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2013 Track and Field Media Guide
Southern Illinois Track and Field
SIUSalukis.com
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Throws Coach John Smith
John Smith
Throws Coach
Ninth Year
Southern Illinois (‘84)
John Smith is heading into his ninth season as the throws
coach at Southern Illinois.
The 2011-12 season was a landmark year for Saluki throw-
ers. Jeneva McCall shattered numerous records en route to
claiming two individual NCAA national championships in
the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw, pushing
Southern’s historic total to 15. NCAA weight throw runner-up
J.C. Lambert on the men’s side dominated indoor competition,
and freshman DeAnna Price proved herself worthy with a trip
to nationals. Smith also added eight more All-Americans, six
MVC event championships and five NCAA national qualifiers
to his coaching credentials in the indoor and outdoor seasons
combined.
Smith garnered the honor of being named the 2011 USTFC-
CCAMidwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year. The 2010-
2011 season also had continued success for Saluki throwers.
J.C. Lambert was named an NCAAAll-American placing
fourth in the weight throw at the NCAA Indoor Champion-
ships as well as an NCAA National Qualifier in the weight
throw and hammer throw. Lambert also set a school record in
the weight throw under Smith’s instruction.
Jake Deiters earned All-American honors as well as being an
NCAA National Qualifier placing 11th in the discus throw.
On the women’s side, Jeneva McCall earned four First-Team
All-America honors, two during the outdoor season and two
during the indoor season. She was the national runner up in
the hammer and weight throw at the NCAA Championships
as well as being named the MVC’s Most Outstanding Field
Athlete.
Gwen Berry also had a successful senior season. She earned
All-America honors in the shot put by finishing 12th at the
NCAA Outdoor Championships as well as qualifying for the
USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in the hammer
throw, finishing in sixth place. Berry was also only one of five
American 70m throwers.
Smith’s group of throwers turned in an impressive 2009-10
campaign, combining for a total of 13 NCAAAll-American
honors between six athletes. Meanwhile, Jeneva McCall
captured the NCAA national title in the discus and four Saluki
women - McCall, Gwen Berry, Olga Ciura, and Sasha Leeth
each took top eight spots in the hammer throw -- the most
athletes in any top-eight in NCAA history.
During the indoor season, seven Salukis garnered all-MVC
honors, including weight throw and shot put conference
champions J.C. Lambert and McCall. In the 2010 outdoor
season, McCall, Lambert, Jake Deiters, and Joe Paradiso
combined to sweep the MVC indoor weight throw and shot
put, and the discus, shot put, and hammer throw at the MVC
Outdoor Championships. In addition, a combined 12 throwers
advanced to the 2010 NCAA Regionals.
In his first three years at SIU, Smith coached the throwers to
16 Missouri Valley Conference titles and six Mideast Regional
crowns between indoor and outdoor competition.
Under Smith’s guidance, Saluki standout Brittany Riley was a
two-time NCAA National Champion and 2007 USA National
Champion in the weight throw. Riley also earned NCAA In-
door National Athlete of the Year honors in 2007.
Throwers Amarachi Ukabam, and Mark Milleville were also
under Smith’s tutelage. Along with Riley, Ukabam and Mil-
leville were Mideast Regional titlists in 2006, with Ukabam
and Riley holding the meet records in the shot put, discus
and hammer. Ukabam was also named the Mideast Regional
Athlete of the Year.
In his coaching debut at SIU, three of Smith’s throwers quali-
fied for the NCAAs, and he was named USTCAMideast
Region Coach of the Year. Smith also had 12 NCAAMideast
Regional qualifiers and one USTAF Junior National Champion
under his tutelage during that time.
On the national stage, Smith has coached 42 NCAAAll-Amer-
icans since arriving at SIU six years ago. Smith and his throw-
ers finished 9th at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships, the
highest Saluki women finish in school history, and the Salukis’
highest finish since 1984 overall.
Internationally under Smith’s direction, Riley became the USA
National Junior Champion in the hammer in 2005 and was the
silver medalist at the Junior Pan American Games in Canada
that summer. Riley, along with Ukabam, made the North
American Under-23 United States Team and won gold medals