ATLANTA -- Georgia State's track and field program welcomes several new Panthers to its coaching staff with the addition of Amber Hughes, Dentarius Locke, Dwight Phillips, and Darrow Ramsey. 

Amber Hughes
Hughes will be responsible for team operations. She had a stellar career at Tennessee State where she excelled in sprints, hurdles and jumps. She earned USTFCCCA First Team All-America status her junior and senior seasons and was an All-America Honorable Mention as a sophomore. Hughes was also named Ohio Valley Conference Female Athlete of the Year in 2017 and earned twelve more major awards including two consecutive athlete of the year awards in indoor and outdoor events, and 26 individual championships in her conference.

Hughes started her professional career after graduating and ran her first pro race, where she won the 60m hurdle with a time of 8.08. She went on to finish top three in the 2019 USATF Indoor National Championships in the hurdles among many other accomplishments.

Dentarius Locke
Locke had an illustrious collegiate career at Tennessee and Florida State and became a Nike athlete after graduation. He's one of the fastest sprinters in the world after breaking the 10-second barrier in the 100m at 9.96s. He earned All-America status in the 200m in 2011 and earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

After transferring to Florida State, Locke became the school record holder in both the 100m and 200m. In his first year competing for the Seminoles, and second year running collegiately, Locke placed second at the ACC Indoor Championship in both the 60m and 200m. He would go on to earn All-America status as part of FSU's record-setting 4x400m squad.

In 2013, Locke earned ACC Outdoor Track Most Valuable Performer by placing first in the 100m, second in the 200m and first as a member of the 4x100 relay team. At the NCAA East Qualifier Locke lowered his personal best during the second round by placing second with a 10.05, first among legal wind times. A few weeks later at the NCAA Outdoor Championship Locke became only the 85th athlete to ever run sub-10 seconds crossing the line at 9.97 (+1.9); the fastest legal wind collegiate time in 2013. In the final, Locke placed second in 100 meters (9.91; +3.2) to earn his second All-American status of the outdoor campaign (4x100 relay). 

Dwight Phillips
Phillips comes to GSU to assist with sprints and jumps. A former Olympic Gold Medalist in the long jump and the only jumper to win four world titles, Phillips brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the GSU program. In 2018, he was inducted into the Track and Field Hall of Fame for his achievements.

Phillips has worked as a track and field ambassador at the Spire Institute and Academy, working with athletes both in-person and virtually. He also works with coaches and training staffs to develop innovative training and programming.

Phillips developed 'The Winners Circle', a comprehensive program that is offered to youth, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes who seek to improve and master their skills and has helped develop NFL, NCAA, and professional track and field athletes. Three of these athletes have competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in the long jump, all representing different countries. Phillips coached Chantel Malone, Darya Klishina, and Lorraine Ugen on the Olympic stage.

Phillips is also CEO and partner of EPIQ TV, an entertainment program that hosts live streams, movies, documentaries, and playbacks of many different sports.

Darrow Ramsey
Ramsey comes to Georgia State after three seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana State where he sent two athletes to the NCAA East Regional to go along with an MVC champion and 15 All-MVC honorees.

Most recently, five All-MVC honorees were added to Ramsey's resume during the 2019 outdoor season, led by an impressive performance by Jarel Shaw in the 100-meter dash which resulted in a second place finish. The women's 4x100-meter relay team of Ayanna Morgan, Faith Lindsey, Shana Cooper and DeAndra Greer also earned All-MVC status behind a second place performance.

Ramsey coached Tennessee transfer DeAndra Greer to All-MVC honors at the 2018 Indoor Track & Field Championships, where she took second place in the 60-meter dash with the fourth-fastest time in school history of 7.49. During the 2018-19 season JaVaughn Moore was named conference freshman MVP.

In the 2017 outdoor season, Tristan Parmley broke the ISU school-record in the 100-meter dash at 10.29 seconds. Parmley finished third overall at the MVC Championships and placed 37th at the NCAA East Regional. He was the first Sycamore to qualify for an NCAA meet in the 100-meter dash since Tony Tate in 1993.

In 1991, Ramsey worked as an intern at Indiana State as the women's sprinters strength coach where he had to opportunity to work with seven-time NCAA champion Holli Hyche.

As a member of the ISU track team from 1985-1990, Ramsey was a member of Coach John McNichols' first MVC team championship in 1988, and then part of another team championship in 1990. He was also a part of the 1990 4X100-meter relay team that won the MVC championship at 40.65 seconds, as well as a runner-up in the 400-meter dash and 4X400-meter relay at the MVC outdoor championships 1988. Ramsey also played football at ISU from 1987-89 as a wide receiver. He signed to play professional football in the Canadian Football League in 1991 with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders and was drafted to the Oregon Lightning Bolts of the Professional Spring Football League in 1992. He has also played for the Dayton Skyhawks of the Indoor Football League.

Ramsey graduated from ISU with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science. He has his USA Track and Field Level 1 and 2 certificate, is a certified Speed and Agility Coach, and has his strength and conditioning certificate from the USTFCCCA. He is also the CEO/Owner of Raw Services LLC and Rambo Athletics (speed training and development).