July 14, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - North Carolina Central University cross country/track and field head coach Michael Lawson has been selected as an assistant coach for the USA Track & Field National Team during the 2008 NACCA (North American, Caribbean & Central American) Under-23 Championships in Toluca, Mexico, from July 18-20.
While his specific coaching assignment has not been made at this time, Lawson knows he will be working with the USA men's team.
"I am looking forward to gaining international experience and getting a chance to work with emerging Olympic-caliber athletes," Lawson said. "I will also be around some other quality coaches, so I hope to be able to bring back a lot of that experience to NCCU."
Lawson, in his 19th year at NCCU and the winner of several conference and regional awards, considers his appointment to the USA Track & Field National Team Staff as one of the top honors during his professional career.
"This is an incredible honor for me because it gives me the opportunity to step in the footprints of two coaching legends in track and field - Dr. LeRoy T. Walker and George Williams," Lawson said. "Dr. Walker established a track & field dynasty here at NCCU, and Coach Williams was my coach during my collegiate career at Saint Augustine's."
Both Walker and Williams also took their college coaching experiences to the international level, including as Olympic coaches for the USA.
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Lawson joined NCCU in 1989 as the head coach for the men's and women's cross country and track & field program.
Himself a U.S. Olympic qualifier and All-American track & field student-athlete at St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, NC, Lawson was inducted into the NCAA Division II Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame on May 24, 2007.
After winning a state championship in the 100-meter dash and capturing several all-conference merits as a scholastic athlete at Durham (N.C.) High School, Lawson journeyed to cross-town Raleigh, N.C. to run his collegiate career for legendary track & field head coach George Williams.
During his standout four-year St. Augustine's tenure (1977-81) as an elite sprinter specializing in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay, Lawson earned numerous All-America citations from both the NCAA and NAIA during both indoor and outdoor seasons, won several CIAA and NAIA District Championship titles, and was a two-time NCAA National Champion in the 4x100-meter relay (1980 and 1981). Along the way, he helped St. Augustine's win four consecutive CIAA indoor championships, three CIAA outdoor titles, and a seventh place team finish at the 1981 NCAA National Championships.
A two-time qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Trials (1980 and 1984), Lawson was chosen as the St. Augustine's College Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year as both a junior and senior (1980 and 1981), and collected the school's Track M.V.P. honors during his final three seasons.
Following St. Augustine's, Lawson ran professionally with the Philadelphia Pioneers. Among his accomplishments, he recorded a personal-best time of 20.02 seconds in the 200-meter dash.
Lawson coached at Durham High School and Duke University before joining NCCU in 1989.
Since that time, he has conducted a track & field clinic in the Bahamas, served on the planning committee for the NCAA Division II Track & Field National Championships and the Pan-Africa/USA International Meet, and worked with the 1996 Atlanta Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.
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THE HERALD-SUN NEWSPAPER
NCCU track coach named assistant for U-23 USA track team
By MIKE POTTER : mpotter@heraldsun.com
Jul 16, 2008
DURHAM -- N.C. Central's Mike Lawson has had plenty of honors as both a runner and coach during his long track and field career, but right now he's having one of the most special.
Lawson is an assistant coach with the men competing for the USA Track & Field National Team during the NACCA Under-23 Championships in Toluca, Mexico, this weekend. The NACCA championships match countries from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
"I knew my name had come up at a meeting in Hawaii," said Lawson, who was flying to Mexico on Tuesday afternoon. "At that time, I thought they were considering me for something in '09. Then I found out it was this year and that was a nice surprise.
"I might be involved next year, too. We'll just have to wait and see." This will be Lawson's first experience coaching in an international meet. "I'm looking forward to gaining international experience and getting a chance to work with emerging Olympic-caliber athletes," said Lawson, who is in his 19th season at NCCU and has won numerous conference and regional coaching honors. "I'll also be around some other quality coaches, and I hope to learn something from them.
"Some of our athletes just missed out at the Olympic trials, so a lot of them might be competing in London in 2012."
Himself a U.S. Olympic qualifier and All-American at St. Augustine's College, Lawson was inducted into the NCAA Division II Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame last year.
"This is an incredible honor for me, because it gives me the opportunity to step in the footprints of two coaching legends in track and field -- [former NCCU coach] Dr. LeRoy T. Walker and George Williams [a USA national team coach who was Lawson's coach at St. Aug].
After winning a state championship in the 100 meters and capturing numerous all-conference honors for Durham High, Lawson was a stalwart in the 100, 200, and 4x100 relays for the Falcons. He collected many All-America citations from both the NCAA and NAIA, won several CIAA and NAIA district championship titles, and was a two-time NCAA national champion in the 4x100 relay (1980 and 1981).
He helped St. Aug win four consecutive CIAA indoor championships, three CIAA outdoor titles, and a seventh-place team finish at the NCAA Nationals as a senior in 1981. He was named the Raleigh school's outstanding athlete as a junior and senior, was the track MVP for his final three seasons, and participated in the Olympic Trials in both 1980 and '84.
Following his college career, Lawson ran professionally with the Philadelphia Pioneers, recording a personal best of 20.02 in the 200.
Lawson coached at Durham High and Duke before joining the NCCU staff in 1989. Lawson is currently overseeing the track and cross country programs as the Eagles begin their quest for success in NCAA Division I. His athletes won't be eligible for NCAA post-season championship competition until the 2011-2012 academic year, but can compete in all other major meets for which they otherwise qualify.
"We probably have less of a challenge than some of the other sports at NCCU," Lawson said. "Our athletes have been competing against Division I athletes on a regular basis for a long time.
"Recruiting is a little easier now, because everybody wants to compete in Division I. There are many great athletes and coaches in Division II, but the move up gave us a little edge."
During his NCCU career, Lawson has coached athletes to over 60 individual All-American honors and 10 individual NCAA Division II championships. And in 2006, NCCU became the first Historically Black College to qualify its women's cross country team for the NCAA national meet.
