Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
NEWBERRY — Elite athlete Deborah Acquah was named assistant track and field coach by head coach Scott Hutchinson.
Acquah was a nine-time All-American track and field student-athlete at Texas A&M and a member of Ghana national team.
“I am beyond thrilled to have Deborah join our coaching staff here at Newberry College,” said head coach Scott Hutchinson. “She has competed at the highest level! Texas AM being in the SEC Conference is one of the premier programs in the country and always contending for a National Championship. She also competed and represented for her country, Ghana. To have a 9-Time All American join our coaching staff is just a plus for our program and for our athletes! I know our jump athletes will enjoy being coached by Deborah as she will bring great energy and enthusiasm to our track & field programs.”
Acquah was a three-time, first team All-American performer in the long and triple jump finishing in the top-7 at NCAA Division 1 indoor or outdoor nationals nine times including national runner-up in the long jump at the 2019 indoor and 2022 outdoor championships and in the triple jump at the 2021 indoor championship meet.
She was also a three-time West Region champion and two-time Southeastern Conference champion.
She has represented Ghana at the 2016 Durban African Championships and the 2019 African Games and qualified for the World Championships in 2022 and 2023. Acquah won a silver medal the All-African Games and a bronze at the Commonwealth Games. She is the current holder of Ghana’s indoor long and triple jump records.
Acquah was also an outstanding student at Texas A&M, earning United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Association All Academic honors in 2021 and 2022. She was also named to the SEC Honor Roll all four years as a student-athlete.
To qualify for All-Academic distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-25 (or 10 percent) at the NCAA Regional Championships or as an All-American at the NCAA Championships.
Acquah received both her undergraduate (2021) and master’s degrees (2023) from Texas A&M.