A long-time figure around the Memphis track and field scene, Nic Fortenberry, in his sixth season at the U of M, has established a contingent of sprinters and hurdlers that can contend in the conference and nationally for years to come. Two of Fortenberry's charges are contenders for C-USA titles and possible NCAA Championship hopes in 2011. Senior Richard Lowe and junior Robert Jackson each made it to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in hurdles in 2010 and will use their experience and speed to try and reach those heights once more in 2011. LaShundra Kershaw, a regional qualifier in 100 and 200-meter sprints in 2010, marking the second year in a row Fortenberry sent three athletes to the NCAA Championships. Kershaw will also be back in 2011. In 2010, for the third consecutive year, at least three of Fortenberry's athletes qualified for the NCAA Regionals. In all, Fortenberry has coached 16 regional qualifiers, six NCAA qualifiers and nine C-USA champions. In 2009, five Tigers qualified for the Mideast Regionals and two of the athletes advanced to the finals of the Regionals. Three of Fortenberry's athletes qualified for the 2008 NCAA Mideast Regionals, with all of them winning individual crowns at the C-USA Outdoor Championships. He has had nine regional qualifiers in his initial two years of coaching, including seven C-USA Champions. Under Fortenberry, NCAA Mideast qualifier hurdler Amaechi Oselukwue successfully defended his Conference USA title in the 110 hurdles, as he raced to an impressive 14.16 time. In Fortenberry's first season, the Tiger sprinters and hurdlers played a pivotal role in the men's team's C-USA Outdoor Championship, scoring a total of 56 points. Fortenberry has more than a decade of experience as both an athlete and a coach at the high school and collegiate levels. As a prep standout at Tylertown High School in Tylertown, Miss., Fortenberry was the captain of the track team, a four-year letterman, and a three-year state qualifier. Fortenberry enrolled at Louisiana State University on a Naval ROTC scholarship during the summer of 1992 and joined the track team in 1993. Fortenberry competed in cross-country, the 800m dash and the 400m hurdles for the Tigers before his graduation in 1996. He began his coaching career in 1997 as an assistant track coach and head cross country coach at Kirby High School in Memphis. He took over as the boy's head coach the following year. In 2000, Fortenberry moved to Houston High under George Gibson, where he coached sprinters and multi-event athletes. He also served as the assistant cross country coach. During his time there, the cross country team won three state titles and the track team won the 2005 State Championship. Over 20 of his athletes have gone on to Division I programs, including former Memphis decathlete Jason Morgan. Nic is the father of two children, Gabe (12) and Jada (6). |
Memphis Tigers
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