Cuyamaca’s new Leader of the Pack

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: January 1, 2023

EAST COUNTY SPORTS / LOCAL COVERAGE

By Nick Pellegrino

ECS Senior writer

Tonie Campbel

RANCHO SAN DIEGO — Tonie Campbell, a two-time world track champion and a bronze medalist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, has been named the new Director of Athletics for Cuyamaca College. He will also be Dean to the kinesiology, and health education programs, succeeding interim dean Terry Davis

Campbell, 62, captured the 1985 World Cup title in the 110m hurdles, then claimed the world indoor title over the 60m hurdles in Indianapolis in 1987.

In addition, Campbell is a three-time winner of the 110m hurdles at the IAAF Grand Prix Final. He also won the 1987 Overall Grand Prix title, with fellow hurdler Greg Foster second and pole vaulter Sergey Bubka third.

His climb in track started with a silver medal at the 1980 Liberty Bell Classic, then placing fifth at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Campbell is also the author of two books, “Just Run,” and “The Highest Stand,” and has worked in the past to promote literacy. He has been a live sports commentator on BBC television, and a producer, director, and writer of the sports entertainment show, “Making Strides.”

Campbell comes to Cuyamaca from Southwestern College in Chula Vista, where he served 20 years as head coach in track and cross country, then as interim assistant athletic director following the retirement of Jim Spillers, who formerly was the AD/Dean for Grossmont College.

While in the South Bay, Campbell developed a long association with USA Track & Field (USATF), where he was Managing Director of USATF’s High Performance Center, and Chairman of the National Men’s Development Committee. In the 1990s, he was the Assistant Track & Field Coach atUSC, his alma mater.

Campbell holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Nichols College in Dudley, Mass., and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from USC.

“One of my first goals at Cuyamaca is to stabilized our existing programs, and look to expand into other sports,” said Campbell. “We;re limited in space, so we can’t add sports like baseball,softball or football, but there are many others.”

A quick addition can be men’s tennis, which was recently dropped by Grossmont College despite a lengthy history of success with several CCCAA sate championships and several All-America student-athletes.

“My goal coming here was to continue the legacy of outstanding leadership, of outstanding faculty and staff,” he added.

Campbell said he plans to lead changes in his department’s curricula, updating classes, introducing new ones, and retiring others.

“We want to create exciting new curricula that will draw more interest to Cuyamaca,” Campbell noted. “My goal is to grow the facility, to grow the department.”

Campbell is married to Deborah Shepley-Campbell, a registered NICU nurse and Representative for San Diego’s largest nurses union. They raised their children.

Additional Quotes

Tonie Campbell: “My goals are to add additional full-time instructors, yet providing opportunities for adjuncts to continue to lend their talents and grow curricula.

“On that note, I will champion adjunct’s fight for inclusion in leadership roles and full-time advancement.”

“We want to hire the best that’s out there. And that also means creating security for our coaches and athletic teams.”