Coach Heather Atkinson Graham returns to the Panthers coaching staff in 2012 for her seventh year as an assistant coach in the throwing events.
Since Graham has been at GSU, she has helped coach several talented throwers, including standout Yolanda Berryhill, who owns the school record in the discus, shot put and hammer throw. Berryhill had a standout senior year, winning the shot put and discus in 2011, while also being named CoSIDA Academic All-District III first team, Capital One Academic All-America® Women's Track & Field/Cross Country third team and CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women's track and field.
Before Berryhill, Chastity Williams held many of the school throwing records under the tutelage of Graham.
Prior to joining Georgia State, Graham served as an assistant coach for throwing events at Emory University (NCAA Div. III) from 2000-2005. At Emory, Graham had the first ever Emory Two-Time Division III National Champion in the Hammer Throw (Danielle LeSure).
She has also coached three All-Americans, six NCAA Division III Qualifiers, 11 UAA Conference Champions, 30 UAA conference scorers, two post-graduate scholars, helped athletes to 15 school records, and earned six Coaching Staff of the Year Awards.
Graham, a 1999 graduate of the University of Maryland, won the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) indoor and outdoor championships in both hammer and 20-pound weight throws events from 1996-1998. She was named to the ACC all-conference track and field team from 1997-99.
During her tenure at Maryland, Graham was also a member of the ECAC Honors Team (indoor and outdoor), an ACC scholar-athlete, and a school record-holder in the hammer and weights. She also earned All-American honors and served as a team captain from 1997-1999.
