USC Hires Famous Olympian as New Director Of Track & Field and Cross Country

The new hire also played wide receiver for USC back in 1990.

On June 17, USC Athletics named former Trojan, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the 1992 NCAA 400-meter champion Quincy Watts as the universities newest director of track and field and cross country.

In a statement released by USC, athletic director Mike Bohn said the decision was nothing but the 'right' one.

“Naming Quincy Watts, a Trojan Hall of Famer and Olympic legend, as our new director of track and field and cross country is the best and right decision for us,” said Bohn. 

“His impact on both our men’s and women’s programs over the past eight years has been significant. Consistent with our vision to be the most student-athlete centered program in the country, engaging our student-athletes is an important part of every coaching search process, and I am so impressed with the overwhelming support Quincy has from our current team. 

He is also highly respected by our former student-athletes and the national track and field community. We are very excited to have a winner and decorated Trojan leading our program, and we have the utmost confidence that he will sustain and elevate the tradition of excellence the USC shield represents.”

Watts, succeeds Caryl Smith Gilbert, who left Southern California to become Georgia’s director of track and field on June 13.

Watts spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons as an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Harvard-Westlake High in Los Angeles (Calif.) and Taft High in Woodland Hills (Calif.).

The Olympian has been with USC for the past eight years (2014-2021) and served as an assistant coach. 

Beyond playing wide receiver for the Men of Troy in 1990, Watts is greatly remembered for his many athletic achievements in college. In 2012, he was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame, following a tremendous career as an Olympian. 

Here are Watts' achievements according to USC Athletics:

"At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Watts twice broke Lee Evans' Olympic record in winning the 400 meters. He ran 43.71 in the semifinal before clocking 43.50 in the final (that still stands as the USC record) to become the first 400-meter athlete to run sub-44.0 in a championship meet. He then teamed with Andrew Valmon, Michael Johnson and Steve Lewis to win the gold in the 4x400-meter relay in a then-world record time of 2:55.74 (he ran the second leg in a blistering 43.10).

He also earned a gold medal in the 4x400-meter relay at the 1993 World Championships (in a still-standing world record time of 2:54.29), and a silver medal in that relay at the 1991 World Championships."

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