Jody Caldwell Biography

Nitro High School / (Class of 1988) Nitro, WV

Classification: AAA Girls

Specialty: Hurdles / High Jump

Kent State University

Jody Caldwell (born October 10th) is a native of Nitro, WV and attended Nitro High School from 1986-88. She ruled the hurdles from 1986 through 1988 and is considered one of the greatest female hurdlers in the state's history. She won eight state track titles during her high school running career. She held five state records in three events. She took home three high point honors, becoming the first three-time High Point award winner in girl's state meet history.

She held state records in the 300 Meter Low Hurdles from 1986-1997 (12 years), 100 Meter Hurdles from 1987-1992 (6 years), and High Jump from 1988-1994 (7 years).

Caldwell was offered a scholarship at Kent State University, where she studied Communications and competed on the women’s Track & Field team.

Her parents are John and Reva Caldwell. She has two siblings, brother Scott (deceased) and sister Denease.

Early Years:

Jody participated in gymnastics for nine years and track for twelve years. She attended Nitro Junior High School in Nitro, WV, where she participated in track and cheerleading. Jody first started running and having success in track in the seventh grade.

Caldwell competed for the Capital City Striders, which was a youth Track & Field Club in Charleston, WV from 1983 -1988. During her years with the Striders, she annually made it to Nationals where she would place in the top 6 in both hurdles and high jump.

“I believe those years with the Striders played a large role in the success I had in track. The high school track season was quite short, so those extra months of training helped me to hone my skills. It also exposed me to another level of competition that I couldn’t get at regular high school competitions” said Caldwell.

While competing for the Striders her PR’s were: 100 Meter Hurdles (13.8), 300 Meter Low Hurdles (44.33) and High Jump (5’-08”).

High School (1986-88):

While attending Nitro High School, Caldwell was coached by Dreama Watts, where her favorite track event was the hurdles.

[Sophomore Year]

In the 1986 West Virginia State Track Meet, Caldwell set the 300 Meter Hurdles record of 46.52 seconds. She was victorious in the 100 Meter Hurdles in 15.57 seconds, placed third in the High Jump (5'-02"), and captured High Point honors with 26 points.

[Junior Year]

In the 1987 West Virginia State Track Meet, Caldwell broke her own record in the 300 Meter Hurdles with a 45.36 clocking. She ran a record in the 100 Meter Hurdle trials in 14.92 seconds, then went on to win the finals in 14.99. She won gold in the High Jump (5'-04") and repeated as High Point with 30 points, but also added Miss Teen West Virginia to her list of accomplishments.

[Senior Year]

In the 1988 West Virginia State Track Meet, Caldwell won her third straight High Point award with 30 points, climaxed with a record-setting 300 Meter Hurdle performance of 45.09 seconds. She won the 100 Meter Hurdles in 15.07 seconds and tied the High Jump record at 5'-06".

Jody Caldwell won the Ray McCoy Award by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association as the state's top female track and field athlete, which she cherishes the most and she won the 1986-1987 Gatorade Player of the Year in West Virginia for Girls Track & Field.

During Caldwell’s high school career (1986-1988), she scored a total of eighty-six points at the West Virginia State Meet.

Caldwell also received a plaque for Kanawha Valley Athlete of the year for scoring over 1,132 points over three high school track seasons.

High School Running Resume:

State Final PR's:

100 Meter Intermediate Hurdles 14.99 (14.92 State Record was set trials)

300 Meter Low Hurdles 45.09

High Jump 5'-06"

State Titles:

1986 - 100H, 300H, High Point

1987 - 100H, 300H, High Jump, High Point

1988 - 100H, 300H, High Jump, High Point

Other State Places:

1986 - High Jump (3rd)

State Meet All-Time Lists:

2nd and 3rd 80's AAA 100 Meter Hurdle Times

1st and 2nd 80's AAA 300 Meter Hurdle Times

Tied 10th AAA All Time High Jump Height

1st and Tied 3rd 80's AAA High Jump Height

College (1988-93):

After starring as a hurdler at Nitro from 1986-88, Caldwell competed for four years at Kent State University and was named the Outstanding Performer at the 1992 Mid-American Conference outdoor championships, winning MAC titles in the high jump (5'-8.5") and heptathlon (5,133 points).

She went on to be a member of the U. S. national heptathlon team and still sits second all-time at Kent State in the indoor and outdoor high jumps (5-10 ½).

"She was an incredible athlete from the moment she arrived on campus," said Rod O'Donnell, Caldwell's coach at Kent State. "I am not sure she realized how good she could be until about her junior year. Like many kids, she matured at that time and began to set high goals for herself and dedicate herself to her sport and her training."

Caldwell never participated at the NCAA National Track & Field Championships but was ranked 15th in the Heptathlon and 18th in High Jump nationally.

Jody Caldwell was one of eight former Kent State athletes to be inducted into the school's athletic Hall of Fame on September 28, 2012, in Kent, Ohio. She joined the Kent State Varsity “K” Athletics Hall of Fame for women’s track and field, 1989-1992.

College PR’s:

100 Meter Hurdles (13.14)

High Jump (5’-10 ¾”),

Long Jump (20’10”),

Triple Jump (40’10”)

Heptathlon (?)

Personal:

In May of 1993, Caldwell married her college boyfriend, Don Gordon. Don graduated from Kent State University, December of 1991. He currently is a commissioned officer (Colonel) in the United States Marine Corps.

Don and Jody have a son, Miles, who is a sophomore at Penn State University.

The Gordons reside in Stafford Virginia, where Jody is a Freelance Graphic Designer and a High School Track Coach.

Jody attributes a large part of her success to her parents. “They have always been very supportive of me in everything I do” said Caldwell.

Submitted by Coach Mike McMillion (03/01/18)

Results courtesy of RunWV & Jesse Skiles