On the track, Valmon has spent his time producing multiple All-Americans. During his tenure, 59 student-athletes have earned All-America honors for their performances on the national stage. In addition, nearly 60 school records have been established.Â
In the classroom, Maryland track and field athletes consistently rank among the top of their peers. In cross country, the Terps have been named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team for 14 of the last 15 seasons. On the track, Maryland has been recognized as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team 18 times with the women’s squad doing so each of the last 12 seasons.Â
Since Valmon took over the program, a total of 65 student-athletes have been named USTFCCCA All-Academic performers including eight in both 2024 and 2025.
In 2009, Katie Rogus became just the second CoSIDA Academic All-American, the highest academic honor possible, in program history joining Natalie Dye who earned the honor in 2003.Â
In addition to their success at the collegiate level, Valmon has helped several Terp alumni reach the highest levels of success as fellow Olympians. Since taking over the program in 2003, Valmon has helped produce three individual Olympians including Thea LaFond (Dominica) who won Gold in the triple jump at the 2024 Paris Games. That marked the third Olympic games for LaFond who has also been joined by fellow Terps Micha Powell (Canada, 2016 Rio Games) and Chioma Onyekwere (Nigeria, 2021 Tokyo, 2024 Paris Games).Â
Additionally, Valmon has a pair with Olympic ties on his staff in Associate Head Coach Danielle Siebert (Team USA Head Manager) and Assistant Throws Coach Rudy Winkler (three-time Olympian, U.S. record holder-hammer).
Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014-15, Maryland has produced 26 All-Americans including Kiani Profit (‘12) who was an NCAA runner-up in both the pentathlon and heptathlon, Greg Thompson who placed second in the 2018 discus, and Dominic Berger who was second in the 2006 110 hurdles.
When the Terps first joined the Big Ten, Lafond was honored as the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of Maryland’s first-ever B1G Outdoor Championship appearance in 2015.
As focused as he has been on improving place finishes in competition, Valmon has also established high expectations for his student-athletes in other areas.Â
During the 2018-19 season, the Terps added 5 year old Angelo Serrano to the roster from Team Impact. Valmon has made community service a mandatory responsibility of each team member and each year the squad is well-represented at all community outreach events.
In the summer of 2012, Valmon reached the highest level of his coaching career when he was chosen as the head coach of the U.S. track & field team at the London Olympics. As a result of Valmon's leadership, Team USA achieved the second highest medal count in history. Twenty-nine medals were earned in the sport of track & field, including nine gold, 13 silver, and seven bronze medals.
Prior to the 2012 Olympics, Valmon served as an assistant coach at the 2009 World Outdoor Championships in Berlin, Germany, and as the head coach for the 2010 World Indoor Championships team in Doha, Qatar. That came after coaching at the World Championship level, where Valmon served USA Track & Field as the relay coach for the national team that competed at the 2008 NACAC Championship in El Salvador.
Due to the continued success of Team USA, Valmon was added to the staff for the 2013 World Championships in Moscow to lead the relay squads. While in Moscow, Valmon ensured the success of the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.
Valmon is no stranger to relay success at the highest level. Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Valmon forged an outstanding career as a professional and Olympic level 400-meter runner. He earned gold medals as a member of the United States 4x400 relay teams in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games.
Valmon earned spots on 13 U.S. National Teams, also earning golds at the 1990 Goodwill Games, the 1993 World Championships and the 1994 Goodwill Games. He owns a personal-best of 44.28 in his specialty and was ranked as high as fourth in the world at various times in his career. Valmon still holds the world record as a member of the 1993 World Championship 4x400m relay team that clocked a time of 2:54.29.
While serving as the Terrapin head coach, Valmon's profile has also continued to rise in the USATF and United States Olympic Committee (USOC) communities. Valmon served as the USATF chair for men’s track and field from 2016-24. He has also served as a mentor through the US Olympic Ambassador Program and Olympic Summit organizations. In the summer of 2004, Valmon was selected to a distinguished NCAA/USOC panel to address Olympic sport concerns. The panel met throughout 2004 and 2005, before presenting its recommendations on creative ways to increase the visibility of various Olympic sports.
Valmon, who won two Olympic Gold Medals during his career as an athlete, came to Maryland in 2003 after serving on the track and field staff at Georgetown University beginning in 1995.
After joining the Hoyas as an assistant coach, Valmon became an associate head coach before serving as head coach of the Hoyas men's team for his final four seasons there. While there, he worked primarily with the sprinters, half-milers and jumpers. He helped lead the Hoya men to numerous indoor and outdoor championships at the Big East and IC4A Conference levels including the first IC4A Outdoor title in school history.
As a result of the numerous titles, Valmon was honored by the U.S. Track Coaches Association with regional awards. In 2002, he was awarded the President's Award by USA Track and Field for his contributions to both USATF and to the sport of track and field. He has been a member of USATF's Athletes Advisory Committee.
His record of achievement as an athlete and coach made Valmon an excellent choice to become the new Terrapin head coach in 2003 as summarized at the time by former Maryland Director of Athletics Deborah Yow, "Andrew brings a unique combination of talent, commitment, teaching and community involvement that will take our track and field program to the next level of excellence. He has the kind of experience and passion for track that will attract very talented student-athletes to our program. He will develop and inspire them athletically and academically to achieve their best potential."
Renaldo Nehemiah, a Maryland alumnus who was a three-time NCAA national champion, also noted Valmon's stature as an accomplished member of the track and field community. "I think it's a great hire," said Nehemiah. "To have a young, enthusiastic coach there will be very good for the university. He has a lot of respect in the track and field community. He's a hungry, aggressive person who will revitalize a program that has a storied background."
Valmon is the founder of the Avenue Program (www.avenueprogram.org), an organization designed to positively impact the lives of underprivileged youths by introducing them to successful athletes and professionals, as well as organizing track and field clinics.
He earned a bachelor's degree in communications in 1987 from Seton Hall University, where he is a member of the Hall of Fame after becoming a three-time All-American. He still holds the Big East Conference championships record in the 400 and was named the Outstanding Performer of the meet after winning the 400 and participating on two winning relay teams for the Pirates in the 1987 meet.
Valmon is married to Meredith Rainey Valmon, a seven-time U.S. national champion and two-time Olympian in the women's 800. The couple and their three children (Travis, Maya, and Mallory) reside in Rockville, Md.
Updated August 12, 2025
- Full Name:Â Andrew Orlando Valmon
- Hometown:Â Brooklyn, New York
- Education: Seton Hall, 1987 (communications)
- Wife: Meredith
- Children: Travis, Maya, Mallory
- 1983-87:Â Seton Hall, student-athlete
- 1988: 1988 Seoul Summer OlympicsÂ
- 1991: 1991 Tokyo World Championships
- 1992: 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics
- 1993: 1993 Stuttgart World Championships
- 1995-99: Georgetown, Assistant Coach
- 1999-03: Georgetown, Head Coach
- 2003-present: Maryland, Head Coach
- 2008 NACAC Championship: USA Track & Field, Relay Coach
- 2009 World Outdoor Championships: USA Track & Field, Assistant Coach
- 2010 World Indoor Championships: USA Track & Field, Head Coach
- 2012 London Summer Olympics: USA Track & Field, Head Coach
