Seton Hall University head coach John Moon enjoyed an illustrious track and cross-country career with a lengthy list of individual and team accomplishments, including on the Olympic level.
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — For more than half a century, John Moon has presided over some of the fastest and brightest student-athletes that have matriculated at Seton Hall University. He has coached athletes who have won Olympic gold medals, NCAA national championships, Big East championships, Penn Relays championships and so much more.
After 53 seasons of preparing student-athletes to compete to win and preparing them for life’s challenges after graduation, the incredible educator, Moon, decided to retire as Seton Hall head men’s and women’s cross-country coach, effective June 1.
A retirement banquet in his honor took place in Somerset on June 28, attended by many of his former athletes.
“Simply put, John Moon is a legend. For 53 years, he has mentored Seton Hall student-athletes and put them in a position to succeed, and not only have they succeeded, they have flourished,” said Bryan Felt, Seton Hall’s director of Athletics. “Our students have not only learned how to win from coach Moon, they’ve learned how to become better versions of themselves, become servant leaders and become professionals. Coach Moon has had a remarkable career at Seton Hall. We have been blessed to have had his wisdom and knowledge here, and we congratulate him on reaching retirement and going on to enjoy time with his family.”
“Seton Hall has been my home for 53 years,” said Moon, who is originally from Linden and is also a retired commander of the U.S. Naval Reserve. “I am going to miss Seton Hall, but what I am really going to miss are the athletes. Watching them develop for four years, growing up in front of my eyes, has truly been rewarding for me. They’re the ones who have kept me going all these years, and I’ve been blessed that so many of them continue to keep me part of their lives after graduating. Thank you to all my athletes; it has been an honor to be your coach.
“It’s going to be tough living my life away from Seton Hall,” continued Moon, “but knowing myself, I’m going to be following everything that the school does, watch as much and go to as many events as I can. I’ve enjoyed my time at Seton Hall so much, my blood will forever be blue and white. And I hope Seton Hall keeps remembering me.”
Moon, who was an All-American track athlete at Linden High School and at his alma mater, Tennessee State University, was named the head coach of Seton Hall’s track & field/cross-country programs in 1972, and took the program to new heights with immediate success. In his first season in South Orange, he coached the men’s mile relay team to the NCAA Indoor Track Championship title.
From there, Moon elevated Seton Hall to prominence with accomplishments that could go on for pages. Under Moon’s tutelage, Seton Hall:
- Won the men’s mile relay NCAA indoor national championship again in 1974 and 1981.
- Won four Big East Men’s Indoor Track & Field championships (1981, 1982, 1984, 1993).
- Won the 1993 Big East Women’s Outdoor Track & Field championship.
- Won the 1994 Big East Women’s Indoor Track & Field championship.
- Finished third in the nation at the 1994 NCAA Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship.
- Won individual women’s NCAA national championships in the 400 meters and 4×400 relay, both indoors and outdoors in 1994.
- Won eight Championship of America races at the Penn Relays.
- Won the Metropolitan championship 14 times.
- Won the ECAC and IC4A championships seven times.
- Won the Collegiate Track Conference six times
The strong tradition of Seton Hall track excellence that Moon developed is accented by the individual achievements of his student-athletes. His slate includes 87 Big East champions, 71 All-Americans and seven NCAA champions.
Moon has tutored 19 Olympic athletes during his career, including four runners who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, one in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and one in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. One of those athletes became an Olympic gold medalist.
And the accolades for Moon himself are lengthy:
- 2021 U.S. Track & Field/Cross-Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee.
- 1997 Seton Hall University Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
- 2006 New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee.
- 2001 Linden High School Hall of Fame inductee.
- 1988 Tennessee State University Athletics Hall of Fame inductee.
- 1996 Seton Hall University McQuaid Medal recipient for distinguished service.
- 2002 recipient of the Legendary Coaches Award by the Newark YMWCA.
- Assistant coach of the U.S. Track and Field team at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
- Head coach of the U.S. team at the 1995 Pan American Games.
- Head coach of the U.S. team at the prestigious 2001 U.S. vs. Great Britain dual meet.
- Assistant coach of the U.S. team at the 1999 World University Games.
- Head coach of the U.S. team at the 2008 World Junior Games and the 2012 World Senior Games in Poland.
- 1994 USTFCCCA National Women’s Track Coach of the Year.
- Seven-time Big East Coach of the Year.
- 11-time Metropolitan Coach of the Year.
- Seven-time USTFCCCA District 2 Coach of the Year.
- Past president of the Big East Conference, the IC4A/ECAC and the Metropolitan Track Conference.
Photo Courtesy of Seton Hall University
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