YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University’s women’s track and field Head Coach Sue Parks has announced the addition of two new assistant coaches to the program for the 2013-14 season.
Jonathan Debogory, previously of Columbia University, will coach field and multi-events. At Columbia, he coached numerous All-Ivy League honorees and regional qualifiers. During the 2013 campaign, he coached the Ivy League champion in the hammer throw and in 2012 he mentored the Ivy League champions in the heptathlon and high jump. He also produced All-Ivy League athletes in the pole vault and discus throw.
“I’m very excited to join the rich tradition of Eastern Michigan track and field. I would like to thank Coach Parks for the opportunity and look forward to helping the program reach new heights,” commented Debogory on his new position.
A 2002 graduate of Liberty University, Debogory spent time at Sacred Heart University, Campbell University, and Lynchburg College. While at Sacred Heart, he was a member of the 2011 Northeast Conference Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year and coached multiple conference and school record holders, NEC and New England champions, and one USA Junior qualifier. His All-NEC athletes include athletes in shot put, weight throw, hammer throw, discus throw, javelin, high jump, long jump, pole vault, 110-meter hurdles, 60-meter hurdles, and 400-meter hurdles. His women’s hammer throw athlete won the NEC Championship title as well as New England Championship title and the NEC record in 2011.
Debogory also spent time at Campbell University and Lynchburg College, where he coached a Division III All-American and numerous NCAA qualifiers in weight throw, long jump, 400-meter hurdles, pole vault, heptathlon, and decathlon.
As an athlete himself, Debogory was a decathlete at Liberty University and was an NCAA provisional qualifier.
“I’m very excited about the addition of Jon to our staff. Jon brings a lot of coaching experience and success in many different events,” said Parks. “He has coached at a number of different types of programs and I believe that he is the perfect fit for Eastern. He is a fierce competitor and I believe that he will instill that winning desire in our athletes.”
Joining Debogory will be Lamont Johnson. Johnson comes to the Eagles after an extremely successful coaching campaign at the Academy of Art University. In 2013, the Urban Knights won two NCAA Division II Championships in just their first year of post-season eligibility. Between the indoor and outdoor seasons, 10 athletes were named United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association All-Americans with a staggering 32 individual titles between them. One athlete, who held 11 of the 32 All-American titles, competed in both the U.S. Olympic Trials and the USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships. Johnson will coach sprints, hurdles, and sprint relays.
“This is a great opportunity for me here at Eastern Michigan University,” said Johnson. “Coach Parks is an excellent leader and I thank her greatly for hiring me. The young ladies I have started working with are amazing, fun to be around, and they are adapting to my training routine nicely. I’m excited about the great possibilities and the feats that we can achieve.”
Johnson also spent time at Iowa State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Alabama, and Troy University. During his coaching career he has assisted in mentoring NCAA Champions, USTFCCCA All-Americans, World Championship gold medalists, and U.S. Olympic trial competitors.
Johnson adds a wealth of experience as an athlete to his coaching credentials, as he is a former All-Big 12 honoree, NCAA Championship qualifier, five-time U.S. Indoor Championships qualifier, U.S. Outdoor Championships qualifier, U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier, and competitor for Team USA.
Coach Parks had nothing but praise for Johnson as well. “Lamont has been around many great athletes and teams and he has a great passion for our sport. He knows what it takes to win, and I feel that the athletes are going to respond well to his coaching style.”
With the addition of the two new coaches, Coach Parks is optimistic about the future of EMU’s track and field program. “This will be a new era for our team with two new assistants on board and I couldn’t be more excited about the qualities that they bring to our program. They are both very hungry to win and have a great desire to help our athletes succeed academically, athletically, and personally. That fits in perfectly with what we are trying to achieve here at Eastern.”
The women’s track and field team is looking to build on last season’s success, in which they claimed a runner-up finish in the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships and fifth place in the MAC Outdoor Championships.
Eastern Michigan University
FROM: http://www.emueagles.com/news/2013/9/26/WTRACK_0926131119.aspx?path=wtrack
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