Queens University of Charlotte Men's Track

Baney was named the USTFCCCA Southeast Regional Assistant Coach of the Year. Felix Duchampt captured track athlete of the year by qualifying for the indoor national meet in the mile, 3k, 5k and distance medley relay.  During the outdoor season coach Baney again was named USTFCCCA Southeast Regional Assistant Coach of the Year, this time for the women as Andrea Guerra captured USTFCCCA Southeast Regional Track Athlete of the Year honors.   During Baneys three years at Queens she has coached 11 NCAA cross country national qualifiers and two cross country All-Americans. On the track, she has coached 23 national qualifiers and one junior national qualifier. During her time here both teams have improved in Cross Country and Track. Baney handles all distance responsibilities; she came to Queens from East Carolina University where she spent four years as the assistant cross country track coach. The Pirate programs have been gradually improving over the past few years with Baneys leadership, collecting both programs best finishes on the mens and womens side at the Conference USA Championships and NCAA Southeast Regional meets.    Prior to joining the Pirate staff, Baney, spent five years as a student-athlete at UNC-Charlotte. The three-time cross country all-conference selection achieved her highest conference finish in 2006 when she crossed the line in 2nd place at the Atlantic-10 Conference Championship. Baneys best finish in the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship came at the end of her junior year, when she clocked a season and collegiate-best 6K time of 21:25.5.   Baney also displayed excellence on the track. She was a three-time conference champion in the steeplechase, as well as three-time all-conference participant in the 5k, a four-time NCAA Regional participant, four-time National Junior Qualifier, two-time NCAA National qualifier, and the Atlantic 10 record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. In 2005, she qualified for the NCAA East Regional and was the C-USA Champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, posting a school-record time of 10:21.18 at the meet. Baney went on to finish 11th in the steeplechase at the NCAA East Regional in 2005. As a junior, Baney qualified for the highly competitive USA Track and Field Nationals in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. A year later, she ran a career-best steeplechase time of 10:10, which was fast enough to rank her among the professional ranks. She met the qualifying standard for the Olympic Trials but missed the 24 and final spot by less than a half second with that time. She was also the UNC-Charlotte record holder in the indoor 5,000-meter run.     2014 - 3rd, 31st at NCAAs 2013 - 10th (Felix Duchampt individual qualifier - All-American) 2012 - No Team   2014 - 4th (Catie Byrd - All-American, Meghan Wright individual Qualifier) 2013 - 10th 2012 - No Team (Mathilde Timboni individual qualifier)  

Gibson joins the track and field staff after a successful career at the NCAA Division II level at Shippensburg University where he was an All-American member of their distance medley relay team. He will assist Associate Head Cross Country/Assistant Track and Field Coach Tsehaye Baney in all aspects of working with the distance group and will help with day to day operations in the office.   Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Jim Vahrenkamp says, Nick is exactly what we were looking for when we began to identify candidates to work with Coach Baney and the distance program. He has a strong desire to become a coach and comes from a family with a coaching background. Currently both his brother, sister and father coach at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels.   2013 (R-Junior): Gibson completed a redshirt season in cross country at Shippensburg. On the track, Gibson anchored both of SUs PSAC Championship 4x800-meter relay squads and capped off a banner year with three more PSAC individual place-winning performances, including two All-PSAC honors. Indoors, Gibson placed third in the mile and fourth in the 800 meters while outdoors, he placed third in the 800 meters.   2012-13 (R-Sophomore): Gibson began the year at California, Pa., running cross country, before transferring to Shippensburg in the winter. With the Vulcans, Gibson ran in all six of his teams races. He was the No. 3 runner at the PSAC Championships and the No. 5 runner at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships. Gibson also posted a sub-27 minute 8K time at the Waynesburg Invitational and was a member of the AD Honor Roll. He red-shirted in track & field at Shippensburg.      

Hicks returns for his second season with the track and field program working primarily with the middle distance group. As a decorated runner himself, he placed third at the 2005 USA Outdoor Championships in the 800 meter and earned himself a spot to represent Team USA at the World Championships in 2005. Hicks was also a NCAA Runner-up in the 800 meter while at Florida A&M and will play a large role in the success of the middle distance athletes. Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Jim Vahrenkampsays, Kevin has a wealth of knowledge about what it takes to compete at the highest level. I am excited to see Kevin work with our very solid group of middle distance runners. We want to give our kids every chance to be successful and having Kevin on our staff does exactly that. Career Highlights:  2005 USA Indoor champion; 3rd at 2005 USA Outdoors; 2nd at NCAA Outdoors As a collegiate sophomore Kevin Hicks became the first Florida A&M track star to qualify for the World Championships since 1990 by kicking his way to a third-place finish in the Hershey's 800 Meter Final at the 2005 USA Outdoor Championships. Hurdler Reggie Davis of Tallahassee was the last FAMU athlete to reach the World Championships stage in the late 1980s. Hicks captured the first USA Indoor title for an FAMU runner since Bob Hayes (60 meters) in 1964, on February 27, 2005 with a victory in the 800 meter final. Hicks has made great progress in 2005 and in the future will look to become the third FAMU track athlete as a U.S. Olympian joining the late Bob Hayes (1964) and Rey Robinson (1972) - the present FAMU coach.   2006:   5 th in opening round at USA Outdoors (1:49.78)1 st at Kansas Relays (1:47.58)7 th at adidas Classic (1:47.05)best of 1:47.58.   2005: 3rd at USA Outdoors (1:46.99); 2 nd at NCAA Outdoors (1:44.94); USA Indoor 800m champ (1:48.73) ranked #3 U.S. by T&FN best of 1:44.94.   2004: MEAC 800m & 1,500m champion (1:49.41/3:53.33)best of 1:48.02.    

Naus athletes continued to crush the record books. Seniors Zach Lewis and Quinn Ryder both ran under the 50 second barrier indoor and finished first and third at the SAC championships to help lead the men to their first conference championship in school history. On the womens side, freshman Asia Hart broke both the indoor and outdoor school record in the 400m dash. Both the men and the women improved on their respective school records in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.   Lionel Nau comes to Queens by way of Paine College in Augusta, Ga., where he was an assistant track and field coach. Nau has coached many great athletes, including an NCAA second place finalist in the long jump, a men's 47.70 quarter miler and a women's 5.16:50 1500 meter runner. He has also worked with a great deal of international athletes, as he himself was a three-time French Nationals participant in the 400 meter sprint and a two-time finalist in the open 400 meter French junior and senior nationals.             "Lionel brings a wealth of experience to our program in the horizontal jumps and in the 400 meter dash," commented Vahrenkamp. "His guidance will help us to continue to improve our athletes in these areas.             In addition Lionel brings with him contacts and experience in working with international athletes that will benefit our program. With his help we will continue to develop Queens Track and Field into one of the best programs in the region."  

Vukicevic joins the track and field staff for his first year primarily working with the high jump as he continues his own career.  As an athlete at Queens, he was an All-American in the high jump and owns the indoor and outdoor school records for the event. He will be an asset to the Royals jumpers bringing a wide variety of knowledge in the vertical jumps and the dynamic of the program.  Director of Cross Country and Track and Field says, Jovan had a great career for us and now he returns to help develop our jump groups. He will work closely with myself at practice and on the recruiting trail. Our focus is to continue to build our jumps program into the very best in the Southeast Region and ultimately the nation. PRE-WSU CAREER. During high school years played volleyball, tennis and competed in track and field...dad was his tennis coach...as a high jumper, 2002-03 made the finals at European Youth Olympic Festival in Paris...finished second at Youth Balkan Games...at 2004 European Champions Clubs Cup (ECCC) for Juniors was runner-up after clearing 2.15m/7-0 1/2 (Ostrava, Czech Republic)...Junior National Youth Champion...top mark for European Youth, second in World...2004-05 repeated as Junior National Champion...finished seventh at European Juniors Championships, second at ECCC Juniors, advanced to final at ECCC Seniors meet...during 2005-06, won World Junior Championship in Beijing...Junior Balkan Games champion, ECCC Juniors champion...leaped 2.20m/7-2 1/2 for second place at National Championship...in 2006-07 advanced to the European Championships U-23 final and at the ECCC final...competed at the World University Games...won the National Championship...in 2007-08 soared to PR and Olympic standard of 2.27m/7-5 1/4 to win the National Championship (Kragujevac, Serbia)...also third at Balkan Games...in 2008-09, advanced to final at World University Games...during 2009-10 was runner-up at ECCC and at National Championship. PERSONAL. Born in October 1989, in Trstenik, Serbia...Father Slobodan is a professor of physical education...Mother Blagica is an accountant...Older sister Ana...Enjoys playing volleyball and tuning and styling cars...Majoring in general social sciences.    

White is joining the track and field staff for her first year, after a successful career at Coastal Carolina and Georgia State where she was an NCAA Regional qualifier.  White was also a Big South Champion in the 400 where she set the conference and school records while at Coastal Carolina. She will be working with the long sprinters while continuing her education in the MBA program.   Amber will help by working with our sprinters this year, said Jim Vahrenkamp, director of cross country and track and field. She will enable us to work even more closely with one of our more successful groups on our team. She will help with technical instruction and the actual execution of our daily practices.   2009 Outdoor: Was a part of the winning 4x100-meter relay team that broke the Big South meet record with a time of 45.28...Helped the 4x400 team to a Big South record of 3:40.67 at the Penn Relays...Was on the winning 4x400-meter relay team at the Shamrock Invitational with a time of 46.82...Was on school-record 4x100 team that qualified for the NCAA Regionals with a time of 45.60...Won 200-meter dash at Chanticleer Classic with a time of 24.82.   2009 Indoor: Won the 400-meter dash at the 2009 Big South Championships with a meet-record time of 55.57, a record White previously held...Won the 200-meter dash at the Clemson Tiger Invitational with a time of 25:14.   2007 Outdoor : NCAA Regional competitor in the 400 meters during Outdoor...Big South Champion in the 400...Set meet record at Big South Outdoor Championships (54.57) ...Her 54.57 at the Big South Championships is also a new Coastal record...Member of the Big South Championship 4x400-meter relay team that ran 3:45.23, a new Big South Outdoor Championship Meet record...Member of the sprint medley relay team that ran 4:03.42 at Penn Relays.   2007 Indoor : Big South Conference Champion in the 400, setting a new conference and Coastal 400-meter record during indoor with a time of 55.71...Earned All-Conference honors in the 200 and 400...Finished second in the 200 behind teammate Chasity Johnson to help Coastal to a 1-2 finish, running a season-best time of 24.86...Won the 400 meter dash at the Maryland Terrapin Invitational (56.17) and was second at UNC Fast Times (56.85).   2006 Outdoor : Earned Outdoor All-Conference honors in the 400 meters...Finished third at the Big South Outdoor Conference Championships in the 400 meters with a time of 56.26...Won the 400 meters at the Battle of the Beach...On the 4x400-meter relay team that won the Shamrock Invitational and the Western Carolina Invite...Had her season-best in the 200 meters at the Big South Championships with a time of 24.56...On the 4x400 relay team that set a new school record at the Penn Relays with a time of 3:46.41.   2006 Indoor : Earned Indoor All-Conference honors in the 200 meter dash, 400 meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay...Finished second at the Big South Indoor Championships in the 400 with a time of 56.22...Placed fourth in the 200 meters at the Big South Indoor Championships with a time of 25.48...On the Big South Championship 4x400 relay team that ran 3:49.10...Ran a season-best 7.97 in the 60 meters at the Big South Championships.      

McQueen is entering his third season at Queens as an assistant coach focusing on the hurdle and high jump groups. Through his leadership his athletes have established seven school records in his first two seasons. In 2015, Johannes Riemann established new school records and NCAA qualifying marks in the 60m and 110m hurdles races. Riemann also led a 1-2 finish in the 110m hurdles for the men at the SAC championships which helped lead the men to capturing their first conference championship in school history.   Before coming to Charlotte Coach McQueen spent time as the Head coach at Adelphi University in New York. During his time as a coach at Adelphi, McQueen helped Morgan Russell capture East Coast Conference (ECC) individual titles in both the 100 and 400 meter hurdles and guided the 4x400 meter relay team to a conference crown as well. He also pushed Russell to a school record time in the 100 meter hurdles.   A native of Hempstead, N.Y., McQueen was an assistant track and field coach at Uniondale High School in Uniondale, N.Y., where he coached the sprints, hurdles and vertical jumps, producing Nassau County champions and New York State qualifiers during the indoor and outdoor seasons. A former Nassau County champion and New York State finalist in track and field, McQueen also competed in football and swimming at Uniondale H.S., where he still holds the school's high jump record.   An All-American high hurdler and a four-year letter winner at Syracuse University, McQueen competed in the NCAA Championships (1990, 1992) as well as the USA Track and Field Championships in 1989, 1990, and 1991. McQueen was also the 1991 BIG EAST Indoor high jump champion, the 1992 BIG EAST Indoor 55 meter high hurdles champion and a member of the 4x400 meter relay team that secured Syracuse University's first ever team title at the BIG EAST Indoor Track and Field Championships in 1992. In 1993, McQueen graduated with a bachelor's degree in Speech Communication from Syracuse University. He earned his USATF Level I certification in 2004 and became Level II certified in sprint and hurdles in July 2005. McQueen resides in Charlotte, N.C., with his wife, Suzette, and children, Sedona and Kyle. 

Morris guided the mens and womens throwers to three school records during the indoor season and six school records during the outdoor season.  Coach Morris was instrumental in developing Ella Fox and Johanna Schonecker into national qualifiers in the javelin. Coach Morris womens throwers contributed 41 of the 208 points to win the conference championships in the first year in the South Atlantic Conference. The championship was the first in school history by either a mens or womens team.   "Sarah is a great addition to our coaching staff," Vahrenkamp stated. "She has a lot of experience working with the throws and I am excited to watch her continue the development of our throwing program. It is important that we have a full time staff member devoted to the throws both for recruiting and for the day-to-day instruction of our athletes. Sarah is incredibly passionate and I look forward to watching her instill that same passion in our athletes."   Morris competed in 2012 after exhausting her collegiate eligibility while working as a volunteer throws coach for Western Michigan University. She threw a career best of 181-3 in the discus eclipsing the qualifying mark for the 2012 Olympic Trials.   A native of Mount Pleasant, Mich., Sarah Morris comes to Queens as a 2012 graduate from Western Michigan University. A talented thrower, Morris holds the school record in the discus and took first place in three competitions for discus her senior year including the Alabama Relays, EMU Twilight and the Toledo Invite. In 2009, Morris qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. In 2010 she placed 3 rd at the Outdoor MAC Championship and finished 16 th in the discus at the NCAA East Preliminaries. In 2010 she scored in the MAC Championship in the discus and competed at the NCAA East Preliminary Championships taking 15 th overall in the discus.   At Mount Pleasant High School (2003-2007), Morris was named all-state in discus in 2006 and 2007. Four-time district champion and conference champion (2004-07), regional champion in 2006 and 2007 and set the school record with a throw of 143-9.  

Vahrenkamp enters his fourth season with the Royals after three successful years rebuilding the cross country and track & field programs. In cross country the men captured a bid to the 2014 NCAA National Championships in Louisville, Ky. while Catie Byrd captured the programs first ever Individual Regional Champion. She then went on to finish 32nd at the NCAA championship where she was named All-American. Her finish was the highest finish for a female in program history.   On the track, Nikia Squire set new school records in the 60m earning her a birth at the NCAA Championships and at the USATF Indoor championships. Her appearance at the USATF championships was a first in program history. At the NCAA championships Squire captured All-American Status in the 60m dash and the Long Jump.   At the 2015 outdoor championships both the men and women captured conference championship titles, another first in program history. I am so proud of what the men and women have accomplished this year. It has been pretty inspiring to see them come together and support one another at the conference championship. There were great performances across the board in all events and they showed the type of team effort that it takes to win championships this weekend, said Vahrenkamp.   Vahrenkamp repeated as Southeast Regional Womens Outdoor Track Coach of the Year, and added to his collection the 2015 Southeast Regional Womens Indoor Coach of the Year, as well as the 2015 SAC Mens and Womens Coach of the Year awards. Through his leadership the Royals have been awarded eight All-American honors, in the past three seasons.   Prior to Queens, Vahrenkamp spent three season with the Augustana College Vikings in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. At Augustana, Vahrenkamps core responsibilities involved recruiting for both the mens and womens programs, assisting in budgeting and fundraising, monitoring academic success plans for both programs and assisting in meet administration at home events. As an assistant he was also in charge of coaching jumps, sprints, hurdles, and multi-events with the track and field teams.   While with the Vikings, Vahrenkamp had the opportunity to coach Adou Omot, the 2011 NCAA Division II 800 meter indoor and outdoor champion. At the close of the 2011 spring season the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named Vahrenkamp the Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year for his efforts in just his second complete season with the Vikings.   Augustanas most recent success came in the 2011 cross country season when the women were able capture the NCAA National Title. In 2010 the Viking men finished sixth, their highest finish ever in school history, while the women took seventh. In track the Viking women won the indoor Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championship for the first time in school history before winning the outdoor title for the first time in 2011.   Prior to joining Augustanas staff, Vahrenkamp was an assistant track and field coach for one year at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Emory, Vahrenkamp coached throws, pole vault, high jump and multi-event athletes for both the indoor and outdoor teams. The Eagles snagged their first University Athletic Association Indoor Championship in 2009 and the coaching staff was recognized as Coaching Staff of the Year.   Before Emory, Vahrenkamp spent two seasons with the Coyotes of the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. While there he helped the mens indoor and womens outdoor teams become North Central Conference Champions in 2007. In 2008 the women were indoor and outdoor NCC Champions. Vahrenkamp also spent three years at Rapid City Christian High School as the assistant track and field coach where he coached the state champion in the womens 3200. Before joining the collegiate world of coaching Vahrenkamp was the 2001 South Dakota State Champion in 300-meter hurdles and in 2002 he became the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology school record holder in the pentathlon.   He then went on to attend the University of South Dakota where he was part of the North Central Conference Championship team during the 2005 indoor season and the 2006 indoor and outdoor seasons. He also became the 2005 NCC Champion in the pentathlon. The Coyotes finished fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2006. Vahrenkamp holds a bachelors degree in education which he obtained from The U in 2006. He also received his masters degree in history from there in 2008. In addition, he has earned the USTFCCCA Head Coaching Certification and a Certification in Sprints and Hurdles along with the Track and Field Technical Certification and the USATF Level One Track and Field Coaching Certification.