Four-time Olympian and former NCAA 400-meter champion Aliann Pompey was announced as the new director of the St. John’s track and field program in August of 2021 after seven seasons as an assistant coach under Jim Hurt. Under Pompey’s leadership, the Johnnies have earned many BIG EAST Championships, including High Point Performer honors for Tatyana McKenzie in both the 2023 Indoor and Outdoor BIG EAST Championships, Jamora Alves in the 2023 BIG EAST Outdoor Championships and Leah Anderson in the 2022 & 2021 Indoor and Outdoor BIG EAST Championship. Alves also qualified for the 2023 NCAA Track and Field Championships in discus.

Pompey has seen Johnnies qualify for the NCAA Championships in each of her two seasons at the helm of the program. She has also had sustained success in the Indoor and Outdoor BIG EAST Championships, with a member of her squads taking home a high point performer and most outstanding track performer at each meet.

In 2019, Pompey was named the President of the Panam Sports Athlete Commission. The Guyana native was elected to represent more than 6,600 athletes across 41 countries that compete in the Pan American Games and has served as a standing member of the Athletes’ Commission since 2015. She also serves on the organization’s executive board and as an International Olympic Committee’s Athlete Liaison. Pompey is now in her third year as the Metropolitan Athletic Conference President.

During Feb. 2020, World Athletics announced that the Aliann Pompey (AP) Invitational would be included on the 2020 Continental Tour. The inaugural meet held in Guyana hosted 11 athletes who went on to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio and serves as a gateway to Olympic qualification.

 During the 2019-20 indoor season, Leah Anderson (2017-2022) broke two program records in the 200 meters (23.54) and the 400 meters (53.24) at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational on Feb. 14. She was later named the conference’s Most Outstanding Performer in track events and the High Point Performer at the 2020 BIG EAST Indoor Championships. Anderson earned the two accolades after securing three gold medals in the 200 meters, 400 meters and the 4x400-meter relay. She also notched a pair of gold medals in the 400 meters and the 4x400-meter relay at the IC4A/ECAC Championships a week later. Under Pompey, Anderson was also named the BIG EAST’s Most Outstanding Performer in Track Events at the conference’s 2018 outdoor championships, winning another trio of gold medals in the 200 meters, 400 meters and the 4x400-meter relay.

 Pariis Garcia (2012-16) won multiple BIG EAST titles in the midst of becoming a school record-holder and a two-time NCAA Regional qualifier in the 400m and 4x400-meter relay. She went on to run for Puerto Rico, winning the national title and making the 2019 Panam team.

Adriana Wright (2014-18) is the school record holder in the 60-meter hurdles and 100-meter hurdles. She won BIG EAST titles in the 60-meter hurdles, 60 meters, 100-meter hurdles, 100 meters and the 4x100-meter relay during her four years in Queens. Wright also qualified for the NCAA East Regional for the 100-meter hurdles. In 2018, she was named the conference’s High Point Performer at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships and went on to compete at the Jamaica national trials.

Former St. John’s sprinter Maya Stephens captured several BIG EAST titles and was named the league’s Most Outstanding Performer in Track Events at the 2017 outdoor championships as well as the 2018 indoor championships. She went on to run on the Canadian 4x400-meter relay team at the 2019 World Relays in Japan and was a member of the country’s relay pool at the World Championships in Doha.
During Pompey’s time as an assistant coach, she has helped guide the Red Storm sprinters to new heights in Queens. In 2016, Pompey helped coach Claire Mooney to a 15th-place finish at the NCAA National Championships in the 500-meter, earning USTFCCCA Second-Team All-American status along the way. Pompey has also guided the Johnnies to dominating performances at the BIG EAST Indoor and Outdoor Championships. St. John’s won 11 individual and relay BIG EAST titles in sprints and hurdles over the last two seasons including four-straight 400-meter dash titles by Pariis Garcia.

In the summer of 2016, Coach Pompey enjoyed another Olympic appearance, however this time in a different capacity. The Guyana native, traveled to Rio de Janeiro as an assistant manager with the Guyanese Track & Field Team.

Pompey, a native of Georgetown, Guyana, brings a world-class athletic resume and the experience of representing her country in four-consecutive Summer Olympic Games to St. John’s. A 400-meter specialist who owns the South American indoor record of 51.83 seconds at the distance, Pompey adds a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and a bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo to a long list of accomplishments.

Pompey has represented her native Guyana at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics in addition to participating in the World Championships in Athletics five times and the IAAF World Indoor Championships on four occasions. Her personal-best 400-meter time of 50.71 was achieved in August 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany. A graduate of Manhattan College, Pompey became the Jaspers’ first-ever national champion after winning the 400-meter dash at the 2000 NCAA Division I Track & Field Championships, and also added multiple Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Metropolitan titles to her collegiate resume. A team captain during her time at Manhattan, Pompey was ranked 12th in the world in the indoor 400-meter dash as a senior at Manhattan.

Since retiring from competition following the London Olympic Games, Pompey has dedicated her time to Armory College Prep, a non-profit college access and success program that works to get high school students from New York City’s high need schools into college.

While pursuing her Olympic dreams, Pompey worked as a personal trainer at New York Sports Clubs, taught at the Harlem Academy and Urban Institute of Math and Science for Young Women, and served as a Director of Development for PowerPlay NYC and a Development Associate for Harlem Renaissance High School. A dedicated volunteer, she has also served as board member for the Manhattan College Alumni Society, regional board member for the Catholic Youth Organization and president of the Manhattan College Black Alumni Club.

Pompey earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance with a minor in Communications in 1999 and an M.B.A. in Finance in 2003 from Manhattan College. She moved to the United States at the age of 14 and graduated from Cohoes High School in Albany County, N.Y. she also served as a board member for the Manhattan College Alumni Society, a regional board member for the Catholic Youth Organization and president of the Manhattan College Black Alumni Club.

 
CAREER SUMMARY
 
Four x 400m Olympian from Guyana / Tokyo Olympic Coach for Guyana
 
NCAA 400m Indoor Champion
 
10 St. John's school records in sprint & hurdles events in past six years
 
Six NCAA appearances in the sprints & hurdles in the past five years
 
President of Pan Am Sports Athlete’s Commission & Metropolitan Conference