Tom Wise
Tom Wise was an outstanding all-around track & field athlete at Grove City High School who went on to an All-American college career.
At Grove City, he won 7 District 10 titles in relays, 400-meter run, and 300M hurdles from 1990 to 1993. In the PIAA state meet, he won a bronze medal in the 4X100 relay as a freshman. As a junior, he won the Class AA 300M hurdles in a state-record time of 37.47, which remains the record to this day. He followed that by winning the AAA 300M state title as a senior. He placed 3rd and 5th in the 110M hurdles as well.
As a senior, he was invited to the Golden West Invitational in Sacramento, CA, to compete in the 300M hurdles as one of the top 8 seniors in the country. He also was invited to represent the USA in the event at the Keebler International Meet in Chicago.
Tom parlayed his overall talent into an All-America career in the decathlon at Slippery Rock University (NCAA Div. 2). He was a 4-time NCAA Qualifier and 3-time All-American with 4th, 6th and 6th places at nationals. He also won 4 provisional berths in the 400M hurdles at the NCAA Championships.
He won 2 PSAC individual titles in the 400M hurdles and one as a member of the SRU record-setting 1600-meter relay team. He set an SRU decathlon record of 7,162 points that stood for almost 25 years. He was invited to the “Emerging Athlete Decathlon Camp” at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA in 1995.
Tom was named the NCAA Division 2 East Region Track & Field Athlete of the Year in 1998. He earned numerous academic honors as well, including 2 All-American nods. He was inducted into the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.
He coached track & field at various high schools and middle schools, including Clarion, Mercer and Grove City. At Clarion HS, he coached the 2000 and 2001 PIAA AA Boys Track & Field Team State Champions and has mentored 60 PIAA State medalists, including 3 individual gold medalists and 2 state champion relay teams.
He has been a featured clinician at numerous camps throughout western PA and works with athletes as a personal speed and strength trainer and through his summer Swift Arrow Track Club.