Springfield, Mo. -- Missouri State University director of track and field/cross country Ronald Boyce announced Tuesday the addition of Victor Houston as Assistant Track and Field coach for the 2017-18 season.

"First off, I would like to thank our SWA Casey Hunt and my new head coach Ronald Boyce for affording me the opportunity to be a part of the Missouri State track and field program," Houston said.

Houston joins the Bears after two years at Alabama A&M where he had coaching duties with multi events, throws, hurdles and jumps. During his first season at Alabama A&M, the team scored more points in the SWAC outdoor championship than it had in the last 10 years.

Houston has a combined 22 years of coaching experience between five Division I programs. He has also served as the assistant track and field coach at Texas Tech (2011-14), Alabama (2008-11) Iowa (2008-04) and UTEP (2004-01) with multiple volunteer positions before that.  During his coaching career he has overseen 15 All-Americans, 13 individual conference champions and one national champion.

"I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season and getting the ball rolling," Houston said. "Missouri State has been a staple in the Missouri Valley Conference for many years, and I will be doing my best to help continue that tradition. This is an exciting time to be here at MSU and I'm very happy to be a part of this team."

Houston graduated with his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Auburn in 1999. At Auburn, Houston won the 1996 NCAA decathlon title. In 2000 he ran the 110 and 400 meter hurdles for Barbados in the Olympics.

Houston's appointment is pending formal approval by the Missouri State Board of Governors at its next regularly-scheduled meeting.