One of the most decorated coaching careers in the history of collegiate athletics will be celebrated later this year when Lincoln University coach Cyrus Jones is inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Jones, the head coach at Lincoln since 1974, has led Lincoln to 17 NCAA Division III track and field championships. His men have won 13 national titles (seven outdoor, six indoor). Lincoln's women have won four NCAA championships (three outdoor, one indoor) under his guidance.

Joining Jones in the Hall of Fame Class of 2007 are Lew Hartzog, Tom Jones, Beverly Kearney, John Mitchell, Irv Mondschein, Jim Sackett and Karl Schlademan. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Dec. 18 at the USTFCCCA annual convention in Phoenix, Ariz.

Jones said he was stunned when he received notification that he'd been selected for the Hall Fame.

"Oh my goodness, what is this?" Jones said. "My name shouldn't be on this list, should it? I had to pinch myself. I'm on cloud 95."

Jones played baseball at Florida A&M and hoped to coach that sport when he applied for a job at Lincoln, a historically black institution located 50 miles outside Philadelphia near Oxford, Pa. The baseball position was filled, so the athletic director asked Jones if he'd be willing to coach track.

"I couldn't say no. I told him yes," Jones said in a recent ESPN.com story. "That's where it all started."

It took time to build the program and develop his knowledge of the sport, but the Lions reached the top in 1985, winning their NCAA Division III outdoor track title.

"Winning the national championship really helped our program," Jones said. "But the big thing is discipline. You have to work today, tomorrow and the next day. Consistency breeds greatness, and once you become great, then you can build a dynasty."

Jones has coached more than 300 All-Americans at Lincoln, including Rhondale Jones. Jones won 14 NCAA individual titles in 1999, 2000 and 2001, the most by an NCAA track athlete at any level. Rhondale Jones (no relation) was named the outstanding Division III female track athlete of the first 25 years of NCAA women's competition.

Lincoln's men gave Cyrus Jones his 17th national championship in March when they won the NCAA indoor title.

In addition to coaching track and field and cross country, Jones is Lincoln's associate athletic director and previously served as the athletic director.

With so much success at the Division III level, the Lions have applied to be reclassified as a Division II school with the NCAA. Jones is confident his program will make a smooth transition to Division II competition. At 63, he shows no signs of slowing down.

"When cross country season starts, I'm going out there, working with the kids to make sure they're running the right way," Jones told ESPN.com. "I really enjoy what I'm doing. I got cross country and track. It's all season long. I love it."

For more information on the inductees in this year's USTFCCCA Hall of Fame class, see www.ustfccca.org.