Deem Named ACC Outdoor Women’s Coach of the Year
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem was named the 2018 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Women’s Coach of the Year, as announced by the conference office Friday.
Deem, who completed her 27thseason at the helm of Hurricanes track and field program, was recognized for the third time as the ACC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year and picked up her seventh conference coaching honor overall. In addition to being previously being named ACC Outdoor Women’s Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2006, Deem earned the same honor for ACC Indoors in 2005, 2006, 2016 and 2017.
“I am extremely proud of this group of coaches and student-athletes,” Deem said. “Without them, this award is not possible. It is always an honor to receive this award.”
Deem’s Coach of the Year honor comes after an outstanding season by the Hurricane women. Despite the loss of record-setting All-America sprinter Shakima Wimbley to graduation, Deem guided her youthful team to the ACC Women’s Outdoor Championship for the first time since the 2005 and 2006 squads claimed back-to-back titles. But the conference title was the third in three seasons for the Hurricanes, who claimed the ACC Indoor Championship in both 2016 and 2017.
The Hurricanes were propelled to the conference title by ACC Women’s Track MVP Symone Mason and ACC Women’s Field MVP Michelle Atherley. The duo contributed to six of Miami’s seven individual event conference titles at the 2018 ACC Outdoor Championships.
Mason was the 2018 ACC champion in the 200m and 400m, while Atherley won gold medals in the heptathlon and high jump. Samantha Gonzalez won the women’s 400m hurdles title, while the quartet of Kristina Knott, Alfreda Steele, Mason and Tiara McMinn claimed gold in the 4x100m relay and Mason, Anna Runia, Atherley and Gonzalez were crowned ACC champions in the women’s 4x400m.
Miami tallied 11 total medals at the 2018 ACC Outdoor Championships: seven gold, one silver and three bronze. The Canes picked up 21 All-ACC awards, including 17 spots on the All-ACC first team.
The Miami women were ranked as high as No. 15 nationally and earned nine USTFCCCA All-America honors. The Hurricanes also had 15 entries in the NCAA East Preliminary.
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