Carmelita Jeter is recognized as one of the fastest women in track and field history. Now she’ll have the chance to impart her wisdom on young rebels as the head coach for UNLV’s track and field and cross country programs.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Jeter to the Rebel Family,” UNLV Director of Athletics Erick Harper said. “She has proven to be an exceptional coach and we look forward to her growth as a head coach to take our program to the next level. Coach Jeter’s experience as a world-class sprinter will undoubtedly provide a great opportunity to recruit some of the best track & field/cross country talent to UNLV.”
Jeter has both the athletic and coaching talent the university needs to build a winning program in Las Vegas.
As a sprinter, Jeter medaled in the 2012 Summer Games in London. She took bronze in the 200m, silver in the 100m and brought home gold in the 4x100m for Team USA. She’s also a 3x medalist at the World Championships and remains the most decorated female athlete in school history at California State University, Dominguez Hills. There Jeter won six All-America awards and set five university records that still stand.
In 2009, she earned her nickname “The Jet” when she clocked a 10.64 in the 100m, which was the second fastest time in history, trailing only the legendary Flo Jo (10.49). She still holds the fourth fastest time in the women’s 100m behind Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.60).
She began coaching in 2004 at her high school in California two years before she graduated from college. Then she eventually went back to CSUDH as an assistant coach before moving on to Missouri State and Alabama.
In 2022 she moved to USC as an assistant coach for two years, and now she’s the Running Rebels’ new head coach of track & field and cross country.
“I would like to thank UNLV President Keith Whitfield and Director of Athletics Erick Harper for their confidence in me and for selecting me to lead this program,” Jeter said. “It is an incredible honor to become the head coach of track & field and cross country at UNLV.”
Now let’s see if the dust starts swirling in the desert from all of the speed that Jeter brings to UNLV.
