GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T director of track and field programs, Duane Ross, was one of seven inducted into the Clemson University Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Ross ran track for Clemson from 1992- 1995 and was one of the most accomplished hurdlers in school history.
In 1994, Ross won a bronze medal at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 55 meter hurdles. He won the NCAA Outdoor Championship in 1995 in the 110 meter hurdles with a school-record time of 13.32. Ross is still the only Tiger to win a national championship in a hurdles event.
In the 1994-95 academic year, Ross was named athlete of the year by Clemson. Ross was a five-time ACC Champion overall and a seven-time All-American, the third most All-America certificates in Tiger athletics history. Ross still shows his versatility by holding school records in the 55 meters, 60 meters and 110m hurdles.
After earning his bachelor's degree in financial management in 1996, Ross continued to run at a high level. He was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team and placed ninth in the 110m hurdles in Athens, Greece.
Ross was a four-time member of the U.S. World Championship team, where he earned two gold and two silver medals in the 110m hurdles.
In 2003, Ross was named to the ACC 50-Year Anniversary team.
“It's a tremendous honor and responsibility that I've been blessed with,” said Ross. “When you're an 18-20 year old student-athlete you have no idea of the legacy you may be creating or the lives you may eventually affect. I look back on what it took to get me to this point in my life and I'm thankful for those people and family who supported and pushed me along the way. This is a very humbling experience and I hope it inspires my children and my student-athletes to attempt to be the best at everything we love doing while in this lifetime.”
For five seasons, Ross coached track and field at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C before coming to North Carolina A&T in 2012.
During Ross' time at North Carolina A&T he has made some great improvements. His first season as the director of track and field, he took four athletes to compete at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round.
The men's team placed third at the 2014 MEAC Indoor Track and Field Championships with an all-time high score of 95 points. Sprinter Desmond Lawrence was also the 60-meter champion. The men's team placed second at the conference outdoor championships with Lawrence winning the 100-meter race.
The 2014 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round included five Aggie men including the men's 400 meter relay team. Lawrence advanced to nationals and was named an All-American.
