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Catherine Lempesis
S.C. Athletic Hall of Fame

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Catherine Lempesis

Lempesis has excelled as a road-running competitor and as a high school coach and has campaigned for gender equity in the teaching-coaching ranks. She began running after raising a family and in 1992 she finished eighth in the Boston Marathon (Masters Division) and earned a No. 7 world ranking by Runners World Magazine. She holds the South Carolina record of 121.14 for the half-marathon in the Masters, and continues to regularly rank in the United States top 10 while competing in national races in the women’s Grand Masters Division. She has been inducted into the Road Runners Hall of Fame (1993), the South Carolina Track & Field Coaches Hall of Fame (1993). As a coach, Lempesis stands unequalled in the annals of girls’ high school track mentors. Lempesis has coached Columbia-area teams to 15 South Carolina state championships and six runner-up spots. She began at Richland Northeast High where her cross country teams finished runner-up three straight years. She moved to Spring Valley where she coached an unprecedented nine consecutive state Class AAAA track championships from 1986-1994. During that span, she also coached the Spring Valley cross country teams to six straight titles. One of her Spring Valley stars, Monique Hennagan, went on to become an UNC All-American and medal-winning Olympian. Lempesis took over the track program when Ridge View High opened its doors and led the embryonic girls team to Class AAA state championships in 1997 and 1998.

South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame