The University of Mississippi Athletics
Joe Walker Nominated For USOC Coach Of The Year
8/19/2002 | Track and Field
Aug. 19, 2002
OXFORD, Miss. - Collegiate coaches Joe Walker of Ole Miss and Amy Deem of Miami (Fla.) have been nominated by USA Track & Field for the United States Olympic Committee's 2002 Coaching Recognition Program.
In an effort to elevate the status of coaching as a profession and to recognize the best coaches in America, the USOC invites each Olympic/Pan American sport to nominate two coaches -- a national coach and a developmental coach to be its candidates for Coach of the Year. The USOC will select five finalists in each category who then will be invited to a Coaches Summit in mid-October where the overall winners will be announced.
Walker was the collegiate coach of top-ranked long jumper Savante Stringfellow and currently coaches 2002 World Junior 110H Champion Antwon Hicks and Marquita Aldridge, who also competed at the 2002 World Junior Championships. A track and field coach for 33 years, Walker has been at Ole Miss since 1988, where he has produced three NCAA Champions. In his early career, he coached four-time Olympian and 2001 USATF Hall of Fame Inductee Larry Myricks. Walker has been nominated for the 2002 National Coach of the Year Award.
"It is always great to be honored by your national governing body," said Walker. "I am humbled and very appreciative for the support of the USATF."
The BIG EAST Conference 2002 Coach of the Year, Deem is entering her 12th season at the University of Miami, where she led the Hurricanes to their fourth BIG EAST Conference Championships in Women's Track and Field. She is a five-time BIG EAST Coach of the Year and was also named the 2002 South Region Coach of the Year by Mondo/U.S. Track Coaches Association. This is Deem''s second straight year winning the honor. Deem has guided 15 different athletes to a combined total of 39 All-America honors and five individual NCAA championships, including 2002 World Junior double medalist Lauryn Williams (100m and 4x100m). Deem has been nominated for the 2002 Developmental Coach of the Year Award.
In 2001, the USOC named Richard Quirk (swimming) its National Coach of the Year and Fred Zimny (luge) its Developmental Coach of the Year.