Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach (Throws)
Laura Gerraughty is in her second year as the assistant throws coach. Gerraughty competed for the Tar Heels from 2002 to 2006. She is a four-time NCAA shot put champion and NCAA record holder in the shot put. In 2004, Gerraughty competed for the United States at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Gerraughty was a volunteer assistant throws coach from 2005-2007 in Chapel Hill. Under Gerraughty's tutelage in the 2007 season, the combined events athletes produced a new school record in the Pentathlon indoors, two top three finishes at the ACC Outdoor Championships and one NCAA Qualifier in the Decathlon outdoors, freshman Mateo Sossah. In her first year on the staff, Gerraughty worked with a number of talented young throwers who went on to represent the Tar Heels well in post-season competition. As a true freshman, two-time Track & Field News High School Athlete of the Year Walter Henning garnered a combined two ACC titles and an NCAA Indoor National Championships third place finish in the hammer and weight throws, posting a school record in the weight throw in the process. Another true freshman, Track & Field News High School All-America Brian Moore posted two NCAA Regional qualifying marks in the regular season before taking home the ACC title in the javelin.
Not to be outdone, the combined events and throws returnees had strong showings as well. Sophomore Mateo Sossah returned to the national scene indoors, just missing All-America honors with a personal-best 5,621 points, good for 10th place at the NCAA Indoor Championships. On the women's side, All-American senior Jocelyn White capped a strong college career with ACC and NCAA Regional second place finishes, her second consecutive Penn Relays discus title, and an NCAA National Championships berth in the discus throw.
Gerraughty holds a bachelor of arts degree in biology, with distinction, from the University of North Carolina. She has completed coursework towards a master of arts degree in exercise and sport Science with a concentration in exercise physiology in UNC's Graduate School.
