Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vice President and Director of Athletics, Chasse Conque announced on Tuesday the hiring of Shareese Hicks, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Memphis, as the new head coach of the Vaqueros track & field and cross country programs.
During her time at Memphis, Hicks worked directly with those competing in sprints and hurdles.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Hicks and her family to the Rio Grande Valley,” UTRGV Vice President and Director of Athletics Chasse Conque said. “Coach Hicks brings an impressive resume to our program as a coach, high-level student-athlete, and accomplished professional athlete. What stood out the most about Shareese is her passion for the student-athlete and providing an exceptional experience coupled with her character and commitment to doing things the right way. She has an impressive network and everyone we talked to could not say enough about her character and the person she is. I look forward to seeing our program grow under her leadership.”
This past outdoor season, Hicks guided three student-athletes to the finals at the American Athletic Conference Championships, including Adam Yakobi, who advanced to the NCAA East Preliminary Round in the 400-meter hurdles. Yakobi qualified with 52.04 at the LSU Invitational on May 1, the 42nd-best mark in the region, before PRing with a 51.91 to finish 25th in the region.
Hicks started her tenure at Memphis strong, coaching six conference finalists during the 2020 indoor season, including Paris Perkins, who earned silver in the 400-meter dash.
Prior to arriving at Memphis, Hicks served as the Neosho County Community College track & field head coach for five seasons, coaching 20 athletes that were NJCAA national qualifiers, including three that earned All-American honors. One of her All-Americans was Sergio Wilson, who was the 2017 NJCAA Champion in the men’s javelin one year after finishing runner-up.
As teams, the women’s track & field squad improved by two spots in the regional rankings while the men’s squad move up one spot under Hicks’ leadership.
Hicks’ teams had success in the classroom and in the community as well, increasing their grade point averages by about half a point. The teams also combined for about 500 hours of community service to the Neosho County campus and surrounding area.
“I am excited to lead the track & field and cross country programs here in the Valley,” Hicks said. “UTRGV is in a true triple threat. It’s in an amazing region, a competitive conference, and has more than enough resources for all the athletic programs to make an elite statement. I look forward to getting right to work building a championship culture for our young people – academically and athletically.”
Prior to jumping into the full-time collegiate coaching ranks, Hicks was a professional track & field athlete from 2008-15. She competed primarily in the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes in meets across the United States and around the world.
A 2012 USA Olympic Trials finalist in the 400-meter dash, Hicks impressed in her first year as a professional in 2008, winning gold at the USA Indoor Nationals in the 400-meter dash and bronze at the World Indoor Championships in the same event. She also ran a leg on the 4×400-meter relay team that took bronze at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.
Hicks won gold as a member of the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relay teams at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Championships. She also earned silver in the 200-meter dash. Hicks went on to take silver in the 4×100-meter relay at the Pan American Games.
After her collegiate career ended in 2007, Hicks immediately got into coaching to her alma mater, Charlotte, as a volunteer assistant from 2007-09 while she continued training for her professional career. In 2009-10, Hicks served as a volunteer assistant at Bethune-Cookman.
Hicks then moved to the high school ranks in Miami, Fla., as an assistant coach at Christopher Columbus High School in 2012-13 and head coach at Coral Reef High School in 2013-14.
Hicks (then Woods) was a standout student-athlete at Charlotte from 2004-07. A four-time All-American, Hicks was the first 49er to earn two All-American honors in the same season. Hicks was a standout sprinter who won nine individual conference championships and five relay conference titles. She recorded the most all-conference performances (17) in program history. Hicks was a two-time Atlantic 10 Conference Performer of the Meet at the league indoor championships and led Charlotte to four Atlantic 10 team indoor and outdoor championships.
She was the first 49ers female sprinter to qualify for the NCAA Championships and the first 49er to compete in three events at an NCAA Championships meet. Hicks boasts the best national finish ever by a 49ers track & field student-athlete with her fourth-place performance in the 200-meter dash at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Hicks also shares or owns eight Charlotte program records. In the fall of 2019, Charlotte Athletics honored Hicks in a jersey retirement recognition at the 49ers football homecoming game. She was then inducted into to the Charlotte Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2020.
Originally from Fort Bragg, N.C., Hicks and her husband, Antwon, have one daughter, Semira.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT SHAREESE HICKS
Austin Peay Head Coach Valerie Brown
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley made a terrific hire. I have had the pleasure of knowing Shareese since college while competing internationally. I have watched her grow into a great woman, wife, mother, and leader.
Over the years she has grown and became such a fierce track coach who brings a lot of passion and commitment in the development of young men and women in life. She is a tremendous leader and has earned this opportunity. I can’t wait to watch her do great things in Texas. Get it done Shareese!
UNC Charlotte Director of Athletics Emerita Judy Rose
Shareese is one of the greatest competitors I have ever known, and she is an even better person overall. She leads by example on and off the track. I am so excited for the student-athletes at UTRGV. Her winning attitude and her personal accomplishments are truly inspirational.
