Jeff Venglass is entering his sixth season as a member of the CMS track and field coaching staff in 2026-27, where he works primarily with the throwers, and he has been a part of a SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year in each of his first five seasons. He has helped the program to a combined nine league titles (five Stags, four Athenas), and has also coached a total of 17 (10 Stags, seven Athenas) top-10 throwers in CMS history.
CMS has dominated the men's track and field throws at the SCIAC Championships in his first five seasons, winning 14 of a possible 20 titles. The Stags swept the podium with 1-2-3 finishes in the javelin in 2022 and the shot put in 2023, while the Athenas and Stags have combined for 44 podium spots in his five years.
In 2026, Kaden Cassidy moved into ninth in NCAA Division III history in the hammer with a throw of 213'2", Kavin Prasanna earned All-America honors in the hammer, and Jack Paavola won the SCIAC discus title and earned the league's Newcomer of the Year. For the Athenas, Sophia Laudi broke her own CMS record in the javelin, won the SCIAC title and qualified for nationals, while Emily Ortiz won SCIAC titles in the hammer and discus.
In 2025, Cassidy finished second in the NCAA Championships in the hammer with a throw of 210 feet even, while Laudi became the Athenas' javelin record holder in her debut season. George Kruger moved into second place at CMS in the javelin on the men's side and qualified for the NCAA Championships as well. Antonia Hekster joined Cassidy, Kruger and Laudi in winning a SCIAC title, repeating as the champion in the hammer.
In 2024, the Stags had four different throwers win SCIAC titles in the four events, as Sarath Kakani earned his third straight league title before qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships. First-years George Kruger (javelin), Kaden Cassidy (discus) and Kavin Prasanna (hammer) earned league titles in their debut seasons. Antonia Hekster, meanwhile, took first place in the hammer throw for the Athenas.
In Venglass' first year, Truman Knowles set a new CMS record in the javelin in 2022 to finish sixth at the NCAA Division III Championships (211'6").
Venglass came to Claremont with over 27 years of coaching experience, and has been considered one of the top high school throwing coaches in the state of California. He has also coached numerous national champions in the throwing events in club track with USA Track and Field and AAU, and has worked with multiple Olympic athletes, including world record holders. He has also had also had his own throws camps and clinics in the past with Olympic athletes as members of his coaching staff.
Venglass has been married to his wife Melissa for 31 years, and they have two children who are both throwers. His son Jordan was a member of the Claremont McKenna Class of 2021 and competed for the CMS track and field team, taking All-SCIAC honors with a second-place finish at the 2019 league championships, and earning a place on the CMS Wall of Fame. His daughter Abby was one of the top high school throwers in the state of California and a top national recruit, and competed at CSU San Bernardino in all four throwing events.
Venglass enjoys working with athletes and helping them reach their maximum potential while helping them enjoy the process and creating a family-type atmosphere within the throwing group.
