Sports
Former All-American Miriam Merrill chosen to lead RMC Track team
Courtsey of RMC Sports Information Department
New RMC Women’s Track & Field coach, Meiriam Merrill.
After three seasons as an
assistant coach for the Robert
Morris Women's Track &
Field team, former All-
American Miriam Merrill will
take over as head coach for the
2008-2009 season, RMC
Athletic Director Megan
Smith Eggert announced on
June 24, 2008.
Originally from Bolivar,
OH, just outside of Canton,
Coach Merrill was an outstanding
athlete as an Ohio
prep, finishing state runner-up
in both the discus and shot put.
Those feats earned an
NCAA Division I athletic
scholarship to the University
of Cincinnati. She competed in
the discus, shot put, javelin,
and the hammer throw. In
2001 she qualified for the
NCAA Indoor Nationals,
becoming the first--and as of
2008, only--Bearcat All-
American in Women's Track &
Field. She still holds the UC
indoor weight throw record of
64'1" and is in the school's his-
toric top five in most of her
other events.
Following her junior year
at UC, Coach Merrill was
invited to participate in the
prestigious NCAA Foundation
Leadership Conference, an
honor offered to fewer than
two-hundred undergraduates
from across the nation.
After receiving her bachelor's
degree in communications,
Coach Merrill remained
at Cincinnati to earn a Masters
of Education in Sports
Administration. She is USA
Track & Field Level 1
Certified Coach and a member
of the Illinois Track and Field
and Cross Country
Association as well as the
Illinois Track and Field and
Cross Country Coaches and
Officials Association. She is a
Regional Coordinator for the
National Football Foundation-
-an organization dedicated to
ensuring the academic success
of prep student-athletes and a
proud member of Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority.
"Coach Merrill has been a
strong contributor to our track
program as an assistant to
Coach Guyton," says Smith
Eggert. "Our student-athletes
are fortunate to have a coach
with her background and commitment
to excellence leading
the program."
Nicole Guyton--who
founded the program and has
also been an assistant for the
men's & women's cross country
teams--stepped down from
the head coaching position to
focus on the demands of her
full-time position as director of
the fitness training program at
Robert Morris College.
"I'm very excited by the
opportunity we have at RMC,"
said Coach Merrill. "We have
great support for our studentathletes
from the faculty, staff,
and administration. I'm looking
forward to stepping up our recruiting efforts."