Michael Lawson was hired as the head coach for the men's and women's cross country and track & field program at North Carolina Central University in 1989. During his award-winning coaching slate at NCCU, Lawson has collected a host of conference and regional coach of the year honors.
He was also inducted into the NCAA Division II Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In the Spring of 2007, Lawson was selected as the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men's Coach of the Year for the Division II outdoor track and field season as chosen by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association after guiding the Eagles to a second place finish at the CIAA Championships and qualifying 10 student-athletes for the NCAA Division II National Championships in Charlotte, N.C.
NCCU made history on Nov. 4, 2006, becoming the first HBCU to advance to the women's cross country national championship by winning the 2006 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championship in Wingate, N.C. In the women's 6K race, NCCU had five runners in the top 20 to take the team win. Lawson was named 2006 Southeast Region Coach of the Year following the meet.
On Oct. 19, 2006, NCCU placed five of the top six runners to dominate the field and repeat as CIAA Women's Cross Country Champions. Six Lady Eagles claimed all-conference honors by finishing in the Top 10, led by individual conference champion Ashley Cooke.
On Oct. 20, 2005, NCCU sophomore Yolanda Barber won her second consecutive individual conference title to help the Lady Eagles capture the school's first CIAA Women's Cross Country Championship. The championship was the first for any women's running sport (cross country, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field) at NCCU. Lawson earned 2005 CIAA Coach of the Year honors for both men's and women's cross country.
On Oct. 21, 2004, the NCCU men's cross country team etched its name in the history books by capturing the school's first conference championship in cross country, defeating seven-time defending champions Saint Augustine's College by the narrowest margin in league history, 35-36, at the 2004 CIAA Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, NC. For his efforts, Lawson was selected as the 2004 CIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, his second consecutive conference coach of the year honor for men's cross country.
Lawson was voted as the 2003 CIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year afer the Eagles placed second at the 2003 CIAA Cross Country Championship and fifth at the 2003 NCAA Division II Regional Cross Country Championship, both finishes were the best in school history. This marked Lawson's first conference coach of the year honor for men's cross country.
In March of 2003, Lawson repeated as the Southeast Regional Men's Indoor Track Coach of the Year, as selected by the U.S. Track Coaches Association (USTCA).
In the Spring of 2002, Lawson was selected as the 2002 CIAA Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year after six Lady Eagles piled up enough points to capture second place at the conference championships, marking the highest outdoor team finish for the NCCU women in school history.
In the Winter of 2002, Lawson was recognized as the USTCA Southeast Regional Indoor Coach of the Year for both men and women after coaching two indoor National Champions.
In the Spring of 2001, Lawson received the USTCA Southeast Regional Outdoor Coach of the Year award, after coaching two All-Americans, including the National Champion in the men's 100-meter dash.
During the Fall of 2001, Lawson earned his second selection as the CIAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year after a second place team finish at the conference championships.
In 1999, Lawson was first recognized as the CIAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year after lifting the Lady Eagles from a seventh place team finish in 1998 to a second place finish the following season. Lawson also boasted the 1999 CIAA Women's Cross Country Individual Champion with freshman Katerina Glosova topping the conference field.
Himself a U.S. Olympic qualifier and All-American track & field student-athlete at St. Augustine's College in Raleigh, N.C., 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. Lawson posted collegiate personal-best times of 20.68 seconds in the 200-meter dash and 10.01 seconds in the 100-meter dash, which still stands as a St. Augustine's record. He has also clocked a relay split time of 9.98 seconds.
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.
He was also selected as the sprint coach for the USA men's and women's teams at the 2008 North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Under 23 Championships. Two years later, Lawson was chosen as the head coach for the men's USA team at the same international championship competition. He returned to the NACAC Under 23 Championships in 2014 to serve as Event Manager as part of the USATF national team staff.
LAWSON'S COACHING AWARDS (since 1999):
- 2007 USTFCCCA Southeast Region Men's Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year (Division II)
- 2006 Southeast Region Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year (Division II)
- 2005 CIAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year
- 2005 CIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year
- 2004 CIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year
- 2003 CIAA Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year
- 2003 USTCA Southeast Regional Men's Indoor Track Coach of the Year (Division II)
- 2002 USTCA Southeast Regional Men's Indoor Track Coach of the Year (Division II)
- 2002 CIAA Women's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year
- 2002 USTCA Southeast Regional Men's Indoor Coach of the Year (Division II)
- 2002 USTCA Southeast Regional Women's Indoor Coach of the Year (Division II)
- 2001 USTCA Southeast Regional Men's Outdoor Coach of the Year (Division II)
- 2001 CIAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year
- 1999 CIAA Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year
COACH LAWSON'S INDIVIDUAL ALL-AMERICANS / NATIONAL CHAMPIONS (since 1991):
- Jessica Mills - 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Women's Triple Jump
- Maurice Gailey - 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 200-Meter Dash
- Hakeem Mohammed - 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Champion - Men's 400-Meter Dash
- Karjuan Williams - 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 400-Meter Dash
- Brandon Jones - 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 800-Meter Run
- Karjuan Williams - 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 800-Meter Run
- Christopher Davis - 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor National Champion - Men's 60-Meter Dash
- Brian Hope - 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 60-Meter Dash
- Hakeem Mohammed - 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 200-Meter Dash
- Brian Hope - 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 200-Meter Dash
- Mark Davis - 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's Long Jump
- William Scott - 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's Triple Jump
- Jessica Mills - 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's Triple Jump
- Brandon Jones - 2006 Finish Line USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field National Champion - Junior Men's 800-Meter Run
- Jessica Mills - 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Champion - Women's Triple Jump
- Sharonda Arnold - 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Women's 400-Meter Dash
- Hakeem Mohammed - 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 400-Meter Dash
- Brandon Jones - 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 800-Meter Dash
- Maurice Gailey - 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 200-Meter Dash
- Hakeem Mohammed - 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 200-Meter Dash
- Brian Hope - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 60 Meter Dash
- Christopher Davis - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 60 Meter Dash
- Brian Hope - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 200 Meter Dash
- Maurice Gailey - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 200 Meter Dash
- Dorian Turner - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 200 Meter Dash
- Hakeem Mohammed - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 400-Meter Dash
- Sharonda Arnold - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's 400-Meter Dash
- Jessica Mills - 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's Triple Jump
- Dorian Turner - 2005 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American- Men's 200m Dash
- Chanda Powell - 2003 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American- Women's 100m Hurdles
- Chanda Powell - 2003 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American- Women's Long Jump
- Jason Smoots - 2003 NCAA Divison II Outdoor All-American- Men's 100 m Dash
- Jason Smoots - 2003 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American- Men's 200m Dash
- Steven Enoch - 2003 NCAA Divison II Outdoor All-American- Men's Long Jump
- Jason Smoots - 2003 NCAA Division II Indoor National Champion- Men's 60m Dash
- Chanda Powell - 2003 NCAA Division II Indoor All- American- Women's 60m Hurdles
- Katerina Glosova - 2002 NCAA Division II Outdoor All- American- Women's 800 Run
- Jason Smoots - 2002 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Champion- Men's 100m Dash
- Kennisha Moten - 2002 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American- Women's 400m Dash
- Chanda Powell - 2002 NCAA Divison II Outdoor All-American- Women's Long Jump
- Steven Enoch - 2002 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American- Men's Long Jump
- Katerina Glosova - 2002 NCAA Division II Indoor National Champion - Women's 800m Run
- Jason Smoots - 2002 NCAA Division II Indoor National Champion - Men's 60m Dash
- Steven Enoch - 2002 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's Triple Jump
- Kennisha Moten - 2002 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's 400m Dash
- Jason Smoots - 2001 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Champion - Men's 100m Dash
- Kennisha Moten - 2001 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Women's 400m Dash
- Jason Smoots - 2001 NCAA Division II Indoor National Champion - Men's 55m Dash
- Jason Smoots - 2000 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 100m Dash
- Jason Smoots - 2000 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Men's 55m Dash
- Cheron Clark - 2000 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's 400m Dash
- Michael Patterson - 1999 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's 400m Dash
- Angela Brown - 1999 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's Long Jump
- Elisha Marshall - 1998 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Champion - Women's 100m Dash
- Elisha Marshall - 1998 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Women's 200m Dash
- Elisha Marshall - 1998 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's 55m Dash
- Elisha Marshall - 1997 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's 55m Dash
- Kimberly McPhatter - 1997 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's High Jump
- Elisha Marshall - 1996 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Women's 55m Dash
- Pathereka Miller - 1995 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Women's 400m Dash
- Pathereka Miller - 1994 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Women's 400m Dash
- Reginald Bledsoe - 1994 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Men's High Jump
- Evangela Booker - 1994 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - 800m Run
- Robert Marks - 1994 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - Triple Jump
- Evangela Booker - 1993 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - 400m Hurdles
- Cassandra Adams - 1992 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - 100m Hurdles
- Cassandra Adams - 1992 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - Long Jump
- Cassandra Adams - 1992 NCAA Division II Indoor All-American - 55m Hurdles
- Cassandra Adams - 1991 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - 100m Hurdles
- Brian Gore - 1991 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-American - High Jump
COACH LAWSON'S ALL-AMERICAN RELAY SQUADS (since 1994):
- 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x100-Meter Relay (Christopher Davis, Rigdon Whitfield, Hakeem Mohammed, Maurice Gailey)
- 2007 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x400-Meter Relay (Karjuan Williams, Brian Hope, Brandon Jones, Shareef Muhammad)
- 2007 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Men's 4x400-Meter Relay (Karjuan Williams, Brian Hope, Brandon Jones, Maurice Gailey)
- 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Women's 4x100-Meter Relay (Tiffany Mitchell, Christina Harris, Tyfia Lee, Sharonda Arnold)
- 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x100-Meter Relay (Jason Jowers, Hakeem Mohammed, Dorian Turner, Maurice Gailey)
- 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (Sharonda Arnold, Tyfia Lee, Ambria Alexander, Christina Harris)
- 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x400-Meter Relay (Maurice Gailey, Brandon Jones, Hakeem Mohammed, Dorian Turner)
- 2006 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (Sharonda Arnold, Ambria Alexander, Tyfia Lee, Christina Harris)
- 2005 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x100-Meter Relay (Jason Jowers, Detric Branch, Dorian Turner, Maurice Gailey)
- 2005 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Women's 4x100-Meter Relay (Tiffany Mitchell, Christina Harris, Sharonda Arnold, Nina Warren)
- 2005 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x400-Meter Relay (Austin-Lamar Hogan, Detric Branch, Eric Speer, Dorian Turner)
- 2005 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x400m Relay (Austin-Lamar Hogan, Eric Speer, Detric Branch, Dorian Turner)
- 2005 NCAA Division II Outdoor All America - Women's 4x100m Relay (Tiffany Mitchell, Christina Harris, Sharonda Arnold, Nina Warren)
- 2005 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x100m Relay (Jason Jowers, Detric Branch, Dorian Turner, Maurice Gailey)
- 2005 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (Sharonda Arnold, Ambria Alexander, Tyfia Lee, Christina Harris)
- 2004 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x400m Relay (Shareef Muhammad, Dorian Turner, Austin Hogan, Hakeem Mohammed)
- 2002 NCAA Division II Outdoor National Champions - Men's 4x100m Relay (Steven Enoch, Jason Smoots, Detric Branch, Jamie Richardson)
- 2002 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Women's 4x400m Relay (Lindsay Holmes, Rosalyn Pollard, Katerina Glosova, Kennisha Moten)
- 2001 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Women's 4x400m Relay (Cheron Clark, Rosalyn Pollard, Katerina Glosova, Kennisha Moten)
- 2000 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Men's 4x400m Relay (Albert Newkirk, Christopher Waters, Robert Williams, Michael Patterson)
- 1999 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Men's 4x100m Relay (Tavius Walker, Albert Newkirk, Floyd Ingalls, Michael Patterson)
- 1995 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Women's 4x400m Relay (Pathereka Miller, Nzinga Poteat, Lynetta Golden, Tamica Burnett)
- 1994 NCAA Division II Outdoor All-America - Women's 4x400m Relay (Evangela Booker, Lynetta Golden, Tamica Burnett, Pathereka Miller)
- 1994 NCAA Division II Indoor All-America - Women's 4x400m Relay (Pathereka Miller, Tamica Burnett, Bridget Bonner, Evangela Booker)
