St. John's University Athletics
Coach Jim Hurt Welcomes Aliann Pompey To Staff As Sprints Coach
9/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track and Field
Sept. 26, 2014
"We are exceptionally pleased to have Aliann Pompey join our staff to work with our sprinters and hurdlers and to head up our recruiting efforts," said Hurt. "Aliann enjoyed a storied and exceptional athletic career, winning an NCAA title and competing in four Olympic Games. The fact that she attained such a high level of success while training here in New York City will have a significant impact on our program and further its long tradition of developing student-athletes to the highest level of the sport. More importantly, Aliann is a person of great character and integrity that reflects the values of St. John's University. We are sure that she will have a very positive impact on the entire lives of our student-athletes and I cannot wait to see what she will accomplish in her new position. I am very excited that she has decided to bring her varied and immense talents to our program."
Pompey, a native of Georgetown, Guyana, brings a world-class athletic resume and the experience of representing her country in four-consecutive Summer Olympic Games to St. John's. A 400-meter specialist who owns the South American indoor record of 51.83 seconds at the distance, Pompey adds a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and a bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo to a long list of accomplishments.
Pompey has represented her native Guyana at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics in addition to participating in the World Championships in Athletics five times and the IAAF World Indoor Championships on four occasions. Her personal-best 400-meter time of 50.71 was achieved in August 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany. A graduate of Manhattan College, Pompey became the Jaspers' first-ever national champion after winning the 400-meter dash at the 2000 NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships, and also added multiple Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Metropolitan titles to her collegiate resume. A team captain during her time at Manhattan, Pompey was ranked 12th in the world in the indoor 400-meter dash as a senior at Manhattan.
Since retiring from competition following the London Olympic Games, Pompey has dedicated her time to Armory College Prep, a non-profit college access and success program that works to get high school students from New York City's "high need" schools into college.
While pursuing her Olympic dreams, Pompey worked as a personal trainer at New York Sports Clubs, taught at the Harlem Academy and Urban Institute of Math and Science for Young Women, and served as a Director of Development for PowerPlay NYC and a Development Associate for Harlem Renaissance High School. A dedicated volunteer, she has also served as board member for the Manhattan College Alumni Society, regional board member for the Catholic Youth Organization and president of the Manhattan College Black Alumni Club.
Pompey earned a bachelor's degree in Finance with a minor in Communications in 1999 and a M.B.A. in Finance in 2003 from Manhattan College. She moved to the United States at the age of 14 and graduated from Cohoes High School in Albany County, N.Y.
Pompey takes over a Red Storm sprinting unit that has an excellent track record both past and present at the BIG EAST Championship and on the regional and national stage. St. John's sent a quartet of sprinters to the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., while the Red Storm won conference titles in the 60-meter, 400-meter and 500-meter dashes last season to go with an indoor 4x400-meter relay BIG EAST crown and a 500-meter dash ECAC Championships title.
Aliann Pompey Named New Track & Field/Cross Country Head Coach
Wednesday, June 16
Track & Field ECAC Championships
Monday, March 23
Track & Field BIG EAST Indoor Championships
Monday, March 23
Track & Field David Hemery Valentine Invitational
Monday, March 23