David Hood

The University of Virginia Track and Field program welcomes David Hood as an assistant coach for pole vault ahead of the 2025-26 season.

A proud Cavalier alumnus, David brings a unique combination of elite athletic achievement, extensive coaching experience and deep institutional knowledge to the program.

Hood earned both his undergraduate degree in mathematics (1987) and master’s in commerce (1989) from the University of Virginia while competing for the Cavaliers in the pole vault. During his competitive career from 1984-1988, he served as a two-year team captain and earned All-ACC honors, establishing himself as one of the premier vaulters in the conference.

His coaching journey spans nearly three decades, beginning at Leesville High School (1994-1997) and continuing at Ravenscroft School (2006-2023) in North Carolina. Upon returning to Charlottesville in 2023, Hood coached pole vault at St. Anne’s-Belfield School before volunteering as an assistant coach at UVA in 2024, working with multi-event and jumping athletes.

Hood remains an active competitor in Masters Track and Field. He is the reigning and three-time National Champion in the decathlon, current indoor pentathlon and indoor heptathlon National Champion. In his age group, Hood ranks World No.1 in the pole vault.

David and his wife Dina, also a UVA graduate, have been married for 36 years. They are the proud parents of two accomplished children. Their son, Philip, is an architect designer in Wilmington, North Carolina while their daughter, Charlotte, is a sales manager in Manhattan, New York.