University of South Carolina Track and Field head coach announces retirement

COLUMBIA, S.C. - “It’s the end of an era,” said Athletics Director Ray Tanner. After 27 years of being the head coach of the University of South Carolina Track & Field teams, Curtis Frye has decided to hang up his whistle.

Officials said Frye was the first head coach in the history of the University of South Carolina to win an NCAA Championship in any sport when his women’s squad captured the 2002 NCAA Outdoor title.

Frye has coached or overseen 28 Olympians who have won 14 Olympic medals, 60 NCAA Champions, 126 SEC Champions, more than 500 NCAA All-Americans, and 21 Academic All-Americans.

Also, during his tenure, Frye coached 14 SEC Athletes of the Year and five National Athletes of the Year, according to a press release.

Frye’s athletes have earned four USTFCCCA National Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors in addition to five SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards.

Frye is a three-time United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) National Coach of the Year, taking home the 1999 and 2002 women’s outdoor and the 1999 men’s indoor honors. He became the first person in the history of the USTCA to win the award both indoors and outdoors in the same year.

“Curtis Frye has become synonymous with Gamecock Track & Field for nearly 30 years. Curtis led his squad to the first NCAA team championship in school history and consistently mentored highly successful student-athletes who excelled both on and off the track. We wish Curtis and his wife, Wilma, all the best as they transition to the next stage of their lives.” said Director Tanner.

Frye was hired at South Carolina in July of 1996. Before that, he served as an assistant head coach at North Carolina for four years, where during that time, he was a part of 13 ACC championship teams.