first-ever league title and earned West Coast Conference coach of the year honors. In 2002, his young squad finished second in the league and recorded the highest NCAA regional finish in school history. Last season, the team ranked as high as ninth in the NCAA West Region, a program-best, and five Broncos finished among the top 10 at the league championships. Service started the outdoor track teams in 2005 with distance running as the primary focus. After two successful seasons, the programs are continuing to grow as they have added sprinters and some jumpers to the fold. The teams competed in nine events in 2006 and set numerous school records. Service spent 13 years as the varsity men's and women's cross country coach at Leland High School in San Jose. The squads' combined record includes 14 Blossom Valley Athletic League Championships and five Central Coast Section Championships. He also led his teams to seven second-place showings. His teams over the years featured four individual CCS women's champions and three individual CCS men's champions. Many of those student athletes went on to state and national competition, including 1996 Olympian Marieke Veltman in the long jump and NCAA All-American Emily Allison. Each of those performers has graduated to top collegiate programs such as UCLA, California, Fresno State, Northern Arizona, San Jose State and UC San Diego. Between 1987 and '93, Service also served as Leland's varsity men's and women's track and field coach, leading his squads to three Santa Teresa Athletic League Championships. A native of Modesto, Service graduated from San Jose State in 1972 with a bachelor's in social science. He also maintains a California State Teaching Credential. In addition to his duties at Santa Clara during his first three seasons, Service taught in the Oak Grove District since 1973 and currently teaches guidance and physical education part-time at Bernal Intermediate School. Service and his wife Barbara, an elementary school administrator, reside in San Jose. They have three sons: Scott, Adam and J.T., a former two-time all-Big West Conference distance runner at UC-Santa Barbara.
WCC Coach of the Year Selections
WCC All-Academic Selections Under Service
WCC All-Conference Performers Under Service
WCC Freshmen of the Year Under Service
WCC Athletes of the Month Under Service
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