Amy Deem Named ACC Women's Coach of the Year
GREENSBORO, N.C. – University of Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem was named the 2016 ACC Women’s Indoor Head Coach of the Year.
Deem, in her 26th year as head coach of the Hurricanes, led them to their first ACC Indoor championship since 2006 and third in school history. Most Outstanding Women’s Track Performer Shakima Wimbley led Miami’s typical strong effort in sprints and relays, but the Hurricanes also held their own in the field events, led by Dakota Dailey-Harris’ gold medal in the high jump and other strong performances. Her athletes earned 14 All-ACC honors, with nine of those being first-team mention.
Miami went on to a 17th-place finish at the NCAAs, keyed by Dailey-Harris’ bronze medal in the high jump and Alysha Newman’s fourth-place finish in the pole vault. Six Hurricane women competed at the NCAA meet. The ACC Coach of the Year honor is the fifth for Deem, who was honored twice in both 2005 and 2006 after the Hurricanes swept the women’s ACC indoor and outdoor title each of those years.
“It’s a great honor to be voted the ACC Coach of the Year,” Deem said. “I am fortunate to have a great staff, as well as a committed and talented team, that allowed me to win this award.”
The ACC 2015-16 Indoor Track and Field postseason honors are determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Under Deem’s guidance, Wimbley was named the ACC Women’s Indoor Track Most Outstanding Performer after she won gold medals in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m at the 2016 ACC Indoor Championships. The junior competed at the NCAA Championships in the 200m, where she finished 13th with a time of 23.46 seconds.
ACC 60m hurdles silver medalist Ebony Morrison ran a personal-best at the NCAA Championships. Morrison, who transferred to Miami after two years at Auburn, placed ninth with a time of 8.12 seconds. The junior’s time moved her into a tie for fourth place in UM history with Sharianne Lawson (2003).
Dailey-Harris’ mark of 1.84m set a school record in the women’s high jump and earned the second a third place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships, while Newman was fourth with a mark of 4.40m.
The Canes also had two of the 16 competitors in the women’s weight throw as Tiffany Okieme placed 10th with a mark of 19.97m, while Precious Ogunleye finished 12th with a throw of 19.95m.
Deem’s Hurricanes open their outdoor season this weekend at the Hurricane Invitational, the first of three home meets Miami will host this year. Miami also hosts the Hurricane Twilight Meet on March 25 and the Hurricane Alumni Invitational on April 8-9.
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