Florida Memorial's Head Coach Roosevelt Richardson Jr. Announced His Retirement; Ends 45 Year Head Coaching Career

The former Grambling State Tiger, Coach Roosevelt Richardson, Jr., will end
his college coaching career with 45 seasons as a head coach.

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida --  Roosevelt Richardson Jr. whose association with Florida Memorial University and Miami Dade College goes back to the early 1970's has announced that he will retire as the head men's & women's cross country and track & field coach at the end of the 2014-15 school year. His retirement marks the end of a remarkable career that spanned a total of 45 seasons as head coach.

He started his head coaching career in the fall of 1970 with Miami Dade College track & field/cross country team and came to Florida Memorial University in the fall of 1997 and turned the program around in less than three years. At the time of his retirement, he will have logged 45 years as a head coach and he will have the longest tenure in Florida Memorial men's & women's cross country and track & field history and as the most successful  head coach.

Coach Richardson closes out eighteen years at Florida Memorial University. In that period of time, 44 members of his teams have become NAIA All Americans and 15 have become NAIA Indoor / Outdoor Track National Champions. Under his direction, Ms. Brandy Dames became the first female All American and Ms. Sallie Green the first female National Champion in the history of Florida Memorial University.

Coach Richardson received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Grambling State University and his Masters of Arts Degree from the University of Northern Colorado. He has received many prestigious honors and awards during his career, some of which are:

· Selected as a starter for the Carifta Games, 1976
· Elected USA Florida Head Coach for Partners International Meets, 1982 and 1983
· Received Key to Miami for his work with Partners International Meets, 1982 and 1983
· Selected FCAA Conference/NJCAA Regional Cross Country and Track Coach of the Year six times
· Inducted into the USA Florida Track and Field Association Hall of Fame
· Chosen Distinguished Grambling State University Alumni, EOC in 1990
· Selected Florida Sun Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year, 1999
· Selected NAIA Men and Women's Region 13/14 Coach of the Year, 2002
· Selected The Sun Conference Women's Track Coach of the Year, 2006, 2010
· Selected NAIA Region 13 Coach of the Year, 2006, 2010, 2011
 .Selected The Sun Conference Men's Co-Coach of the Year, 2011

"I was truly blessed to be here so long," said Richardson, "I have enjoyed my time here and one thing I always appreciated from the various directors of athletics was the freedom and ability to run the cross country and track & field programs in the image we wanted. Those were people who said 'work hard and get the job done' and I was happy to be able to do that."

"Coach Richardson has been a fixture at Florida Memorial for a decade and a half, and his boundless enthusiasm and passion to mentor our student-athletes will be deeply missed," said Robert Smith, director of athletics. "Coach Richardson has made a significant investment of time, talent and treasure at Florida Memorial. He has compiled an impressive resume' of success and positively impacted the lives of countless athletes and colleagues during his coaching career."

COURTESY FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION