Woods adds Cha’Mia Rothwell To Track And Field Staff
December 12, 2024 | Track & Field
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State head track and field coach Chris Woods announced Tuesday the hiring of Cha'Mia Rothwell as the program's newest assistant track and field coach.
Rothwell comes to Starkville from North Carolina Central University where she served as an assistant coach for sprints and jumps during the 2024 season. Prior to her time at NCCU, she was a volunteer coach for Duke University track and field.
"Cha'Mia brings the excitement and vigor we need to excel," Woods said. "Her time as a high-performing collegiate athlete will be beneficial for the young men and women we have come through our program. I am confident that Coach Rothwell will have an immediate impact on the program."
At NCCU, Rothwell coached James Harris to a third-place finish in the 200 meters, and T'Sheylah Moore and Nyree Baccus to fifth and sixth in the 400 meters at the 2024 MEAC Outdoor Championships. Harris held the 21st fastest time for freshmen nationally that season.
While volunteering at Duke, she helped coach the program to the 2022 ACC indoor title and outdoor runner-up title. In the 2023 season, the team earned the ACC indoor runner-up title and the ACC outdoor title, all of which came from the women's program.
Prior to coaching, Rothwell competed in the hurdles and jumps at Dartmouth College before transferring to Duke to compete for a year. Rothwell was a decorated athlete in college, earning accolades such as nine Ivy League titles and two Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Most Outstanding Field Performer awards. She was also named Dartmouth's Most Outstanding Female Athlete twice, earning the Class of 1976 award.
During her time at Duke as a student-athlete, Rothwell earned All-ACC Academic honors, All-ACC First Team honors, and USTFCCCA First Team honors all in the 100m hurdles. She assisted Duke to its first ACC outdoor title for the women's program. Rothwell earned a qualification spot at the 2021 USATF Olympic Trials, in which she finished 20th in the 100m hurdles. At the 2022 USATF Indoor Championships, Rothwell earned seventh in the 60m hurdles. She improved on this finish at the 2023 Indoor Championships, finishing fourth.
Rothwell will be assisting with sprints, hurdles and jumps alongside associate head coach Carjay Lyles and assistant coach Jay Turner.