Deem Named to USTFCCCA Hall of Fame
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami’s Amy Deem was named as one of six coaches inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame as the Class of 2017.
Deem, along with Peter Farwell, Jack Hazen, Bob Kersee, Fred Samara and Patrick Shane, will be honored at the 2017 USTFCCCA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, December 13, at the USTFCCCA Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.
“When I received the letter, I was completely overwhelmed and honored,” Deem said. “With so many great coaches who have done so much for our sport, I never considered myself as someone to receive this honor. It is a tribute to the wonderful assistant coaches and student-athletes that I have been blessed to work with and coach.”
A native of West Virginia, Deem’s coaching career began in June 1990 when she was named the women’s head coach while serving as an intern in the compliance department.
By 2008, Deem was named the Director of Track & Field/Cross Country, becoming just the sixth woman to oversee both the men’s and women’s track and cross country programs at an NCAA Division I institution.
In her 27 years at the helm, Deem turned the Hurricanes into a national powerhouse. Prior to her appointment as the head coach in 1990, no Hurricane had recorded an NCAA qualifying mark. Since then, however, Deem and the Hurricanes are a regular fixture at NCAA Championships, as her athletes have laid claim to 14 national championships and nearly 200 First Team All-America honors.
Under her guidance, the Hurricanes’ hurdlers have dominated the national scene. Seven of the aforementioned 14 national championships have come in the hurdles, including an astounding five from Gillian Russell.
As a team, Miami has finished as high as third during the indoor campaign and seventh on the outdoor circuit.
Deem saw her women dominate the Big East during the early portion of her career, capturing two indoor conference championships (2003 and 2004) while laying claim to six outdoor titles (1998-99, 2001-04). Despite leaving the conference shortly after the 2004 title, Miami still owns a pair of conference championship records (4×100 and 4×400).
And since joining the ACC in 2004, Deem has won more ACC Women’s Indoor Championships (four, including the 2017 title) than all but one coach in conference history. She also has led the Hurricane women to a pair of ACC Outdoor Championships. In total, Miami has won 14 conference team titles under Deem’s guidance.
Deem has also made her mark on the sport outside of her tenure as coach of the Hurricanes. She served as the President of the United States Track Coaches Association from 2003-05, in addition to serving as the head coach of the United States team at the 2007 World Championships and the 2001 USATF Junior National team that competed in England and Scotland.
Deem’s success at Miami landed her the duty of serving her country during the 2012 London Olympics, where she was the head coach of the United States women’s team where her team posted one of the most dominating performances in USA Olympic track and field history. The team won 14 medals, including six gold, four silver and four bronze. Three of her former Miami athletes – Murielle Ahoure, T’erea Brown and Lauryn Williams – competed in the Games.
In addition to Ahoure, Brown and Williams, a slew of Hurricanes have gone onto Olympic success during and after learning under Deem, including Patrina Allen and Yolanda McCray.
Deem has been named USTFCCCA South Region Coach of the Year several times, notably in 2016 and 2017 for indoor track & field.
Deem and her fellow Class of 2017 inductees will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame for not only their incredible and historic accomplishments as track & field and cross country coaches, but also the long-lasting impact their contributions have had and will continue to have on the sports.
Started in 1995, the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame exists to recognize coaches who have brought great distinction to themselves, to their institutions and to the sports of cross country and track & field. Each of the honorees exemplifies the qualities of dedication to the sport, leadership and passion for their profession that serve as an inspiration to coaches everywhere.
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