Legendary track coach Ed Temple passes

Legendary track and field coach Ed Temple passed away on the evening of September 22 at the age of 89. Temple coached the Tennessee State University Tigerbelles from 1953 to 1994 and served as head coach of the U.S. Olympics women’s teams in 1960 and 1964 and assistant coach in 1980. Under his direction, Wilma Rudolph, became the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympics, in Rome in 1960. She won the 100 and 200 meters and teamed with a trio of Tigerbelles, Martha Hudson, Lucinda Williams and Barbara Jones, to win the 400 relay.

Temple, whose other gold medalists from TSU included Edith McGuire and Wyomia Tyus, was inducted into nine halls of fame, including the Olympic Hall of Fame in 2012, where he was one of only four coaches to be inducted. He also served as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the International Women’s Track and Field Committee and the Nashville Sports Council. Temple coached his teams to more than 30 national titles and led 40 athletes to the Olympics. The famed Tigerbelles earned a total of 27 Olympic medals, 15 of which were gold.