July 18, 2007
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – D’Andre Hill, a former American Olympic sprinter and one-time head coach at Dayton University, has accepted an offer to become the new head coach of the Vanderbilt women’s track and field program.
Hill comes to Vanderbilt after serving three years as an assistant coach for sprinters and relays at the Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth. At TCU, she coached several All-America recipients, including Virgil Hodge, who finished fifth in the 200 meters at the recent NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Before joining TCU, Hill worked three years as the head coach at Dayton.
Hill, a native of Ohio who represented the United States at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, also will become the first African-American head coach in the history of Vanderbilt athletics.
Hill replaces Lori Shepard, who was not retained recently by Vanderbilt officials after completing her seventh year as head track and field coach.
“We are delighted to have such an outstanding person and coach as D’Andre joining Vanderbilt to guide the women’s track and field program,” Vice Chancellor David Williams II said. “After a thorough and intensive national search, we were fortunate to attract our top candidate to Vanderbilt, and believe that D’Andre is the right person to develop the track and field program into a Southeastern Conference and national contender.”
“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity of working at Vanderbilt,” Hill said. “It’s a prestigious academic institution and a tremendous opportunity to create a program capable of competing against the best in the nation. I’m also excited because there’s a lot of enthusiasm and energy with the program right now. I’m really looking forward to getting to work with the young women currently in the team and also working to recruit others that want to take the program to the next level.
Hill’s sprint corps at TCU paced the Horned Frogs to a 27th overall finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships. Hodge, Hill’s top pupil, aided the team total with a fifth in the 200 meters and anchored the TCU 4×100-meter relay foursome to a fourth-place finish. In each of Hill’s years at TCU, the Horned Frogs improved on its finish at the NCAA, moving from 70th in 2005 to 27th this season. This summer, Hodge has continued her strong form, winning the NACAC Championships 200-meter dash last week in 22.73. The meet, staged in El Salvador, features top athletes from North America, Central America and Caribbean countries.
Hill’s TCU sprinters also captured numerous Mountain West Conference individual titles, winning the 200 and 400 while sweeping two relays at the 2005 meet. The team enjoyed similar success at the conference’s indoor championships.
Several records set by runners mentored by Hill during her three-year tenure at Dayton continue to stand as team marks. Versatile sprinter Khaleelah Sneed holds team outdoor marks in the 200 meters (24.30) and 400 meters (53.30) that came under Hill’s tutelege in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The school’s standard in the 4×200-meter relay, 1:42.70, was set by Hill pupils in 2003.
Hill enjoyed a stellar collegiate career competing for LSU, helping the Tigers to three straight national championships from 1994-96. Following her senior season, Hill was honored as the 1996 Honda Award recipient, given to the NCAA Women’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
Hill was a 15-time All-America recipient and six-time NCAA individual champion while running the 60, 100 and 200 meters, as well as both relays for LSU. She was a two-time NCAA individual outdoor champion in the 100 meters, winning the prestigious event in 1995 and 1996. She also captured the indoor 55-meter national title in 1996. She also was part of a 4×100-meter relay squad at LSU that captured three consecutive national titles from 1994-96. Hill also placed second in the 200 meters during both the 1996 indoor and outdoor national championships.
Hill also ran her best races in important meets. Her personal best at 100 meters, 10.92, came while qualifying for the 1996 Olympics at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Her 200-meter personal best of 22.49 came at the 1996 NCAA Championships.
As an Olympian, Hill reached the semifinals of the 100-meter dash at the Atlanta Games. She also competed in the 1995 World Track and Field Championships.
Hill is a member of the U.S. Women’s Track Coaches Association and the USA Track Coaches Association.
While Hill will direct the women’s track and field effort, Steve Keith will serve as head coach of Vanderbilt men’s and women’s cross country teams and Commodore distance runners.
