Tennessee State Track and Field Star Clariwin Dameus Named OVC Women's Athlete of the Year

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

(photo from TSU athletics web site)

In what turned out to be no surprise to anyone, Tennessee State's Clairwin Dameus, who dominated Ohio Valley Conference women's track and field for the past three seasons, was named the OVC's Female Athlete of the Year.

Dameus has won three straight OVC Athlete of the Championship in running roughshod over the competition during the OVC Indoor Track and Field Championships.  This year she won the pentathlon, long jump and was part of the 4x400 meter relay team.  She was second in the 55 meters and the 55 meters hurdles.

She won the long jump and 400 meter hurdles during the outdoor season and was part of the winning 4x100 meter relay team.  She won silver medals in the 100 meters and with the 4x400 meter relay team.

Dameus became TSU's first two-time Division I USTFCCCA first-team All American after finishing sixth in the long jump and eighth in the pentathlon during the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships. She competes in the heptathlon during the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 8-11 and will attempt to qualify for the long jump, 100 meters hurdles and as a member of the 4x400 meters relay team during the NCAA East Preliminary Round May 26-28.

Dameus is the first TSU woman to win the honor.  Former TSU football star Carlos Rodgers won the OVC Athlete of the Year in 1994 while football star Charles Anthony won it in 2005.

Margaret Richards Takes Over Women's Head Basketball Coach Job at Alabama A&M

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.

Alabama A&M's search for a new women's basketball coach didn't take very long.

Margaret Richards, who served the past year as an assistant coach with Clemson, has been named the head women's basketball coach at Alabama A&M.

Richards takes over for Semeka Randall, who last week decided not to return to the Lady Bulldogs program after a 5-25 season in which Alabama A&M finished next to last in the Southwestern Athletic Conference race.  She was 17-73 in three seasons.

"I would like to first thank God for this wonderful opportunity," Richards said.  "I would also like to thank President Dr. Andrew Hugine and Athletic Director Bryan Hicks for selecting me to lead their women's basketball program.  I'm truly looking forward to being a part of the Bulldog family and community.  This is such an amazing honor and opportunity and I plan to put in the work, time and energy to enhance the program on the court and in the classroom."

Before arriving in Clemson, Richards had been the head coach at St. Augustine's from 2008 to 2010, where she compiled a 33-24 record in two seasons.  The former Nebraska player went on to become an assistant at North Texas, Weber State and Western Kentucky before going to Clemson.

"We are excited to have Margaret Richards as our new head women's basketball coach," Hicks said.  "Margaret is a rising star in women's basketball.  Her leadership skills and her enthusiastic approach to the game of women's basketball will serve our program well.  She is recognized as an excellent, relentless and proven recruiter and we are glad to have her leading our women's basketball program."