Dover, DE --- Delaware State University has announced the appointment of former U.S. Olympian Candy Young Sanders as head womens track & field/cross country coach.

Sanders, a former world-class performer, brings more than 16 years of Division I coaching experience to Delaware State.

Since 2005, she has worked with two-time Olympic gold-medalist Roger Kingdom as his assistant mens and womens track & field/cross country coach at California University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her coaching duties, Sanders was recruiting coordinator for the program.

She is also a Personal Trainer/Fitness Instructor in Beaver Falls, PA.

From 2002-04, Sanders was an assistant mens and womens track & field/cross country coach at the University of Pittsburgh. While there, she helped lead the womens team to three Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) titles. In addition, the Panthers produced two NCAA championship qualifiers, eight NCAA regional qualifiers and 24 Big East championship qualifiers during her tenure.

Sanders also recruited four nationally ranked high school athletes to the Pittsburgh program.

The previous seven years (1994-2001), Sanders was an assistant mens and womens coach at The Ohio State University. While at OSU, she coached Donna Merriman to NCAA championships in the indoor and outdoor hurdles. Sanders also helped produce 12 All-Americas and several record holders. While at Ohio State, she also served as Head Coach of the 1997 USA World University Team and was an executive board member for USA Track & Field.

From 1989-92, Sanders was an assistant mens and womens coach at Seton Hall University. She helped lead the Pirate women to a Big East Championship and trained several All-Americas.

Before embarking on her coaching career, Sanders was internationally known as a record-setting hurdler.

A 100-meter hurdler on the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, she also holds two indoor world records and a Junior American record. In addition, Sanders is a two-time National Indoor Champion, four-time NCAA indoor champion and eight-time NCAA All-America.

Sanders, 43, earned a B.A. in Biological Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ in 1985, and is a New Jersey certified educator.

In 1979, she was the Sports Illustrated National High School Athlete-of-the-Year.

I am very excited and grateful that Delaware State has given me this opportunity to become a head coach, Sanders said. Given the location of the university in a prime recruiting area and the positive vision of the new athletics administration, I see a bright future for the track & field/cross country programs.

Candy has been married for 18 years to Michael Curtis Sanders. They have two children, Stefani, 13, and Mykele, 8.

We are thrilled to bring someone of Candy Young Sanders status and abilities to Delaware State, said Chuck Bell, DSU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. Her hire is consistent with the mission and vision of the university as outlined by (DSU) President Sessoms and the Board of Trustees.

Sanders replaces Constancia Simpson-Hayes, who has relinquished her coaching duties to focus on her responsibilities as Senior Woman Administrator for the universitys Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.