Ricky Argro

Ricky Argo enters his seventh season as the men’s sprints and relays coach for the Seminoles and has been instrumental in the Noles’ recent success on the track.

Over the past four-and-a-half seasons, his charges have piled up 38 All-American honors between the indoor and outdoor campaigns highlighted by 14 All-American honors in the 2021 season. and 18 ACC champions. The Noles captured their 13th ACC Outdoor title in May.

The Seminoles’ sprinters made an impact at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships as sophomore Taylor Banks and junior JoVaughn Martin qualified for the 100m, with Martin placing fourth and earning First Team All-America honors.

Forced to rebuild the roster upon his arrival, Argro replenished the ranks by landing stars Darryl Haraway, Andre Ewers, Kasaun James, Matherson and Banks and surrounding them with quality complementary pieces through resourceful recruiting and development.

That was especially evident in 2019 when James swept ACC Indoor Championship Track MVP and ACC Indoor Track Performer of the Year honors, while Ewers won his second consecutive ACC Outdoor Championship Track MVP honor. Bryand Rincher’s accolades spanned the 2019 indoor and outdoor seasons, sweeping ACC Freshman of the Year honors. Rincher was the lone Nole to earn first-team All-American honors in both seasons as the only freshman to advance to the NCAA finals in the 60-meter and 100-meter dashes.

Banks added to the list, claiming the 2020 ACC Indoor Freshman of the Year honors.

FSU’s new depth was on display when they charged from sixth place entering the final day of the 2019 ACC Indoor Championships to a share of the team title. The Noles qualified a conference-record six men to the 60-meter dash finals and piled up 25 points, and stacked on 29 points in the 200 final with a 1-2-3 finish leading five finalists.

Haraway, the centerpiece to Argro’s first recruiting class, was the 2017 ACC Indoor 60- and 200-meter champion, earning Track MVP honors.

In all, Argro’s men have amassed 42 All-ACC honors, including 20 first-team selections.

The 2019 4×100 relay team of Rincher, Matherson, Michael Timpson and Ewers broke the NCAA Championship record in a runner-up finish at 38.08.

In 2018, Ewers matched Dentarius Locke’s school record in the 60-meter dash (6.52).Totaled, Argro’s men have added 16 new additions to the all-time top-10 lists between the indoor and outdoor seasons.

The success further validates Bob Braman’s 2015 hiring of Argro, who built his reputation as a high school and private coach in Central Florida since graduating from FSU in 2006. Argro guided Orlando’s First Academy to three consecutive 1A boys state runner-up finishes and the girls to back-to-back top-eight showings, producing 15 state champions.

In addition to that team’s success, Argro also helped develop former Noles sprinter Marvin Bracy, a 2016 Olympian, and his cousin Levonte Whitfield, who starred for the FSU football team. Together they were the top-ranked 100-meter high school runners nationally from 2011-13. Additionally, he coached future NCAA champion and Team USA member Teahna Daniels at First Academy.

Argro’s passion for coaching has roots back to his days at Lyman High School, where he was mentored by Fred Finke and Marcus O’Dell. It was nurtured during his four seasons with the Noles, where he helped qualify two All-American 4×100 relay teams to the NCAA Championship meet, while earning All-ACC honors under Ken Harnden, the man he replaced on the FSU staff.

Argro and his wife Iona are the proud parents of four daughters – Tamera, Isis, Yahirah and London.