Sept. 21, 2005

PITTSBURGH - Chereé Hicks joins the University of Pittsburgh for the 2005-06 season as an assistant coach for throwing events. Her duties will include coaching both the men's and women's team in the shot put, discus, hammer throw and weight throw. "By bringing in a throws coach with the successful background that Coach Hicks has shows our continued commitment to our throwers and the overall program," said head coach Alonzo Webb. "We look forward to her continued success as we strive to reach our goal to become the dominant throws program in the Big East."

Hicks comes to Pitt after three successful seasons with Syracuse University. While at Syracuse, Hicks coached her student-athletes to eight individual Big East Championship titles. Her athletes garnered seventeen Big East All-Conference honors, and Johvonne Hernandez earned NCAA All-America honors in the women's hammer. Hicks' student-athletes have gone on to win NCAA regional championships as well as qualify for the NCAA Championships. Her throwers have set school records in addition to a Big East Conference record in the women's hammer throw. Hicks also coached at Portland State University where she served as an assistant coach in 2001-02.

Hicks attended Syracuse where she received her bachelor of science degree in public relations in 2000. As a student-athlete, Hicks received All-America honors in the indoor and outdoor shot put as well as the discus. She additionally finished fifth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic trials. In addition to Syracuse, Hicks competed at Cal State - Northridge where she was earned All-America honors in the discus. She also competed on the 1997 USA Junior National Team.