South Carolina’s Curtis Frye assumed the presidency this week of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, becoming the sixth leader of the organization since 1993.

Frye, who serves as head track and field and cross country coach, is the association’s first African-American president. He succeeds Pat Henry of Texas A&M, who has been president since 2007.

“Having the confidence of the association and to be elected by your peers is always special,” Frye said. “I’m looking forward to the responsibility of directing and being thoroughly involved to spearhead, motivate and carry on the mission to make sure that the coaches and the sports of cross country and track and field are truly represented at all levels.”

Frye is in his 13th season as head coach at South Carolina.

His election was greeted with “extreme pleasure” by Black Coaches and Administrators (BCA) Executive Director Floyd A. Keith.

 “In 13 years at South Carolina, coach Frye has established one of the nation’s best programs,” Keith said. “He will bring this leadership to a position in which he will become the first coach of color to assume the role. We are proud of coach Frye and the USTFCCCA for this milestone.”

At South Carolina, Frye has coached 60 NCAA champions, 108 Southeastern Conference champions and more than 380 all-Americans. Frye brought his school its first NCAA championship in any sport in 2002 with his team’s victory in the Division I Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

“This is a chance to work with a great group of people that love the sport and love coaching,” said Frey, who previously has served on the organization’s Division I track and field executive committee. “Our educators on every level from the NAIA to NCAA Division I are a great group of people that are molding the sports of cross country and track and field and helping us mold kids. I’m excited.”

Frye is a three-time national coach of the year, twice winning the award in 1999 (for men’s indoor and women’s outdoor track and field) and in 2002 (women’s outdoor).

South Carolina student-athletes also have earned four USTFCCCA National Scholar Athlete of the Year honors and a Southeastern Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year award during his tenure, and his teams have won two USTFCCCA National Scholar Team of the Year honors.

Previous USTFCCCA presidents were Gary Schwartz of Kansas (1997-97), Sam Bell of Indiana (1998-2001), Terry Crawford of Cal Poly (2002-04), David Harris of Emporia State (2005-06) and Henry.