As a pioneer for women's track at Oregon, Tom took the program from its infancy to one of the most powerful names in women's distance. He guided his athletes to 15 NCAA/AIAW titles, 108 All-America honors and 55 Pac-10/NorPac Conference titles in track and field. Many of his athletes went on to have post-collegiate success, with three American records, 17 Olympic appearances, 10 World Championships invites, 12 U.S. national track and field titles, 22 World Championships cross country invites, and five U.S. cross country crowns. His 1985 track team won the NCAA championship.

As an athlete, Tom enjoyed an equally successful career as a six-time All-America distance runner at the University of Minnesota, which included a third-place finish in the 1967 6-mile. During his post-collegiate career, he was a three-time World Cross Country Championships competitor, a two-time Olympic Trials Marathon veteran, and the 1969 AAU marathon champion. His wife, Janet, also had a successful running career, and went on to write a regular column for Runner's World as well as pen several books on running. His son Erik and his daughter Liisa both ran at the NCAA level.

Tom has now brought similar success to the club setting. Beginning with a small corps of runners in 2003, he has built the program both in size and ability. In 2007, he added two more national championships to his tally, taking home NIRCA cross country championships for both men and women. He has guided Club athletes who have gone on to join the NCAA team at Oregon as he molded the Club into a group that has beaten NCAA Division I teams in cross country team competition.