John Bolton returns to Mt. SAC in 2026 after spending the past two seasons coaching at the University of Southern California, where he built the most successful sprint group in USC history. Under Coach JB’s leadership, the USC sprint group was ranked No. 1 in the nation during both the 2025 indoor and outdoor seasons— an achievement that had never been accomplished in the program’s history.

He led USC’s sprinters to a historic season, scoring the majority of the points that helped secure both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor National Championships for USC.

During that same season, Bolton made NCAA history by becoming the first coach to have three athletes run 9.92, 9.93, and 9.96 in the 100 meters in the same race at the same meet—the 44 Farms Invitational hosted by Texas A&M. His men’s 4x100 meter relay team also broke the USC school record with a time of 38.41.

In addition to his collegiate success, Coach JB was named relay coach for Team Ghana at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Under his guidance, Ghana set a national record in the 4x100m relay and finished fourth in the world with a time of 37.79, marking the best relay result in the nation’s championship history.

Coach JB also coached Olympian Fred Kerley to a bronze medal in the 100 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Bolton signed a professional coaching contract with On Running. He is the only coach to accomplish the rare combination of winning 12 3C2A State Championships, 2 NCAA National Championships, coaching an Olympic medalist, earning NCAA West Region Coach of the Year honors, and leading Team Ghana to a national record and historic global championship performance.

In 2016, Bolton’s athletes dominated the men’s sprints at the California Community College Athletic Association State Championships, scoring 68 points and capturing titles in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 4x100 relay, and 4x400 relay.

He coached Cravon Gillespie, the 3C2A State Athlete of the Year (all sports), who won the 100 meters, 200 meters, and was part of the winning 4x100 relay team. Gillespie ran 20.20 in the 200 meters, the 11th fastest time in the nation that season, and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials. For his efforts, Bolton was named South Coast Conference and 5CTCA State Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year.

He spent two seasons at Fullerton College, transforming the Hornets into a sprinting powerhouse with two Orange Empire Conference champions and multiple sprinters qualifying for the 3C2A State Championships in consecutive years. He also guided the careers of state champion jumpers L.V. Johnson and Cheyenne Thompson.

Before Fullerton, Bolton coached at Los Angeles Southwest College, Dominguez High School, and through his company Bolton Speed Development (B.S.D.).

Bolton holds a master’s degree in Kinesiology, a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and an associate degree in Social Behavior. A native of Compton, Bolton graduated from Compton High School before attending Long Beach City College and Cal State Fullerton.

An accomplished sprinter, he was a 3C2A State and Big West Conference finalist, with personal bests of 10.54 in the 100 meters and 39.63 in the 4x100 relay.

He currently resides in Eastvale, with his wife Stephanie and their three children: Jamari, Skylah, and Jamir.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION
• 2025 USTFCCCA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year
• Relay Coach – Team Ghana, 2025 World Championships (Tokyo)
• Professional Coaching Contract – On Running

SPRINTS & RELAYS EXCELLENCE
• Only coach in NCAA history to have three athletes run 9.92, 9.93, and 9.96 in the same meet (44 Farms Invitational – Texas A&M)
• Four athletes under 10 seconds in the 100 meters during the same season
• Qualified five athletes in the 100 meters for the NCAA Outdoor Championships – most by any coach

INDOOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• USC 60-meter school record broken
• No. 1 World Ranking in the 60 meters
• Five athletes ranked in the USC 60-meter All-Time Top 10 (#1, #3, #4, #10, #10)
• Two athletes on the USC 200-meter All-Time Top 10 list (#5, #7)
• No. 1 ranked 60-meter and 200-meter groups in the nation

OUTDOOR SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
• USC 4x100 relay school record – 38.41
• No. 2 All-Time USC 200-meter – 19.85
• USC All-Time Rankings:
          100m – #5, #11
           200m – #2, #6, #11
           400m – #7
           4x100m – #1, #2, #4, #5, #8
           4x400m – #6
• No. 1 ranked 100-meter and 200-meter groups in the nation

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
• NCAA Indoor National Champions – Highest team point total in program history
• NCAA Outdoor National Champions – Highest team point total in program history
• Three NCAA National Championship Rings (USC)

INTERNATIONAL & PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS
• Olympic Bronze Medal – Paris 2024 (Kerley 9.81)
• Coached Benjamin Azamati to 9.98 in the 100 meters
• World Championships Qualification – Team Ghana
• Ghana 4x100 Relay National Record – 37.79
• Ranked No. 4 in the World