Former St. John’s track and field student-athlete Pariis Garcia is forever tied to the university. Her parents — both track and field standouts — met at St. John’s. It was no surprise that there were several Johnnies at Garcia’s wedding to former NFL running back Mack Brown, including current director of track and field/cross-country Aliann Pompey, who coached Garcia to outstanding collegiate accomplishments.
“I have athletes who are now in their 30s, and it took me a while to come to terms with that,” said Pompey, a four-time Olympian who began coaching at St. John’s in 2014. “Pariis is probably the easiest athlete I’ve ever coached.”
When Pompey first arrived at St. John’s, she set up one-on-one meetings with the student-athletes. She hadn’t played a role in their recruiting, so she wanted a chance to connect before training began. “I tried to explain to them how this could benefit them and we [could] accomplish things together,” Pompey recalled. “Pariis said yes to everything and she was excited.”
After graduating in 2016, Garcia continued training with Pompey for a year and a half as she pursued pro track and international competition, representing Puerto Rico.
Also on Pompey’s recent schedule was being inducted into the Shore Athletic Club (NJ) Hall of Fame. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Manhattan College, she continued to compete internationally for her native Guyana. Elliot Denman, now a lifetime trustee, invited her to join the club.
“He made the pitch about how Shore AC supports athletes that are kind of in a transition period,” said Pompey. “After I left school, that was the only club I was affiliated with … up until I retired from my professional career.”
These days, she attends Shore AC meets when her schedule permits and contributes to the support of today’s athletes as she can. “The club was a crucial part of me being able to continue doing the sport that I love,” said Pompey, who has the meet record for the club’s 400-meter race, which is now named after her.
This summer, Pompey and her St. John’s coaching staff will be reviewing the recently concluded season, planning for the 2025–26 school year, and scoping out possible recruits for 2026–27. “We have an amazing group returning,” she said. “We want to make sure we get them high-level competition.”