Hokie ClubDirector of Track and Field and Cross Country, Ben Thomas, annouced the addition of John Ellis to the 2024-2025 coaching staff on August 21, 2024. Ellis assumed the position of assistant coach for jumps and multis.
In his first season with the Virginia Tech track & field program (2025), John Ellis coached Nate Paris to Second Team All-American honors in the hepathlon, and to All-ACC honors in the indoor long jump and decathlon. Early in the indoor season, Paris broke the program record in the heptathlon with 5,858 points at the Doc Hale Elite meet. Ellis also coached Stuart Pirtle to the No. 4 all-time performance in the heptathlon of 5,284 points at the Doc Hale Elite meet, and to his first ACC Championship appearance. Pirtle was rewarded with ACC Freshman Performer of the Week honors following his performance at the Doc Hale Elite meet. Caleb Stephens, a senior, recorded his bet performance in two years in the long jump at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational under the guidance of Ellis, launching to a 7.31m (23'11.75") distance. On the women's side, Ellis coached Madison McConico to the No. 7 all-time performance in the indoor triple jump with a personal-best 12.60m (41'4.25") and the No. 7 all-time performance in the outdoor long jump of 12.49m (40'11.75"), making appearances at both the indoor and outdoor ACC Championships.
In his previous role, Ellis spent three years as the jumps and multis coach at Arizona State. In those three years, Ellis' athletes recorded seven program top-10 entries, with five of the marks coming from the triple jump.
Prior to Arizona State, Ellis spent five years with the Southern Mississippi program, where he wwas tabbed the 2019 USTFCCCA DI South Region Assistant Coach of the Year. With the Golden Eagles, Ellis led his athletes to seven school records, 11 C-USA titles, and eight All-American honors. Individually, Ellis coached three athletes to the 2019 NCAA Championships where they acheived the first top-25 team finish in program history.
Ellis was the coach of four-time C-USA triple jump title holder, John Warren. Under Ellis' tutelage, Warren set the indoor and outdoor meet records, and the indoor program record with a 55'2" triple jump. He also finished seventh overall at USATF Outdoor Championships and collected fourth place at NCAA Championships in 2019. Ellis coached Eric Richards to an indoor conference title and #2 USM all-time high jump mark at the 2019 NCAA Championships. Richards jumped 7'4.5" to finish 5th place at outdoor nationals. At the 2019 NCAA National Championships, Ellis also coached Caleb Parker to an outdoor school record of 13.50, which placed him 5th. Parker was also 7th at the Indoor NCAA Championships running a school record of 7.71. In addition to hurdling, Caleb Parker also was the High jump C-USA champion and cleared 7’3”.
Early in his career, Ellis served as the volunteer assistant coach at Georgia where he assisted in the training of heptathlon and pentathlon national champion, Kendell Williams. Also among the national champions Ellis has worked with are indoor and outdoor high jump national champion Leontia Kallenou, decathlon national champion Maciel Uibo, and triple jump national champion Keturah Orji.
His career began as a graduate assistant at Western Illinois where he led the Leathernecks to six individual All-Conference finishes.
Originally from Portland, Oregon, Ellis earned his master's degree from WIU in kinesiology and his bachelor's degree in applied exercise science from Azusa Pacific where he competed in the long jump and earned All-Conference honors under Hall of Fame coach Kevin Reid.