July 17, 2007

ADAMSON NAMED HEAD WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY AND
TRACK & FIELD COACH AT ROWAN

PROF ALUM WILL TO LEAD THREE ROWAN PROGRAMS

Rowan University has named Derick “Ringo” Adamson as its head women’s cross country and track and field coach. The appointment was made on July 17 by athletic director Joy Solomen.

Adamson has served as the head coach for the girls’ cross country and track and field teams at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, NJ since 1995. He takes over the position which was held by Bill Fritz, who remains at the University as the head coach of the men’s cross country and track and field teams.

“I am pleased to introduce Derick Adamson as the new women’s cross country and track and field coach,” said Solomen. “The passion he has for his sport and his ability to motivate athletes to reach the next level is extraordinary. He has a proven record as a successful coach and I am excited to see how he develops the program into a strong national contender. Ringo has a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer our student-athletes and he will be a great addition to the staff.”

At Woodrow Wilson, Adamson led the cross country team to the 1998 and 2000 South Jersey Group III State Championships and he was selected the 1998 Coach of the Year. The track and field program won the 2006 Indoor National Championship in the shuttle hurdles. The outdoor team was crowned the 2004 and 2006 Group III State Champions. Adamson’s teams were Group III State Sectional Champions in outdoor track and field in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006.  Woodrow Wilson took first place at the Group III State Indoor Relay Championships in 2000, 2001, 2005 and 2006. Adamson earned New Jersey Indoor Track Coach of Year and South Jersey Coach of the Year honors in 1999-2000 and was chosen as the 2004 Courier Post Outdoor Track Coach of the Year in 2004. In 2002 and 2005, Adamson collected South Jersey Track Coaches Association (SJTCA) Coach of the Year honors.

“It is a great honor to return to Rowan as a head coach,” said Adamson. “I am going to go in with a plan of how I want to get things done. I will let the student-athletes know what I expect of them and I will get them to believe in my system.

“In my opinion, sacrifice leads to greatness,” continued Adamson. “If the student-athletes are willing to listen and follow my plan, they will succeed. Give me three years and I will have this program in a position to win a national championship.”

Adamson graduated from the University in 1983 with a bachelor of science degree in physical education. He was a four-time All-Conference runner for the Profs’ cross country and track and field teams from 1978-82. During that time, he competed in the steeplechase and distance events, including the 800 and 10,000 meters. Adamson took first place in the steeplechase at the 1980 NCAA Division III National Championships for All-America honors. He went on to qualify for the 1980 Olympics in the steeplechase but was not added to the Jamaican team’s roster. He qualified in 1984 and 1988 in the marathon and participated in the Olympic Games for Jamaica. Adamson is a three-time winner of the Philadelphia Marathon and seven-time Jamaican cross country champion. In 1990, Adamson was inducted in the Rowan-Glassboro State Sports Hall of Fame. In addition, he is also a member the 2004 NCAA Division III Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Adamson was an assistant coach for the women’s cross country and track and field teams at Rowan from 1991-1994. During that time, the Profs won their first ever women’s Mid-East Region Cross Country Championship in 1994 and finished 11^th at the national championships. Rowan captured the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Cross Country Championship in 1992, 1993 and 1994. The women’s 4x100 meter relay took second place at the 1994 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. During his tenure, 15 student-athletes received All-America honors.

Prior to Rowan, Adamson was the head men’s cross country coach at Gloucester County College from 1983-1988. The Roadrunners collected six Region XIX Championships and qualified for the national championships five times.  In 1988, Gloucester County finished 11^th at the Junior College National Championships.