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Entering his 30th season as the head coach of the Fordham Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track & Field Teams is Tom Dewey. He has been the head coach of the men's track & field program for the past 29 seasons, and returns in his 16th season at the helm of the women's track & field program, his second stint in charge of the women's program, the first lasting seven years. Last year, the Fordham men successfully defended their outdoor Metropolitan crown while the women took second for the second consecutive season. The Rams also had three Atlantic 10 individual champions, two individual and two relays that earned Second Team All-Conference honors. The season was highlighted by Matt DiBuono, who was named Athlete of the Meet at the Outdoor Metropolitan Championships for the second straight year. He also won both the weight throw and hammer competitions at the Atlantic 10 Championships and advanced to the NCAA National Championships in the hammer throw where he placed 14th. On the year, eight school records fell while academically, two student-athletes were named Academic All-Atlantic 10, including senior Clifton Hilario who was named Academic All-Conference for cross country, indoor track and outdoor track as well as being named First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District. In 2007-08, Dewey led the men's outdoor squad to their first ever Metropolitan Championship while the women's squad took second; their best ever finish at the outdoor Mets. Additionally, the men's indoor 4x800 relay successfully defended its Atlantic 10 title. DiBuono, who was named Athlete of the Meet at the Outdoor Metropolitan Championships, defended his Atlantic 10 hammer throw crown while also earning Second Team All-Conference honors in the weight throw. Two other Rams earned All-Conference honors during the indoor season while two school records fell on the year. In 2006-07, the Rams had five athletes earn All-Atlantic 10 honors during the indoor season, including Kerstin Greene, who was named the Atlantic 10 Indoor Field Performer of the Year as well as earning All-America honors in the heptathlon, and DiBuono, who was named the Atlantic 10 Indoor Rookie of the Meet. In the outdoor season the Rams earned All-Conference honors in five events and one relay with Greene being named the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Field Performer of the Year and winning both the heptathlon and long jump titles. Fordham athletes also set eight school indoor records and five outdoor records while both the men's and women's teams finished third at the 2006 Outdoor Metropolitan Championships. The 2004-05 season was one of the most successful seasons under Dewey's direction with the men's indoor squad taking third at the Atlantic 10 Championships, Fordham's best ever showing at the conference meet, earning Dewey the 2004-05 Atlantic 10 Men's Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year honors. The Fordham men also took fourth of nine teams at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships. Sophomore Aaron DeGraffe led the charge for Dewey's men, setting the Fordham indoor triple jump record while garnering First Team All-Atlantic 10 honors in the event for both the indoor and outdoor season. On the women's side in 2004-05, no fewer than eight school records were set during the indoor and outdoor season. Kerstin Greene led the assault on the record book, setting six records as well as earning First Team All-Atlantic 10 honors in the high jump for both the indoor and outdoor season. In 2003-04, the Fordham women set three school records while the men had a First Team All-Atlantic 10 Performer and the women a Second Team All-Conference athlete. Additionally, the men's outdoor 4x400 relay team earned Second Team honors. In 2003, Dewey had two men advance to the NCAA East Regionals at George Mason University with Deric Zaphire just missing out qualifying for the finals in the 400 IH. The 2002-03 Rams also were a record-setting bunch, breaking four indoor records and two outdoor records. In 2002, under Dewey's tutelage, the men and women's outdoor teams took second at the Metropolitan Championships, the highest combined performance in school history at the time. Under Dewey's watchful eye over the past 29 years, the Fordham men's program also achieved its first indoor and outdoor track championship in five decades. The Rams have also won two IC4A University Division Cross Country Championships as well as two Metropolitan Outdoor titles. The women's program has claimed several titles as well, including the New York State Division I Cross Country Championship, the New York Downstate Cross Country title, and the College Track Conference Cross Country Championship. In 1995-96, the Lady Rams captured their third consecutive ECAC University Division title. On the men's side, 27 current school records have been set during Dewey's tenure, while the women's squad has set 35 records. In the spring of 2002, Dewey received the Hughes Award from Fordham University in recognition of his 20+ years of service to the university. Dewey is in his 45th season of coaching. Before arriving at Fordham, he worked at St. Augustine, Nazareth, and Bishop Ford High Schools in the CHSAA. He has been honored as Fordham's "Coach of the Year" in 1983 and in 1995. |
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