Troy University Athletics
Michelle Clayton Named New Track & Field Assistant Coach
9/5/2014 9:07:00 AM | Track & Field
TROY, Ala.- Troy University Director of Track & Field Marc Davis announced today the addition of Michelle Clayton to the track & field staff. Clayton will be working primarily with throwers and weight training.
"I am very excited to welcome Michelle to the Troy track and field family," Davis said. "Michelle will lead our throwers and implement the weight training program for our team. At each school that she has coached and mentored, which includes Duke and Dartmouth, her athletes have competed at a high level. I am fully confident that the trend will continue here."
Before Clayton's time at Troy, she worked five seasons at Dartmouth as an assistant coach with a primary focus on throws. While working with the Big Green, Clayton helped develop and guide strong performers in the throwing circle including Emmaline Berg, Cathy Liebowitz as well was Dave Irving and TJ Servino.
"I am very excited for this opportunity," Clayton said. "Troy has traditionally had a great throws contingent and I am looking forward to helping carry on that tradition. I would like to thank John Hartwell and Sandy Atkins for making this a reality and I cannot wait for the upcoming season!"
She joined Dartmouth after two years at Duke where she coached the men's and women's throwers. During her time at Duke, Clayton's throwers set multiple records and four of the student-athletes qualified for NCAA regionals in 2009. In 2008, Clayton coached freshman John Austin to the IC4A title and All-America honors in the javelin.
From 2001 to 2004, Clayton served as a part-time track and field coach and strength coach at East Carolina. In 2004, Michelle rejoined the ECU staff full time as an assistant strength and conditioning coach and remained in the role before joining the Pirate Club Staff in August of 2007.
Prior to her time at ECU, Clayton was at Virginia Tech from 2000 to 2001 as the coordinator of strength and conditioning for women's Olympic sports.
As a student-athlete, Clayton was a four-year, All-America letter winner at East Carolina (1995-99) on the women's track and field team. At the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, she placed ninth in the hammer throw. During her ECU career she dominated in several throwing events and set school records in the indoor 20-pound weight throw and shot put as well as the outdoor shot put, discus and hammer throw.
Clayton was a 19-time All-East performer and won Colonial Athletic Association titles in the shot put, discus, and hammer, while being named MVP and setting the conference record in the hammer. She became just the second individual Eastern College Athletic Conference Champion in school history in both the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw.
Upon graduation, she went on to compete for five more years qualifying for the 2000 and 2004 USA Track and Field Olympic Team Trials in the hammer throw. In 2003, Clayton was ranked seventh in the country and was consistently ranked in the top 10 from 2000 to 2005. Following her track career, Clayton went on to compete for USA Weightlifting finishing third in the country at the Senior Nationals in 2005. Â Clayton also previously served as a graduate assistant strength coach from 1998 to 2000 at East Carolina.Â
Clayton graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1998 with a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. In 1997, due to her efforts in the classroom, she was named to the GTE Academic All-America team as well as being named ECU's Outstanding Female Student-Athlete. In 2000, Clayton completed her M.A. in Athletic Administration from East Carolina.
Fans can keep up with all the action by following Troy track and field/cross country on Twitter @TroyTrojanXC_TF
For more information on all of Troy Athletics, fans can find the Trojans on Twitter and Instagram @TroyAthletics, or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics
"I am very excited to welcome Michelle to the Troy track and field family," Davis said. "Michelle will lead our throwers and implement the weight training program for our team. At each school that she has coached and mentored, which includes Duke and Dartmouth, her athletes have competed at a high level. I am fully confident that the trend will continue here."
Before Clayton's time at Troy, she worked five seasons at Dartmouth as an assistant coach with a primary focus on throws. While working with the Big Green, Clayton helped develop and guide strong performers in the throwing circle including Emmaline Berg, Cathy Liebowitz as well was Dave Irving and TJ Servino.
"I am very excited for this opportunity," Clayton said. "Troy has traditionally had a great throws contingent and I am looking forward to helping carry on that tradition. I would like to thank John Hartwell and Sandy Atkins for making this a reality and I cannot wait for the upcoming season!"
She joined Dartmouth after two years at Duke where she coached the men's and women's throwers. During her time at Duke, Clayton's throwers set multiple records and four of the student-athletes qualified for NCAA regionals in 2009. In 2008, Clayton coached freshman John Austin to the IC4A title and All-America honors in the javelin.
From 2001 to 2004, Clayton served as a part-time track and field coach and strength coach at East Carolina. In 2004, Michelle rejoined the ECU staff full time as an assistant strength and conditioning coach and remained in the role before joining the Pirate Club Staff in August of 2007.
Prior to her time at ECU, Clayton was at Virginia Tech from 2000 to 2001 as the coordinator of strength and conditioning for women's Olympic sports.
As a student-athlete, Clayton was a four-year, All-America letter winner at East Carolina (1995-99) on the women's track and field team. At the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, she placed ninth in the hammer throw. During her ECU career she dominated in several throwing events and set school records in the indoor 20-pound weight throw and shot put as well as the outdoor shot put, discus and hammer throw.
Clayton was a 19-time All-East performer and won Colonial Athletic Association titles in the shot put, discus, and hammer, while being named MVP and setting the conference record in the hammer. She became just the second individual Eastern College Athletic Conference Champion in school history in both the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw.
Upon graduation, she went on to compete for five more years qualifying for the 2000 and 2004 USA Track and Field Olympic Team Trials in the hammer throw. In 2003, Clayton was ranked seventh in the country and was consistently ranked in the top 10 from 2000 to 2005. Following her track career, Clayton went on to compete for USA Weightlifting finishing third in the country at the Senior Nationals in 2005. Â Clayton also previously served as a graduate assistant strength coach from 1998 to 2000 at East Carolina.Â
Clayton graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1998 with a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. In 1997, due to her efforts in the classroom, she was named to the GTE Academic All-America team as well as being named ECU's Outstanding Female Student-Athlete. In 2000, Clayton completed her M.A. in Athletic Administration from East Carolina.
Fans can keep up with all the action by following Troy track and field/cross country on Twitter @TroyTrojanXC_TF
For more information on all of Troy Athletics, fans can find the Trojans on Twitter and Instagram @TroyAthletics, or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics
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