Hicks Named Track And Field Assistant Coach

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Shareese Hicks, who served as the Neosho County Community College track and field head coach the past five seasons, joins the Tigers program as an assistant coach, University of Memphis head coach Kevin Robinson announced Tuesday. Hicks will coach the sprints and hurdles groups.

"I'm excited to welcome Shareese to Tiger Nation and our track and field family," said Robinson. "She's a perfect fit for the program and a perfect fit for this community. She has that edge, that little chip on her shoulder that's going to help elevate this program to the next level. This is a great opportunity for both her and our program. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work with her."

In her five seasons at Neosho County, Hicks wasted no time improving the Panthers program. She coached 20 athletes that were National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national qualifiers, including three that earned All-America honors. One of her All-Americans was Sergio Wilson, who was the 2017 NJCAA national champion in the men's javelin. He was the 2016 NJCAA national runner-up in the same event.

Hicks' leadership elevated not only individual performers but also the men's and women's squads as a whole. In her tenure in Chanute, Kan., the men's team moved up one spot in the regional rankings, and the women's climbed two positions. The program, men and women combined, improved its NJCAA rank two spots.

The Panthers track and field program had success in the classroom and in the community under Hicks' direction. The men's and women's teams both increased their grade-point averages by nearly a half-point or more. The Panthers also spent more time in the community in the Hicks' era with nearly 500 additional hours of service to the Neosho County campus and surrounding area.

The past year, Hicks also worked as a personal trainer.

Prior to jumping into the full-time collegiate coaching ranks, Hicks was a professional track and field athlete from 2008-15. She competed primarily in the sprint events – 100, 200 and 400 meters – in meets across the United States and internationally.

A 2012 USA Olympic Trials finalist in the 400 meters, Hicks impressed in her first year as a professional in 2008. That year, she won gold at the USA Indoor Nationals in the 400 meters and took home bronze from the World Indoor Championships in the same event. Hicks also ran a leg on the bronze-medal winning 4x400-meter relay at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.

Hicks won gold as a member of the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships (NACAC). She also won silver in the 200 meters at NACAC. Hicks won silver in the 4x100-meter relay at the Pan American Games.

After her collegiate career ended in 2007, Hicks immediately got the coaching itch and returned to her alma mater, Charlotte, as a volunteer assistant coach from 2007-09 while she continued training for her professional career. In 2009-10, Hicks served as a volunteer assistant coach at Bethune Cookman in Daytona Beach, Fla.

In between her collegiate stops, Hicks moved to the high school ranks and was an assistant coach at Christopher Columbus High School in 2012-13 and served as the head coach Coral Reef High School in 2013-14. Both schools are located in Miami, Fla.

Before her career as a professional athlete and coach, Hicks (then Woods) was a standout student-athlete at Charlotte from 2004-07. Afour-time All-American, Hicks was the first 49er to earn two All-America honors in the same season. Hicks was a standout sprinter who won nine individual conference championships and five relay conference titles and owns the most all-conference performances (17) in program history. Hicks was a two-time Atlantic 10 Conference Performer of the Meet at the league indoor championships and led Charlotte to four Atlantic 10 team indoor and outdoor championships.

She was the first 49ers female sprinter to qualify for the NCAA Championships and the first 49er to compete in three events at an NCAA Championships meet.Hicks boasts the best national finish ever by a 49ers track and field athlete with her fourth-place performance in the 200 meters at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Hicks also shares or owns eight Charlotte program records. Last fall, Charlotte Athletics honored Hicks in a jersey retirement recognition at the 49ers football Homecoming game.

University of Memphis Athletics

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