BREAKING NEWS: NMU names Women's Track & Field Coach

Courtesy of NMU Athletics

MARQUETTE, Mich. – Chereé Hicks [pronounced Sher-REE] has been named head coach of the Northern Michigan University track and field program, Athletic Director Forrest Karr announced on Thursday (Sept. 20). She will begin her duties at NMU on Oct. 8.

Hicks spent 11 years as an assistant track and field coach at the University of Miami, Syracuse University and Portland State University and holds a USATF Level II certification in throws and jumps. She was an NCAA runner-up in the shot put and discus as a student-athlete at Syracuse and an Academic All-American and All-American in discus at California State University, Northridge.

“I’m very excited to be working at Northern Michigan,” Hicks said. “I really enjoyed the staff, student-athletes and Marquette area during my visit. I’m looking forward to building Wildcat track and field.”

“Chereé has a strong educational background,” Karr said. “She has accomplished many things in track and field, both as a student-athlete and as a coach. Her areas of expertise complement the strengths of our current staff and will help move the program forward.”

Hicks spent seven seasons at Miami as an assistant coach, focusing on throws under head coach Amy Deem, who recently served as the head women’s track and field coach for Team USA at the Olympic Games in London. Hicks coached an athlete who qualified for the NCAA Championship in four of her seven years. She also coached the first discus All-American in Miami history, Khadija Talley.

“There is so much potential for NMU’s program,” Hicks added. “It’s a young program so we’ll have to get out recruiting in Michigan and Wisconsin and through my contacts to get the word out that NMU is a great place for track and field.”

Before Miami, Hicks spent three seasons at Syracuse, where she coached her student-athletes to eight individual Big East Championships, 17 Big East All-Conference honors and five school-records. She was instrumental in the development of Johvonne Hernandez, who in 2004 set a Big East record and earned All-America honors in the hammer throw.

“I’m also excited that NMU’s going to host the GLIAC Indoor Championship in the near future,” said Hicks. “The preparations necessary will boost our facilities and bring more athletes and fans to the Superior Dome.”

During the 2002 season, Hicks was the assistant coach at Portland State.

During the 2000 season, Hicks finished second in the shot put at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, and was runner-up in both the shot put and discus at the NCAA outdoor meet. That season, she set a Big East Indoor Championship record in the shot put and Big East Outdoor Championship records in both the shot put and discus. In addition, she placed fifth in the shot put at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Hicks earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Syracuse in 2000 and ended her Syracuse career as the school-record holder in both the indoor and outdoor shot put and in the discus. A member of the 1997 USA Junior National team, she competed her freshman season at California State Northridge where she was an Academic All-American and an All-American in the discus.