Amy Deem, who has spent the previous 31 seasons coaching the Hurricanes, is the Director of Track and Field/Cross Country at the University of Miami.
Deem was promoted to her current position in 2008 after serving as the head women’s coach since June 1990. At the time of her promotion, she became just the sixth woman to oversee both the men’s and women’s track and cross country programs at a Division I school.
In her 29th year with the Canes, Deem coached the women’s team to a second-place finish in the ACC indoor Championships, featuring Debbie Ajagbe who won both the women’s weight throw and shot put to earn ACC Field MVP honors. It’s the second time in two years Miami earned the award. Freshman Jacious Sears earned 14 points for the Canes in her first ever conference meet finishing second in the 60 and third in the 200. The Canes sent three women to the 60m finals, and three to the shot put finals, which scored 21 points.
Deem coached Miami’s 17th national track and field champion as Michelle Atherley claimed the NCAA Indoor Pentathlon title with a program record and ACC record point total at 4,547. Miami earned its fourth title in four years at the ACC Indoor Championships, with the likes of Brittny Ellis, Kayla Johnson, Debbie Ajagbe, Selina Dantzler, Tiara McMinn and the 4×400 all taking the podium. Atherely was also named ACC Field MVP of the Indoor Championships.
Later in the season, Atherley went on to defend her outdoor ACC heptathlon title and finished third at Nationals in the event. Debbie Ajagbe, Tiara McMinn, the 4×400, Kevin Arreaga, Raheem Chambers, Samantha Gonzalez all made their way to Nationals for the outdoor season to close out yet another successful track campaign under Deem.
Deem guided a youthful team to the 2018 ACC Women’s Outdoor Championship, Miami’s first since 2006. This was the third conference title in three years after claiming the Indoor Championship in both 2016 and 2017. She was named the 2018 ACC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the year for the third time, her seventh overall ACC coaching honor.
Under Deem’s guidance, Symone Mason was named the 2018 ACC Women’s Track MVP, while Michelle Atherley was named the ACC Women’s Field MVP for 2018. The pair won six of Miami’s seven individual events conference titles at the 2018 ACC Outdoor Championships.
Miami totaled 11 total medals at the Outdoor Championships: seven gold, one silver and three bronze. The Canes also picked up 21 All-ACC awards, including 17 spots on the All-ACC first team and saw eight Canes make their way to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The Canes women were ranked as high as No. 15 nationally during the season and earned nine USTFCCCA All-American honors.
The Indoor season also produced 12 different student-athletes earning 13 All-ACC honors. Atherley finished sixth at the NCAA Indoor Championship in the pentathlon and was named a first team All American. The indoor season saw Kayla Johnson break the Top 5 list in UM history in both the 600 meters and 800 meters, while Anne den Otter broke Latrice Shaw’s 1000m time set in 1998. Amy Taintor finished her final season with the Canes’ third-best Pentathlon finish with 3,967 points.
The 2016 track and field season was monumental in Hurricanes history, as the Miami women won their third ACC Indoor Championship. Deem was named ACC Coach of the Year and USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year for the 2016 indoor season.
The Canes had six women qualify for the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships, with Alysha Newman and Dakota Dailey-Harris earning First Team All-America honors and four other Canes being named to the second team.
Shakima Wimbley was named ACC Women’s Indoor Track Most Outstanding Performer after winning the 2 ...