Versatility and a competitive spirit marked Tommy Haynes' long and illustrious career as a jumper on MT's track and field teams. He arrived from high school already long-jumping 22-23 feet. With help from MT track and field Coach Dean Hayes, he lengthened that mark to 25' 11" in his freshman year. In his sophomore year, he added the triple jump, coming within two inches of qualifying for the NCAA Nationals.
Haynes went on to win both the long jump and triple jump championships in the OVC and was a three-time All-American. In 1975, he set an American record in the triple jump of 56' 5-1/4" in the Pan-American Games in Mexico City. He was captain of the U.S. Olympic team at Montreal in 1976. While at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he coached the track team to a 55-3-1 record.
