A former two-time Olympic hurdler who later became the first black woman to coach at Ohio State was killed in a car crash in northern Ohio Monday.
Mamie Rallins also served as Olympic head manager for the USA women's track team at the 2000 Sydney Games, according to Ohio State University's website.
The State Highway Patrol said Rallins, 74, died in a multi-vehicle accident near Port Clinton, where she lived.
Investigators say Rallins' car crossed the center line and struck two tractor-trailers before colliding with another car. No one else was seriously injured.
Rallins, a Chicago native, ran track at Tennessee State and competed as a hurdler at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics.
She later helped start and was hired as coach of the women's track and cross country teams at Ohio State in the mid-1970s.
Earlier this year, Rallins was awarded the Phyllis Bailey Career Acheivement awardat Ohio State's women's basketball game against Purdue on January 17, according to Ohio State.
During an 18-year career, Rallins coached 60 Big Ten indoor/outdoor champions, 24 All Americans, nine Olympic trial qualifiers and one Olympian.
Ohio State said she continued to remain involved with the Buckeyes and volunteered as a statistician for the track and field program up until 2016.
