Damon Griffiths Named Track and Field Assistant Coach
TAMPA, AUGUST 23, 2019 – University of South Florida track and field head coach
Erik Jenkins announced Friday that Damon Griffiths has been hired as an assistant coach who will work primarily with the USF distance runners.
Griffiths spent the last 11 seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Miami, working with the men's and women's middle and long distance runners as well as the cross country team.
During his time with the Hurricanes, Griffiths helped 22 student-athletes post school records (11 men and 11 women), coached 16 ACC scorers and helped produce 62 all-time top five performances in Miami history. In addition, Griffiths helped coach Miami to three ACC Women's Track and Field Championships in a row, winning indoor in 2016 and 2017, and outdoor in 2018.
"I am ecstatic to add Damon Griffiths to our staff," Jenkins said. "He is a veteran coach with years of experience, specifically in the distance events. He has recruited and developed school record holders, conference champions and All-Americans. He is a native Floridian with a vast knowledge of the distance events and he can guide our student-athletes to success."
Before joining the coaching staff at Miami, Griffiths spent eight years as the Athletic Director and head cross country/track coach at Bay Point High School in Miami. At Bay Point, Griffiths guided the Falcons to six consecutive district track titles, two regional titles and a state runner-up finish in 2005. Griffiths was named
Miami Herald High School Boys Track Coach of the Year in 2005.
Griffiths competed for the University of Miami from 1993-1997. He competed in events ranging from the 400 meters to cross country. During his stay, he was a record holder of four indoor events (800m, mile, 4x400 relay, distance medley relay) and five outdoor events (800m, 4x400 relay, 4x800 relay, sprint medley relay and distance medley relay). Griffiths served as the cross country team captain while earning all-state honors his sophomore and junior years. Griffiths ran the 400 leg on the 1994 Penn Relays Championship sprint relay team, the only one in school history.
Griffiths earned his Bachelor of Science in speech communications and sociology from the University of Miami in 1997.
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About USF Track and Field
The USF track and field team has produced 22 All-America selections since 2008 and at least one All-American in nine of the last 11 years. 2016 graduate Matthew O'Neal is USF's first six-time NCAA All-American. USF has posted two NCAA runner-up finishes since 2013 - O'Neal (triple jump, 2016) and Courtney Anderson (high jump, 2013). The Bulls hosted the 2018 NCAA Track and Field East Preliminary at the USF Track and Field Stadium.
