2007 NPEP Sprint and Hurdle

Amy Deem

University of Miami head women's track and field coach Amy Deem has built the women's track program from modest beginnings into one of the nation's elite. Before her arrival the Hurricanes had never had an athlete record an NCAA qualifying mark.

Deem has guided 35 student-athletes to a combined 128 All-America honors and 10 individual National Championships, including 2006 NCAA Outdoor triple jump Champion Tabia Charles, 2005 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor shot put champion Kim Barrett and 2004 NCAA 100-meter Champion Lauryn Williams. The Hurricanes have boasted at least one All-American in each of the last 14 seasons and have claimed seven of the last eight Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in two conferences.

Entering her 17th season at Miami Deem has continually raised the bar for the women's track and field program each season. In Miami's first two seasons in the ACC, Deem has led the Hurricanes to consecutive indoor and outdoor titles. In addition she has been honored as the league's indoor and outdoor Coach of the Year both seasons. Miami finished tied for fifth at the 2006 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships marking the program's second consecutive top-5 finish while the team placed seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Championships marking the highest outdoor finish in school-history.

The 2005 season saw Miami reach unprecidented heights. The Hurricanes finished third at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships, the best finish in school-history, which included a school-record 12 All-American honors. Miami finished ninth at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships, also the highest finish in school history, notching another 14 All-America honors. The Hurricanes placed second at the 2005 NCAA East Regional Championships marking the highest finish and most points scored (81) in school history.

In 2004 the Hurricanes concluded their final season of BIG EAST competition by posting one of the best seasons in school history. Miami recorded 17 All-America honors, won both the BIG EAST Indoor and Outdoor Championships for the second consecutive season, including the school's six BIG EAST Outdoor Championship, and placed 10th at both the NCAA Indoor Championships and NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Miami recorded 12 All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships including Lauryn Williams' NCAA National Championship in the 100-meters. Williams posted a winning time of 10.97, the fifth-fastest time in NCAA history.

In three seasons under Deem, Williams developed into one the top sprinters in the world. For most of 2004 Williams had the top time in the world in the 100-meters and 200-meters. She went on to win a silver medal in the 100-meters at the Olympic Games in Athens, and at just 20 years of age became the youngest sprinter in 32 years to medal in the event. In 2005 Williams captured the gold medal in the 100-meters and also anchored the USA 4x100-meter relay to the gold medal at the IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Deem, long respected as one of the top sprint and hurdle coaches in the nation, developed junior Dominique Darden into one of the nation's top 400-meter hurdlers. Even though Darden had not competed in the event prior to 2004 she went on to set the school-record in the event, win the BIG EAST title, place fifth at the NCAA Championships and reach the semifinals of the USA Olympic Trials. In 2005 Darden won the ACC and East Regional 400-meter hurdle titles and placed sixth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

During Deem's tenure the Hurricanes developed into the premier track and field program in the BIG EAST winning a combined 79 BIG EAST individual and relay titles. Miami's team title at the 2004 BIG EAST Outdoor Championship marked the fourth consecutive for Deem's Hurricanes making UM the only program in BIG EAST history to win four straight outdoor team titles.

In 2004 Deem and her staff were honored as the BIG EAST Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year for the seventh time in the last nine seasons. Deem also won the award in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2003. In addition, Deem and the UM coaching staff were honored as the BIG EAST Indoor Coaching Staff of the Year each of the last two seasons.

Under Deem the Hurricanes have become a fixture at the NCAA Championships scoring at 13 of 14 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships since 1992.

The Hurricanes boasted a school-record 14 outdoor All-America honors in 2005 with Lauren Austin (4x100-meter relay, 4x400-mete relay), Kim Barrett (Shot Put), Dominique Darden (400-meter hurdles, 4x100-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay), Tabia Charles (triple jump), India Ransom (4x100-meter relay), Wiande Moore (4x100-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay), Ginou Etienne (4x400-meter relay), and Charlette Greggs (200-meters, 4x100-mete relay, 4x400-meter relay) all earning All-America recognition.

With Deem at the helm the Hurricanes have developed into one of the top relay programs in the nation. Last season Miami earned All-American honors in both the 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the fourth consecutive season. Miami joins Texas and South Carolina as the only schools to earn All-America honors in both events each of the last four seasons.

Even with all the success in the sprints and hurdles, Deem has strived to turn the Hurricanes into one of the most well rounded track programs in the country. Miami jumpers have earned 26 All-America honors and won 18 conference titles since 1997.

Last season Tabia Charles won the ACC Indoor title in the triple jump and swept both the long jump and triple jump at the ACC Outdoor Championships. She earned All-America honors in both the long jump and triple jump at the 2006 NCAA Indoor Championships and would go on to be named the USCCCA South Region Field Athlete of the Year. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships Charles captured the National title in the triple jump and also earned All-America honors in the long jump. In 2004 Charles won the long jump and triple jump at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships en route to being named the Most Outstanding Field Performer. She went on to win the triple jump at the BIG EAST Outdoor Championships and earned All-America honors in the long jump and triple jump at NCAA Indoors as well as All-America honors in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Miami has also improved in the throws. In 2005 Kim Barrett swept the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor titles in the shot put as well as the indoor and outdoor ACC titles and the NCAA East Regional title.

Under Deem, the Hurricanes have also rewritten the school's record books, setting new school records in 12 events in 2006. The Hurricanes have set 179 new records over the last 12 seasons.

Both in the state of Florida and around the nation Deem is recognized as one of the best developers of talent in the coaching ranks. Deem, who served President of the United States Track Coaches Association from 2003-05, was named as the head coach for the 2007 United States World Championship Team.

During this year's indoor season she was named the USTFCCCA South Region Indoor Coach of the Year. Deem has been honored as the USTCA South District Coach of the Year in four of the last five seasons (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005), and in 1998 was named the USA Track and Field Florida Coach of the Year. In 2002 she was honored as the United States Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the Year for Track and Field.

In addition, Deem served three seasons (1998-2000) as the Event Coordinator for Sprints and Hurdles for the USA Track and Field Coaches Education Program, and in 2001 served as head coach of the USATF Junior National team that competed in England and Scotland.

In the summer of 2003 Deem served as the Explosive Events Coach (sprints and hurdles) for the United States at the Pan American games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic guiding Lauryn Williams to the gold medal in the 100-meters. In addition the United States swept the gold medals in the 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay for the first time since 1987. In 2002 Deem guided Williams to the gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.

Deem has coached some of the top sprinters and hurdlers in the World including five-time NCAA Champion Gillian Russell and 1999 NCAA Champion Yolanda McCray, two-time Olympian Patrina Allen, and Debbie Ferguson, a two-time Olympic medalist.

Russell, who competed for the Hurricanes from 1992-95, won the NCAA National title in the 55-meter hurdles in 1992 and 1995, as well as the NCAA 100-meter hurdle championship in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Russell is a two-time Olympian having competed for Jamaica in 1992 and 1996. Russell was ranked among the World's top-10 in the 100-meter hurdles from 1995-1998 reaching a career-best ranking of sixth in 1998.

McCray, a six-time All-America, won the 100-meter hurdle NCAA Championship in 1999, and in 1997 and in 1999 was ranked as high as sixth in the United States in the event. Allen, a teammate of McCray, was also a six-time All-American. She competed for Jamaica at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games in the 400-meter hurdles.

In 2002 Deem began coaching sprinter Debbie Ferguson. Ferguson went on to post one of the best seasons of her career winning gold medals in the 100-meters, 200-meters and 4x100-meter relay at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, setting meet records in all three events. She went on to win championships in the 200-meters and 4x100-meter relay at the 2002 World Cup, and ended the season ranked second in the World in the 200-meters and fifth in the World in the 100-meters. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Ferguson captured the bronze medal in the 200-meters and reached the final of the 100-meters where she placed seventh.

Originally from West Virginia, Deem, a Level III coach and instructor as certified by USA Track and Field, first came to Miami in 1989 as an intern in the Compliance Department to complete her degree through Ohio University. While fulfilling her internship she simultaneously served as assistant track coach for two years. In what could be termed as perfect timing in the spring of 1990, Deem decided to stay in the Miami area and the head women's track coach position opened up. She was hired as the head women's track coach on June 26, 1990.

Deem's ultimate goal was to get into coaching, and after a knee injury at Ohio University shortened her own track career, she turned to the coaching profession. The interaction with athletes and the ability to watch them improve and grow both as an athlete and as a person is something that Deem has always enjoyed. She has strived to be a positive influence on her athletes. While still a senior at Ohio University, Deem broke into the coaching as an assistant with the Athens High School track program. After earning her degree in health education in 1988, Deem was the graduate-assistant track coach for the Bobcats.

Deem's ultimate goal was to get into coaching, and after a knee injury at Ohio University shortened her own track career, she turned to the coaching profession.

The interaction with athletes and the ability to watch them improve and grow both as an athlete and as a person is something that Deem has always enjoyed. She has strived to be a positive influence on her athletes. While still a senior at Ohio University, Deem broke into the coaching as an assistant with the Athens High School track program. After earning her degree in health education in 1988, Deem was the graduate-assistant track coach for the Bobcats.