Aug. 10, 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Laura Gerraughty was recently added to the University of North Carolina track and field coaching staff, head coach Dennis Craddock announced on Friday. Gerraughty will be in charge of the Carolina throwers as she replaces Brian Blutreich who was hired as an assistant at the University of Oklahoma.

"I knew as soon as Coach Blutreich told me he was leaving who I wanted to recommend to be hired. Laura has been an athlete, a student, and a volunteer coach here with our program. I've watched and been a part of her maturing in each of these disciplines. She will make an outstanding coach here and we don't skip a beat by moving her into this position to help our staff and our athletes. I can't say enough about Laura as a person either. I will say that I would gladly have her as another daughter in my life," head coach Dennis Craddock said.

Gerraughty came to UNC from Nashua, N.H. after a very successful high school career and quickly became one of the top Tar Heel performers of all time. She won four NCAA titles - in 2003 (outdoor shot put), 2004 (indoor and outdoor shot put) and 2006 (outdoor shot put). She earned 10 All-America honors, won a remarkable 13 individual Atlantic Coast Conference championships and set UNC records in five events and is the all-time collegiate record-holder in the indoor shot put.

Gerraughty was a member of the 2004 United States Olympic Team and was named MVP of the 2006 ACC Championships to go along with being named the 2006 Southeast Region Track and Field Athlete of the Year. She also won the shot at the prestigious Penn Relays four times, a feat only five women have accomplished at that meet.

In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Gerraughty was a first-team Academic All-America three times and received the ACC's Jim and Pat Thacker postgraduate scholarship. She also earned UNC's illustrious Patterson Medal.

"In 40 years of coaching, I've never had a person, student and athlete combination like Laura," Craddock added.

Gerraughty spent the 2007 season as a volunteer coach for the Tar Heels.