Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges

Jeff Venglass is entering his fifth season as a member of the CMS track and field coaching staff in 2025-26, 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 three seasons while helping the program to seven league titles (four Stags, three Athenas). Venglass has also coached a total of 11 (seven Stags, four Athenas) top-10 throwers in CMS history.

CMS has dominated the men's track and field throws at the SCIAC Championships in his first four seasons, winning 12 of a possible 16 titles, with four different Stags winning the four hammer titles in that span. 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 25 podium spots in his three years.

Individually, Kaden Cassidy finished second at the NCAA Championships in the hammer throw in 2025 with a throw of 210'0", breaking his own CMS record set earlier that season and moving into 16th place all-time in NCAA Division III history. Sophia Laudi broke the CMS record in the javelin and qualified for nationals, while 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 as well. Antonia Hekster, meanwhile, took first place in the hammer throw for the Athenas.

In his 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 29 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 is currently competing as a collegiate athlete 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.