CANDACE
ARCHER
OLIVIA
HILL
2019 GUIDE
WVUSPORTS.COM
TABLE OF
CONTENTS In the Spotlight
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2018 REVIEW
A Championship Program
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A Look Back at 2018
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All-Americans 4
2018 Results
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Managing Editor: Joe Swan
Big 12 Conference
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Meet-by-Meet Breakdown
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Editors /Writers: Joe Mitchin / Olivia VanHorn
Athletic Training
8
Individual Times
50
Page Layout/Design: Kristin Coldsnow, Bob Slater, Provations Contributors: Lisa Ammons, John Antonik, Ashley Bailey, Tanner Cain, Kristin Coldsnow, Grant Dovey, Michael Fragale, Katie MacCrory, Bryan Messerly, Joe Mitchin, Mike Montoro, Chris Pharis, Amy Prunty, Amy Salvatore, Joe Swan, Olivia VanHorn, Cheryl Wire Contributing Photographers: All-Pro Photography by Dale Sparks, Nick Arthur, M.G. Ellis, Don Paul, Dan Friend, Erin Irwin, E.J. Linger, Joe Mitchin, Brian Persinger, Steve Prunty, Megan Raymond, Niesha Shafer, Jenny Shepherd, Cheryl Treworgy, Olivia VanHorn and Norman Wills © 2 019 West Virginia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action institution. The indicia depicted are registered trademarks of West Virginia University. Reproduction of any material appearing here in is prohibited without approval of the West Virginia University Intercollegiate Athletics.
Strength and Conditioning
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Community Service
11
Student-Athlete Development
12
Campus Life
14
RECORD BOOK NCAA Honors
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Conference Honors
51
All-Americans 53
COACHING STAFF Sean Cleary
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Erin O’Reilly
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Support Staff
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GENERAL INFORMATION President E. Gordon Gee
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Profiles 26
2019 PREVIEW
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Director of Athletics Shane Lyons 59 Intercollegiate Athletics Staff
MOUNTAINEER PROFILES 2019 Roster
Accolades 50
60
Head Coaches
61
Athletics Facilities
62
Media Information
63
Contact Information
64
2019 Schedule 42 A Look at 2019 43 WVUCross Country/Track and Field
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MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
IN THE
SPOTLIGHT
Choosing to become a Mountaineer student-athlete is special.
Without a professional sports team in the state, West Virginia residents and fans throughout the region love West Virginia University athletics. The Mountaineers have the unique opportunity to represent themselves, their teammates and their University to news media, alumni, friends, family and the general public. The interaction with these groups is also part of their educational process. By taking advantage of these opportunities, a positive impact on a student-athlete’s career at West Virginia is formed, which can lead into life after donning the Old Gold and Blue.
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A CHAMPIONSHIP
PROGRAM
In 12 seasons as the cross country head coach, Sean Cleary has led WVU to unprecedented national success and has been named Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year three times.
Kate Harrison crossed the line at the 2011 NCAA Championships in an all-time, program-best eighth place and helped lead the team to an eighth-place finish as well.
During Cleary’s first season in 2007, the Mountaineers became the fourth program in school history to capture a Big East Championship title. Led by MarieLouise Asselin, who placed second overall at the conference meet, WVU would go on to finish ninth at the NCAA Championships - the first top-10 finish in program history.
In 2014, the Mountaineers recorded an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, where they earned two All-Americans (Jillian Forsey and Katie Gillespie) and an NCAA Elite 89 Award Winner (Kelly Williams). Gillespie joined Asselin and Bland in becoming threetime All-Americans, as she placed 26th overall at the National Championship. Cleary has produced 12 of the program’s 15 All-America titles and numerous allconference runners.
The 2008 season saw WVU earn a school-best fourth place at the NCAA Championships and first at the Mid-Atlantic Regional. Asselin became the first Mountaineer runner to earn the individual title at the Big East Championship. Keri Bland and Asselin became the first three-time All-Americans in cross country in 2009, leading the team to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships after finishing in 31st and 34th place, respectively.
Since then, Cleary has led three individuals - Millie Paladino (2015), Jillian Forsey (2016) and Maggie Drazba (2016) - to the NCAA Championships in the past four seasons. In all, WVU has appeared in nine NCAA Championships as a team, all of them with Cleary a part of the program in some capacity. The Mountaineers have finished in the NCAA top-10 five times since 2007.
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MOUNTAINEER
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KATE HARRISON
2011
ALL-
AMERICANS
West Virginia has produced 15 All-America selections from eight individuals, including 12 during the Sean Cleary head-coaching era. Each year, the Mountaineers’ roster is filled with talent, looking for the next All-American at WVU.
CHARITY
1998
WACHERA
CLARA
2009
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GRANDT
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JILLIAN FORSEY
2014
MEGAN
METCALFE
2002, 2004
MARIE-LOUISE
ASSELIN
2007, 2008, 2009
KERI BLAND
2007, 2008, 2009
KAITLYN GILLESPIE
2010, 2011, 2014
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MOUNTAINEER
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BIG 12
CONFERENCE
»» The Big 12 Conference is comprised of 10 institutions and many of them share traditional
rivalries throughout their histories. Member universities include Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
»» The Big 12 is a strong conference that, like WVU, values quality academic and athletic programs, and has a great tradition of success.
»» At the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the Big 12 has had four NCAA
individual champions. Since 1996, the Big 12 has had a men’s and women’s team finish in the top 10 every year at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
»» The conference office is headquartered in Irving, Texas.
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MOUNTAINEER
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ATHLETIC
TRAINING
The West Virginia athletic training program looks to get its student-athletes back on the field in a timely manner while providing quality health care for its student-athletes and coaches. The scope of the athletic training services encompasses various domains, including injury recognition, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, education, and counseling. These services will enable the student-athlete to maintain an optimal quality of life beyond the span of athletic competition. Multiple athletic training rooms are available for student-athletes, furnished with the latest in technology and equipment. The athletic training staff works in conjunction with team physicians and the athletic administration to assurethe student-athletes receive quality care throughout their careers at WVU.
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MOUNTAINEER
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STRENGTH AND
CONDITIONING
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WVU’s strength and conditioning staff ensures all student-athletes are on year-long programs designed to continue improving the fitness capabilities needed in their sports.
Equipped with excellent amenities and staffed by some of the finest strength coaches in the nation, athletes who come to West Virginia University know they are in good hands when it comes to their athletic capacity.
To keep athletes in peak physical condition, West Virginia offers a variety of training areas and an array of strength programs designed to increase performance. All Mountaineer student-athletes also will have their own program individually calculated and updated throughout the year.
In cross country, special attention is paid to certain strengths and weaknesses that a distance runner has. Cross country runners spend a great deal of time on specific dynamics like speed drills and strength and conditioning exercises so that when the team gets on the course, not only are they the fittest in the race, but also the strongest.
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COMMUNITY
SERVICE
Winning and working hard are important to the West Virginia University cross country team, but becoming successful and positive role models on and off the course is just as significant. Each year, the Mountaineers work to give back to Morgantown and surrounding communities.
The WVU cross country team has donated its time to helping the Jerry Lewis Telethon, an event aimed toward helping kids with muscular dystrophy and related diseases. The Mountaineers do their part to help the cause by answering telephones, which are constantly ringing with supportive donors. The Mountaineers are also frequent visitors to the WVU Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House and help several different local community service projects.
The team also regularly donates its time and knowledge by hosting and teaching local youth track clubs the fundamentals of the sport. Along with strengthening the youngsters’ skills, the Mountaineers also teach the participants the importance of good sportsmanship, courage, determination and hard work. Additionally, Coach Cleary’s student-athletes can be found reading to children at local elementary schools in the “Read Aloud” program. During their visits, the studentathletes read to students in several classrooms and encourage them to apply themselves to their studies. Mountaineer coaches and players also take part in Relay for Life of Monongalia County, the American Cancer Society’s staple event, which offers everyone in the community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer.
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MOUNTAINEER
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STUDENT-ATHLETE
SUPPORT
West Virginia University offers a variety of services and programs to help student-athletes maximize their academic potential. Department staff members work with coaches, on-campus student service providers and faculty to help student-athletes meet the unique demands of the classroom, the supporting arena and the personal-social challenges they face as developing adults.
While many of the headlines center around the Mountaineers’ accomplishments on the playing field, West Virginia student-athletes also have made some noteworthy strides in the classroom. Some of the accolades include 14 consecutive years where the department has had at least one first team Academic All-American. To help its student-athletes achieve academic success, one of the nation’s finest facilities resides in the WVU Coliseum – the Athletic Academic Performance Center. The 8,000-square foot facility provides individual
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and group study areas, a plethora of computer stations and the latest in fingerprint technology used when signing in.
A total of 313 student-athletes were represented on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll in Fall 2018, of which 69 of them registered a 4.0 GPA. Additionally, 11 student-athletes were named recipients of the Dr. Gerald Large Academic Achievement Award, the Big 12 Conference’s highest academic honor. More than 500 student-athletes were honored on WVU’s Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll last year. Implemented in 1989, the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll was created to recognize students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Since the program began in 1989, over 4,000 student-athletes have earned a place on the honor roll. Ford retired in 2011 after 44 years of service with the WVU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
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2018-19 SEASON One Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team (Andrea Pettit) » Two Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District Track & Field/Cross Country Team (Pettit and Olivia Hill) » Cumulative 3.63 team GPA » Seven Academic All-Big 12 Cross Country First Team (Marianne Abdalah, Antigone Archer, Jillian Forsey, Hill, Pettit, Bree Warren, Sarah Wills) » One Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award recipient (Hill) » One WVU Foundation Most Outstanding Senior (Pettit) » One WVU Order of Augusta recipient (Pettit) » Ten 4.0 GPAs » 997 APR score
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CROSS COUNTRY
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MOUNTAINEER
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CHARACTER Public, land-grant institution, founded in 1867. RESEARCH CLASSIFICATION R1: Doctoral Universities–Highest Research Activity, as described by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. ACCREDITATION WVU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Many programs hold specialized accreditation. GOVERNANCE The WVU Board of Governors is the University’s governing body. The Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia is responsible for developing, establishing and overseeing the implementation of a public policy agenda for the state’s four-year colleges and universities. E. Gordon Gee is WVU’s 24th president. CAMPUS LOCATIONS AND FACILITIES The WVU System is a family of distinctive campuses united by a single mission. From the groundbreaking research of our flagship in Morgantown (ranked R1, the highest research category institution) to the student-centered focus of WVU Potomac State College in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Institute of Technology in Beckley — we are leveraging our talents and resources to create a better future for West Virginia and the world. The WVU Institute of Technology in Beckley offers more than 35 majors, including one of the top 100 undergraduate engineering programs in the country, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. WVU Potomac State College in Keyser has one of the lowest tuition rates of all the nation’s four-year institutions. Offering more than 60 majors, this campus combines the personal attention of a small college with the benefits of a major university. The WVU System also includes the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center in Charleston and Martinsburg, as well as 10 experimental farms and four forests throughout the state and WVU Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres. The Morgantown campus has 245 buildings (11 on the National Register of Historic Places) on 1,892 acres. The WVU Morgantown campus is located in a town named “No. 1 Small City in America” by BizJournals.com for its exceptional quality of life. Morgantown, population 30,855, was also rated the ninth best college town in America by Business Insider and is within easy traveling distance of Washington, D.C., to the east, Pittsburgh, Pa., to the north, and Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, to the northwest. Other rankings: Kiplinger.com included Morgantown in their 10 great places to live list; one of “Best Sports Cities” by Sporting News; 5th “Best Small Metro” by Forbes; 12th overall “Hottest Small City” by Inc.; one of “50 Smartest Places to Live” by Kiplinger’s; and the second-ranking “Best College Town for Jobs” by Forbes.
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STUDENT PROFILE Fall 2018 WVU System enrollment was 29,959: Potomac State College - 1,340 WVU Tech - 1,755 Morgantown campus - 26,864 Students at the Morgantown campus come from 118 nations, all 50 U.S. states (plus D.C.) and all 55 West Virginia counties; nearly half are West Virginia residents. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WVU ranks nationally for prestigious scholarships: 25 Rhodes Scholars, 24 Truman Scholars, 45 Goldwater Scholars, three George C. Marshall (British) Scholars, five Morris K. Udall Scholars, five USA Today All-USA College Academic First Team Members (and 11 academic team honorees), 26 Boren Scholars, 63 Gilman Scholars, 64 Fulbright Scholars, three Department of Homeland Security Scholars, 32 Critical Language Scholars, one Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholar, five National Institute of Standards and Technology Fellowships and 25 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. FACULTY AND STAFF PROFILE Seventy-six percent of full-time instructional faculty hold the highest academic degree in their field, and 64 percent of all WVU classes and 67 percent of all WVU non-laboratory classes are taught by full-time instructional faculty. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Fourteen Morgantown colleges and schools offer 380plus majors in agriculture, natural resources and design; arts and sciences; business and economics; creative arts; dentistry; education and human services; engineering and mineral resources; journalism; law; medicine; nursing; pharmacy; physical activity and sport sciences; public health. Hundreds of distance-education and online classes are available. STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Students can choose from among 480-plus student organizations or participate in an active intramural program or a variety of club sports. SERVICE AND LEARNING The Center for Service and Learning develops and organizes service learning and volunteer opportunities for students and faculty. WVU earned the Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement Classification – joining only 6 percent of all universities. It is the only institution in West Virginia the foundation recognizes for its community engagement. PARENTS CLUB The Mountaineer Parents Club, with 20,000-plus members, connects parents and families with the student experience. ALUMNI Chartered in 1873, the WVU Alumni Association is made up of more than 200,000 graduates worldwide in some 135 nations. ADMISSION AND APPLICATION TIMELINE Admission is based on a combination of high school GPA and ACT or SAT scores. Applications are processed beginning Aug. 15 for admission the following fall. March 1 is the deadline for West Virginia residents to submit PROMISE Scholarship applications. WVU has a rolling admissions policy, and there is no official application deadline.
COACHING
STAFF 18
Head Coach Sean Cleary
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Assistant Coach Erin O’Reilly
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Support Staff
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
SEAN » CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD COACH » 13th SEASON » 27th OVERALL Sean Cleary, one of the sport’s most talented coaches, enters his 13th season at the helm of the West Virginia University cross country and track and field teams in 2019-20. Cleary has been associated with both programs for over two-and-a-half decades. With his expertise in mentoring, training, conditioning and recruiting distance runners, the Georgetown, Ontario, native has built West Virginia’s cross country and track and field programs into national powerhouses, producing numerous All-America and all-conference honors. Under Cleary’s leadership, the Mountaineers are coming off a fourthplace finish at the 2018 Big 12 Championship in Ames, Iowa. Hayley Jackson placed eighth overall at the meet, earning All-Big 12 honors. WVU went on to finish sixth as a team at the Mid-Atlantic Regional. The track and field team earned ninth-place finishes at both the Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2018-19. Seven Mountaineers earned All-Big 12 indoor honors and five earned All-Big 12 outdoor accolades. Madelin Gardner, Hayley Jackson and Faith Penny collected honors at both the indoor and outdoor championships. Four Mountaineers qualified for the 2019 NCAA East Preliminary Round including Gardner, Jackson, Olivia Hill and Shamoya McNeil. Gardner qualified for the 2019 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, earning Second Team All-America honors in the pole vault at each meet. The Williamstown, West Virginia, native also holds the WVU program record in both indoor and outdoor pole vault. Under Cleary’s guidance, Gardner was named the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Regional Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. WVU had another stellar academic year in 2018-19, as 18 Mountaineers were named to the Academic All-Big 12 Team. Hill was selected for the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award, the Big 12’s highest academic honor. Outstanding Senior Andrea Pettit also was named a recipient of WVU’s highest student honor, the Order of Augusta. Hill and Petit were named to the 2018-19 Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District Track & Field/Cross Country Team, with Petit going on to be named to the 2018-19 Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team. The Mountaineers were named an All-Academic Team by the USTFCCCA.
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In 2017, Cleary led the Mountaineer cross country team to a fourthplace finish at the Big 12 Championship in Round Rock, Texas. Maggie Drazba led WVU with a sixth-place finish at the conference meet, while Amy Cashin placed 13th. Both earned All-Big 12 accolades before going on to nab All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors later in the season, helping West Virginia place seventh at the regional meet. The 2017-18 track and field season saw a large amount of success at the regional and national level. Amy Cashin and Madelin Gardner represented WVU at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, as well as the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June. The duo combined to record four total All-America honors on the year, including Gardner’s First Team performance in the pole vault at the outdoor meet. Gardner finished eighth in the event to earn a spot on the podium, while Cashin placed 13th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, earning a school-record time in the process. At the NCAA Indoor Championships, Cashin finished ninth in the mile, while Gardner took ninth in the pole vault. Additionally, Gardner was named the Mid-Atlantic Region Indoor Field Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA. In a year that featured five new track and field records – including two events that were topped on multiple occasions – the Mountaineers also continued their strong showing academically. For the second consecutive year, Cashin was named the Big 12 Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She also earned Google Cloud Academic All-America First Team honors by CoSIDA as was one of 17 Academic All-Big 12 selections from WVU. The 2016 cross country season featured multiple runners reach the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Redshirt juniors Jillian Forsey and Drazba each raced in the Terre Haute, Indiana event, marking the first time since 2010 that multiple individuals qualified for the National Championship in the same season. D razba placed 58th out of 250 runners, while Forsey finished 97th. At the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals in State College, Pennsylvania, Forsey earned the silver medal (20:09), earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Championships. Drazba finished 11th, while redshirt junior Cashin placed 22nd. All three were named All-Mid-Atlantic Regional performers.
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West Virginia also secured a third-place finish at the Big 12 Cross Country Championship in 2016. Forsey led the way for the Mountaineers, crossing the finish line in second place and earning All-Big 12 honors. In track, the 2016-17 campaign saw a pair of student-athletes reach the NCAA Outdoor Championships, as Cashin and Shamoya McNeil represented the Mountaineers in Eugene, Oregon. Both earned AllAmerica Third Team honors for their performances. Cashin placed 19th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while McNeil took 22nd in the triple jump. WVU broke three school records and placed six in the 2017 NCAA East Preliminary Regional. Gardner set the all-time Mountaineer outdoor best in the pole vault, while Danique Bryan took over the No. 1 mark in the triple jump. Cashin broke the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA East Prelims en route to punching her ticket to her first career NCAA Championships. Academically, the squad was again stellar. Cashin and Forsey were CoSIDA Academic All-American Second Team honorees, while the two were joined by Drazba as USTFCCCA All-Academic selections. The Mountaineers placed 11 on the Academic All-Big 12 team and saw Cashin win the Big 12 Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Award and WVU Order of Augusta Award, and Drazba earn the WVU Foundation Most Outstanding Senior honor. Forsey, meanwhile, was named the Big 12 Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the third such award in the last five years for a member of the Mountaineer cross country team. The 2015-16 season also saw many accomplishments academically and athletically. Cleary led the Mountaineers to a third-place finish at the Big 12 Championship, attained two All-Mid-Atlantic Region honorees, coached an individual qualifier to the NCAA Cross Country Championships, had one Academic All-American First Team runner, two Academic All-District Team honorees, and 12 who were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. At the Big 12 Cross Country Championship, three sophomores posted top-22 finishes on the 6k course in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Drazba crossed the finish line first for the Mountaineers and 19th overall (21:32.5), sophomore Millie Paladino placed 21st (21:34.30) and sophomore Brynn Harshbarger came in 22nd (21:40.40). At the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional in Princeton, New Jersey, West Virginia finished in fifth place overall. The regional meet was highlighted by Paladino and senior Savanna Plombon’s All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors for posting top-25 finishes. Paladino led the Mountaineers, crossing the finish line in 11th place with a time of 21:16.20, and Plombon crossed the finish line in 23rd overall (21:25.20). Paladino was the lone Mountaineer to qualify for the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, the second straight championship showing for Paladino at the time. She placed 77th overall with a career-best time of 20:41.60 on the 6k course at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park. On the academic side, senior Kelly Williams was named to the 2016 Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America First Team (selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)) for the second consecutive year while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Additionally, Cashin and Williams were named to Academic All-District First Team. With the guidance of Cleary, the 2014 season demonstrated true athleticism and dedication from young athletes. In the fall, he led the Mountaineers to a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championship for the second straight year. Forsey finished 12th, earning All-Conference honors, along with Kaitlyn Gillespie and Drazba. The Mountaineers appeared in their ninth NCAA Championships and sixth under Cleary. The veteran coach oversaw a top-8 national finish, two All-Americans and an Elite 89 Award winner. The team earned its fifth NCAA top-10 finish since 2007. Gillespie was honored as an All-American in her final race as a Mountaineer, finishing 26th, along with Forsey, who finished 14th overall. Williams earned the Elite 89 Award for having the highest cumulative grade point average out of all participants at the NCAA Championships.
SEAN CLEARY
AT A GLANCE
»» 13th season as head coach and 27th overall »» Coached a total of 19 athletes who competed at the
World Track and Field, World Cross Country, World University Games and Pan American Championships »» Coached seven All-Big 12 cross country athletes »» Coached three cross country runners to three career All-America honors – Marie-Louise Asselin, Keri Bland and Katie Gillespie »» Three Big 12 Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award winners – Sarah Martinelli, Kaitlyn Gillespie and Jillian Forsey »» Five NCAA Cross Country Championships team appearances in the last 10 seasons »» Coached individuals to NCAA Championships in 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016 »» Five NCAA top-10 finishes since 2007 »» Three-time Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year »» Three straight top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships from 2007-09 »» Five Top-10 NCAA finishes from 2007-2014 »» Has won both Atlantic 10 and Big East team championships »» 2007 Big East Coach of the Year »» Served role in some capacity at WVU since 1991 (studentathlete, graduate assistant, assistant coach, head coach) »» Named USTFCCCA President of Division I cross country in 2013 »» Holds USATF Level I Certification
COACHING EXPERIENCE
»» West Virginia University, 1993-Present »» Head coach, 2007-Present
RUNNING EXPERIENCE
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY, 1991-92 »» Captain of 1991 Atlantic 10 title team »» Earned all-conference honors in 1992
EDUCATION
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY »» Bachelor’s degree (physical education) – 1992
PERSONAL
»» Wife, Heather »» Son, Patrick »» Daughter, Irelynn »» Resides in Morgantown
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MOUNTAINEER
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Cleary was named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) President for Division I Cross Country prior to the start of the 2013 cross country season. He guided the Mountaineers to their sixth NCAA appearance in seven seasons under his direction as well. West Virginia posted a second-place result at the Big 12 Championship, while senior Sarah Martinelli went on to claim All-Big 12 and All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors. West Virginia entered into a more highly-competitive conference as it competed in the Big 12 for the first time in 2012. Cleary used the season to build on to his framework of confidence and winning at a higher level. Sarah-Anne Brault returned from training for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London for her final season as a Mountaineer by running in her fourth consecutive NCAA Championships. On the way, Brault garnered all-conference honors for the second time in her career, all-region honors for the third time and finished her career by becoming the 13th runner in program history to qualify individually for the NCAA Championships. The Mountaineers finished No. 8 in the country in 2011 at the NCAA Cross Country Championships – their fourth top-10 national finish in five years. The team finished in fourth place at the Big East Championship and followed it with a third-place mark at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. Cleary then led his team to its eighth-place finish at nationals where Kate Harrison and Gillespie became All-Americans, with Harrison finishing in eighth place, an all-time WVU best individual finish for the event. In 2010, Cleary sent Gillespie and Brault to the NCAA Championships, where Gillespie became Cleary’s sixth All-American with a 34th-place finish in 20:46. Brault arrived in 71st place. During indoor track season, three athletes were named All-Americans and all seven athletes who qualified for the outdoor NCAA Championships achieved All-America status. For the achievements, Cleary was named the NCAA’s Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for track and field. The 2009-10 season was equally successful as the team achieved sixth place at the NCAA Championships, its third straight top-10 finish. Clara Grandt, Keri Bland and Marie-Louise Asselin each earned All-America status for their successful campaigns. Asselin and Bland achieved the honor for the third time in their WVU careers, while Grandt earned her first. Ranked in the top 10 all year, the team received its highest-ever ranking as a program at No. 3 midway through the season. Between indoor and outdoor track that year, 11 All-America honors were distributed, while Bland, Grandt and Asselin became the first Mountaineers to achieve the status in three sports in the same year. Overall, 17 All-American honors were given to WVU athletes between cross country, indoor and outdoor track in what became one of the most successful seasons in school history. At the completion of the 2009-10 cross country and track seasons, WVU was recognized as the fifth-best team on the Terry Crawford Program of the Year Award list, announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross County Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The award is given annually to the most outstanding NCAA Division I women’s cross country and track and field programs and honors the institution that has achieved the most success in each academic year based on the institution’s finish at the NCAA Division I Championships over three seasons. In 2008, the team had its best-ever finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, arriving in fourth after being ranked No. 5 most of the year. WVU won its second NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region championship and Cleary was named Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year. Asselin became the first runner in school history to win an individual Big East title, helping the team finish in second. In Cleary’s first season as head coach in 2007, he was named Big East Coach of the Year after the program’s first-ever conference cross country championship. Three runners were named All-Big East as the team entered the top 25 for the first time in three years.
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For the fourth year in a row, the Mountaineers were named an All-Academic Team by the USTFCCCA in 2007. The group was ranked 17th in the nation in terms of overall grade point average (GPA) and had the second-highest GPA in the Big East with a 3.61 average. Cleary previously had been the distance coach in 2005 and 2006 and was a full-time assistant from 2001-04, serving as the primary coach and trainer for the cross country team during that span. Prior to the 2001 season, Cleary served as a graduate assistant coach for eight seasons at WVU. His primary duties included recruiting and coaching the middle distance and long-distance runners. WVU’s distance medley relay team qualified for nationals for seven consecutive years from 1998 to 2004, the second-longest streak in the nation at the time, under Cleary’s watch. In all, Cleary has coached nearly two-dozen athletes who have competed at the World Track and Field, World Cross Country, World University Games and Pan American Championships. Cleary worked closely with former head coach Dr. Martin Pushkin in building the women’s cross country and track and field teams into national contenders. Cleary was responsible for the recruitment and mentoring of NCAA mile champion Kate Vermeulen, as well as AllAmericans Rebecca Stallwood, Merissa Sexsmith and 2005 NCAA outdoor champion Megan Metcalfe. Under his guidance, Cleary’s coaching has produced several men’s All-America runners, including four-time All-American Bob Donker, NCAA cross country All-Americans Wynston Alberts, Mike Dudley and Steve Bohan, two-time NCAA qualifiers Jeff Metcaff and Bohan, NCAA qualifier Ian Collings and 5,000-meter All-American Mark Vilardo. Cleary, who holds a USATF Level I Certification, is the primary recruiter for the cross country and track and field squads, attracting the best in-state, out-of-state and international athletes to Morgantown. He is also responsible for scheduling all meets and serves as the director for home meets. He was a member of the Mountaineer team in 1991 and 1992, helping the 1991 squad capture the Atlantic 10 cross country title. Cleary earned all-conference honors in 1992. Prior to WVU, Cleary attended Central Oregon Community College, where he helped lead the team to the National Junior College Athletic Association title. He received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from West Virginia in 1992. Cleary resides in Morgantown with his wife, Heather. They have two children: a son, Patrick, and a daughter, Irelynn.
WVU Coaching Staff (L TO R): TY BIGELOW, ERIN O’REILLY, SEAN CLEARY AND CLARA SANTUCCI
WVUSPORTS.COM
MAJOR CROSS COUNTRY ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER CLEARY TRACK AND FIELD
»»36 total All-America honors have been earned under Cleary’s leadership »»Has coached 12 Mountaineers to multiple All-America honors »»Has coached five Academic All-America
First Team selections, including Amy Cashin in 2017-18 Coached Madelin Gardner to two All-America honors in pole vault in 2019 (indoor and outdoor) Two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2019 – Andrea Pettit and Olivia Hill Two student-athletes combined for four All-America honors in 2018 – Madelin Gardner, Amy Cashin (indoor and outdoor) Led Madelin Gardner to USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Indoor (2018) and Outdoor (2019) Field Athlete of the Year honors during her career Two All-Americans in 2017 – Amy Cashin, Shamoya McNeil Coached 2017 and 2018 Big 12 ScholarAthlete of the Year – Amy Cashin Coached 2016 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Kelly Williams One All-American in 2015 – Kaitlyn Gillespie Academic All-America First Team (CoSIDA) in 2015 – Kelly Williams Coached Kaitlyn Gillespie to program’s first Big 12 individual championship in 2015 – 10,000-meter run Three All-Americans in 2014 – Sarah Martinelli, Stormy Nesbit, Allison Lasnicki Coached former WVU runners to Olympic Trials – Clara Grandt, Aubrey Moskal Three CoSIDA All-Americans in 2015 – Kaitlyn Gillespie, Kelly Williams, Jillian Forsey Seven CoSIDA All-Americans since 2012 Three All-America performances between Chelsea Carrier-Eades and Jessica O’Connell in 2012 Four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2012 – Kate Harrison, Kaitlyn Gillespie, Kaylyn Christopher, Ahna Lewis 13 All-American performances by eight athletes during the 2011 indoor and outdoor seasons Sent a school-record NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2011 Eight Big East Championships in 2011 Tenth place at NCAA Indoor Championships in 2010 Sixteenth place at NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2010
»» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»
»»2010 Mid-Atlantic Region Field Athlete of the Year – Chelsea Carrier-Eades »»Five conference champions in 2010 »»Reached No. 3 during 2009-10 season, as
11 All-America total honors were distributed Keri Bland, Clara Grandt and Marie-Louise Asselin became first Mountaineers to achieve All-America status in three sports in same year in 2010 (cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field) No. 5 on the 2010 Terry Crawford Program of the Year Award list 2010 Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year Nine Big East champions in 2009 Four USTFCCCA All-Academic team members in 2009 2008-09 Mid-Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year – Clara Grandt 2009 Big East Indoor Most Outstanding Track Performer – Clara Grandt Four NCAA qualifiers in 2008
»» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»
CROSS COUNTRY
»»One All-Big 12 selection in 2018 – Hayley Jackson »»2018 All-Academic Team (USTFCCCA) »»Two All-Mid-Atlantic Region and All-Big
12 honorees in 2017 – Amy Cashin, Maggie Drazba Two 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championships qualifiers – Jillian Forsey and Maggie Drazba Three All-Mid-Atlantic Region performers in 2016 – Jillian Forsey, Maggie Drazba, Amy Cashin 2016 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Jillian Forsey 2016 All-Academic Team (USTFCCCA) Three 2016 All-Academic Individuals – Jillian Forsey, Maggie Drazba, Amy Cashin Two Mountaineer graduates competed at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics – SarahAnne Brault (Triathlon), Jessica O’Connell (5,000m) Clara (Grandt) Santucci raced at the 2016 Olympic Trials in L.A. 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championship individual qualifier – Millie Paladino Two all-region honors in 2015 – Millie Paladino and Savanna Plombon 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championship eighth-place finish 2014 Big 12 Championship and MidAtlantic Regional second-place finish Coached 2014 NCAA Elite 89 Award winner Kelly Williams
»» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»
»»2014 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Kaitlyn Gillespie »»Two 2014 All-American honors – Jillian Forsey and Kaitlyn Gillespie »»Jillian Forsey qualified for the World Cross Country team in 2014 »»2013 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional fourth-place finish »»Three all-region and one all-conference runner in 2013 »»2013 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Sarah Martinelli »»2012 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region fifthplace finish »»2011 NCAA Cross Country Championship eighth-place finish »»2011 Two All-Americans - Kate Harrison, Kaitlyn Gillespie »»Coached 2011 NCAA Elite 89 Award winner Ahna Lewis »»Five all-region and three all-conference runners in 2011 »»2010 All-American Kaitlyn Gillespie »»NCAA Cross Country Championship sixth-place finish in 2009 »»Highest weekly national ranking – No. 3 on Oct. 6, 2009 »»Five All-Mid-Atlantic Region runners in 2009 »»Three 2009 All-Americans – Marie-Louise Asselin, Keri Bland, Clara Grandt »»Three 2009 All-Big East runners – MarieLouise Asselin, Keri Bland, Clara Grandt »»2008 NCAA Cross Country Championship fourth-place finish »»Coached 2008 Big East Individual Champion Marie-Louise Asselin »»2007 NCAA Cross Country Championship ninth-place finish »»12 All-America selections from six individuals »»At least one All-American selection in five of the last eight seasons »»37 NCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors from 17 runners »»At least one All-Mid-Atlantic Region
honor every year since taking over program in 2007 13 All-Big East honors from six runners Multiple 1,000 NCAA APR team scores Three Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year honors (2004, 2007, 2008) NCAA Mid-Atlantic team champions (2004, 2008) Served as USTFCCCA president for Division I Cross Country 2007 Big East Champions 2007 Big East Coaching Staff of the Year
»» »» »» »» »» »» »»
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
21
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
ERIN
’
» ASSISTANT COACH » SEVENTH SEASON AT WVU Erin O’Reilly begins her seventh season as an assistant cross country and track and field coach at West Virginia University after re-joining the staff in August 2013. Her familiarity with WVU has been beneficial to the team and its studentathletes as the programs continue to excel. O’Reilly has been a part of four individual NCAA cross country appearances with the Mountaineers, along with the team’s eighth-place finish at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships. She also works primarily with the long-distance sprinters and middle-distance runners for the track and field team. O’Reilly helped lead WVU to fourth-place finishes at the 2017 and 2018 Big 12 Cross Country Championships in Round Rock, Texas, and Ames, Iowa, respectively. In 2017, Maggie Drazba and Amy Cashin registered All-Big 12 and All-Mid-Atlantic Region performances, while Hayley Jackson earned All-Big 12 status in 2018. A total of 17 Mountaineers were named to the Academic All-Big 12 Cross Country Team in 2017 and 2018. Cashin was selected to the 2017-18 Google Cloud Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America First Team by CoSIDA, while Olivia Hill and Andrea Pettit were named to the Google Cloud Co-SIDA Academic All-District Track and Field/Cross Country Team in 2018-19. Petit went on to being named to the 2018-19 Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team. Three Mountaineers – Allie Diehl, Pettit and Hill – have earned the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award, the Big 12 Conference’s highest academic honor, in the last two years. On the track, the Mountaineers sent four athletes to the 2019 NCAA East Preliminary Round including second team All-America Madelin Gardner, Hill, Jackson and Shamoya McNeil. WVU finished ninth as a team at both the Big 12 Indoor and Outdoor Championships, where the Mountaineers had seven All-Big 12 indoor performances in four events and five All-Big 12 outdoor performances in four events. O’Reilly was a part of a highly productive track and field season in 2017-18. Two Mountaineers – Cashin and Madelin Gardner – combined to tally four All-America accolades, while seven total members of WVU’s squad qualified for the NCAA East Preliminary Round. Additionally, West Virginia celebrated five school records in two events over the course of the season. While the 2017-18 track and field season was record-setting on the track, the Mountaineers also excelled academically. Cashin was named the Big 12 Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season, leading a group of 17 Mountaineers to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. O’Reilly also was a huge contributor to WVU’s success during the 2016 cross country and track and field season both athletically and academically. In cross country, West Virginia qualified two runners to compete at the NCAA Championships, earned a silver medal at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals – thanks to redshirt junior Jillian Forsey – added three all-region honors and placed third at the Big 12 Cross Country Championship, led by Forsey who posted a runner-up finish to earn All-Big 12 honors.
The 2016-17 track and field season had eight Mountaineers qualify to compete at the NCAA East Region Preliminary Rounds, eight earn All-Big 12 honors at the outdoor championship and seven indoor honorees. Eleven Mountaineers earn Academic All-Big 12 honors as well. Senior Kelly Williams was named to the 2016 Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America First Team selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), for the second consecutive year while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Additionally, junior Amy Cashin and Williams were named to Academic All-District First Team. West Virginia’s accomplishments in the classroom also led to three individual student-athletes being recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for their academic success during the 2016-17 season. Cashin, Drazba and Forsey were named to the USTFCCCA Women’s All-Academic Individuals Team. Additionally, the WVU squad was named an All-Academic Team for maintaining a cumulative 3.49 GPA. Forsey earned Big 12 Women’s Cross Country ScholarAthlete of the Year, the third award for the Mountaineer cross country team in the past five years. Additionally, nine Mountaineers were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, while Cashin was highlighted for her 4.0 GPA. During the 2015 cross country season, O’Reilly helped the Mountaineers to a third-place finish at the Big 12 Championship, guided two All-Mid-Atlantic Region honorees, assisted an individual qualifier to the NCAA Cross Country Championships and helped two earn Academic All-District Team. Twelve who were named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. The NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional meet was highlighted by sophomore Millie Paladino and senior Savanna Plombon’s performances that led to All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors for posting top-25 finishes. Paladino led the Mountaineers by crossing the finish line in 11th place with a time of 21:16.20, while Plombon placed 23rd overall (21:25.20). Paladino also was the lone Mountaineer who qualified to compete at the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Louisville, Kentucky, the second-straight championships for Paladino. She placed 77th overall with a career-best time of 20:41.60 on the 6k course at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park. In the 2014-15 track and field season, she helped guide seven Mountaineers to qualify for the NCAA East Region Preliminary Championships, as each were ranked in the top 48 in their respective events. At the 2015 Big 12 Outdoor Championship, O’Reilly coached four Mountaineer freshmen to top-five finishes, all of them earning spots on the podium. She also helped guide Kaitlyn Gillespie to All-America honors after finishing ninth in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championships. In 2014, she led three Mountaineers to All-Mid-Atlantic Region distinctions, three All-Big 12 recognitions and two All-America honors. In her first season in 2013, O’Reilly oversaw three individual qualifiers to the NCAA Championships and five qualifiers to the NCAA East Regional. O’Reilly was a member of the Mountaineer team in the early 1990s and graduated from WVU in 1993 with a degree in physical education. She was an integral part in the coaching of former Mountaineer Ailene Smith to All-America status in 2000-01. Smith became a two time All-American as a member of the distance medley relay team and in the 4x800 relay. As a runner, she garnered many accolades while also serving as a team captain for cross country and track. O’Reilly finished third at the Atlantic 10 Championship as a junior and was named to the A-10 All-Conference Team. She was the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) champion and a NCAA provisional qualifier in the 1,000 meters in track during her senior year. O’Reilly held seven school records in cross country and track by the end of her career. The Canton, Ohio, native, also served as a member of coach Cleary’s staff from 1994-2002. During that time, the Mountaineers registered 22 All-American honors and 13 Mid-Atlantic Region distinctions in cross country and track combined. In 2003, O’Reilly joined the Boston College coaching staff as an assistant and held the position for 10 seasons. While on staff, she helped guide the Golden Eagles to multiple ECAC titles and numerous appearances at the NCAA Championships. O’Reilly earned her master’s degree in athletic coaching education from WVU in 2004
SUPPORT
STAFF
22
Amy HILE
Sandy COLE-DEMENT
A.J. MONSEAU
Cindy SMITH
Sina KING
Ty BIGELOW
Conor McNAMARA
Clara SANTUCCI
Olivia VanHORN
Athletic Trainer
Assistant Director, StudentAthlete Academic Services
Medical Doctor
Administrative Assistant
Director of Sports Nutrition
Athletic Trainer
Equipment Manager
Cross Country Graduate Assistant
Graduate Assistant Athletics Communications
MOUNTAINEER
PROFILES 24
Roster
25
Photo Roster
26
Profiles
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
2019
ROSTER
NAME
HT. CLASS HOMETOWN
HIGH SCHOOL
Marianne Abdalah
5-4
r-So.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Vincentian Academy
Antigone Archer
5-4
r-Jr.
Southlake, Texas
Southlake Carroll
Candace Archer
5-5
r-Sr.
Bristow, Va.
Patriot
Amber Dombrowski
5-4
r-Fr.
Morgantown, W.Va.
Morgantown
Katherine Dowie
5-7
r-Fr.
Carisbook, Victoria, Australia
Ballarat Clarendon College
Samantha Hatcher
5-2
r-Fr.
Morgantown, W.Va.
Morgantown
Olivia Hill
5-5
r-Sr.
Scott Depot, W.Va.
Teays Valley Christian
Hayley Jackson
6-0
Jr.
Lusby, Md.
Patuxent
Linda Jebet
5-3
So.
Kapsabet, Kenya
Kapsisiywa Secondary School
Peyton Kukura
5-5
r-Fr.
Morgantown, W.Va.
University
Hannah Lipps
5-5
So.
Romney, W.Va.
Hampshire
Ceili McCabe
5-4
Fr.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Little Flower Academy
Malina Mitchell
5-6
r-Fr.
McDonald, Ohio
McDonald
Avigail Radabaugh
5-6
r-Fr.
Morgantown, W.Va.
Morgantown
Mikenna Vanderheyden 5-7
r-Fr.
Mount Brydges, Ontario, Canada
Strathroy District Collegiate Institute
Belgrave, Australia
Monash University
Morgantown, W.Va.
University
Bree Warren
5-7
Jr.
Sarah Wills
5-7
r-Jr.
Charlotte Wood 5-7 So. Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School
BY STATE » PROVINCE » COUNTRY West Virginia 7 Canada 3 Australia 2 Pennsylvania 1 Texas 1 Virginia 1 Maryland 1 Kenya 1 Ohio 1 BY CLASS Fr. 1 r-Fr. 7 So. 3 r-So. 1 Jr. 2 r-Jr. 2 r-Sr. 2
2019 MOUNTAINEERS
24
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Marianne Abdalah Ab-doll-ah Amber Dombrowski Dom-brow-ski Katherine Dowie Dow-ee Linda Jebet Ja-bet Peyton Kukura Koo-kur-a Ceili McCabe Kay-lee Avigail Radabaugh Rad-a-baugh Mikenna Vanderheyden Vander-hey-den
WVUSPORTS.COM
MARIANNE
ANTIGONE
ABDALAH 5-4 | R-SO PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
AMBER
5-5 | R-SR BRISTOW, VIRGINIA
KATHERINE
SAMANTHA
DOWIE
5-4 | R-FR MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
HATCHER
5-7 | R-FR CARISBOOK, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
OLIVIA
5-2 | R-FR MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
HALEY
HILL
LINDA
JACKSON
5-5 | R-SR SCOTT DEPOT, WEST VIRGINIA
JEBET
6-0 | JR LUSBY, MARYLAND
CEILI
5-3 | SO KAPSABET, KENYA
HANNAH
McCABE
PEYTON
LIPPS
5-4 | FR VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
KUKURA
5-5 | SO ROMNEY, WEST VIRGINIA
MALINA
5-5 | R-FR MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
AVIGAIL
MITCHELL
MIKENNA
RADABAUGH
5-6 | R-FR M cDONALD, OHIO
VANDERHEYDEN
5-6 | R-FR MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
BREE
5-7 | R-FR MOUNT BRYDGES, ONTARIO, CANADA
SARAH
WARREN
CHARLOTTE
WILLS
5-7 | JR BELGRAVE, AUSTRALIA
CH ES
ARCHER
5-4 | R-JR SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS
DOMBROWSKI
CO A
CANDACE
ARCHER
WOOD
5-7 | R-JR MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
SEAN
5-7 | SO BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO, CANADA
ERIN
CLEARY
O’REILLY
HEAD COACH 13 th SEASON
ASSISTANT COACH 7 th SEASON
WVUCrossCountry
@WVUCrossCountry
WVUCross Country
25
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
R-SENIOR
OLIVIA 5-5
» SCOTT DEPOT, WEST VIRGINIA
2018 (R-JR.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Big 12 Women’s Runner of the Week (9/25) »»Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District Team »»Finished 39th overall at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, crossing the finish line in 22:08 (6k) »»Took 18th overall at the Big 12 Championship in 21:02.5 (6k) »»Registered a time of 21:12 in a 28th-place finish at the Penn State National Open (6k) »»Posted a 6k season-best time of 20.59.5 at the Lock Haven Invitational in a second-place finish »»Opened the season with a 5k time of 18:27.6 at the Charlotte Opener, good for a third-place overall finish
2017 (R-SO.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Finished 35th overall at the Big 12 Championship in a season-best time of 20:19.10 (6k) »»Placed 64th at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional in 21:33.60 (6k) »»Made season debut at the Spiked Shoe Invitational, finishing 24th in a 6k time of 22:17 »»Ran Greater Louisville Classic course (5k) in 18:11.36 for a 132nd-place finish »»Finished 65th at Penn State National Open, crossing the finish line in 21:46 (6k)
2016 (R-FR.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Placed 48th at the Big 12 Championship with a 6k time of 22:24 »»Fifth Mountaineer to cross the finish line, placing 42nd overall on the 6k course in 21:45 at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional
26
»»Finished 28th at the Spiked Shoe Invitational with a 6k time of 22:40 »»Placed 64th on the 6k course with a time of 21:40 at the Penn State National »»Crossed the finish line in 119th with a 6k time of 21:33 at the Paul Short Invitational
2015 (FR.)
»»Redshirted »»Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Teays Valley Christian School for coach Aubrey Morris »»Winner of Hurricane Cross Country Invitational in 2014 »»Was named Teays Valley Christian School 2015 Female Athlete of the Year »»Earned the Team High Point Award for track »»Also participated in basketball and volleyball PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Craig and Jenny Hill »»Has one brother »»Birthday is November 25 »»Majoring in exercise physiology »»Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award »»Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll »»President’s List »»Dean’s List »»2017-18 recipient of the Charleston Scholarship Dinner Athletic Endowment
WVUSPORTS.COM
R-SENIOR
CANDACE 5-5
» BRISTOW, VIRGINIA
2018 (R-JR.)
»»Finished 45th overall in a 6k time of 22:11 at the NCAA MidAtlantic Regional, the third Mountaineer to cross the finish line »»Earned a 27th-place finish at the Big 12 Championship with a time of 21:19.9 (6k) »»Took 85th overall at the Penn State National Open in 21:47 (6k) »»Made her season debut at the Lock Haven Invitational, finishing third overall in a season-best 21:15.9 (6k)
2017 (R-SO.)
»»Finished 36th overall at the Big 12 Championship in a 6k time of 21:29.3 »»Ran at NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, finishing 75th in 21:41.7 (6k) »»Placed fourth overall at the Lehigh Invitational, crossing the finish line in 21:55.0 HIGH SCHOOL »»Registered a 66th-place finish at the Penn State National Open, finishing in 21:47 (6k) »»Ran at Patriot High for coach Adam Daniels »»Finished 84th at Greater Louisville Classic in 17:47.87 (5k) »»Seven-time all-state »»Indoor state champion in the 1,000 meters (2:54.24) her senior year 2016 (R-FR.) the 2015 VHSL Group 6A Conference Championship, she ran a »»Placed 70th at the Big 12 Championship with a 6k time of 23:14 »»At personal-best time of 5:00.05 in the 1,600 meters Third Mountaineer to cross the finish line and the 32nd overall at »» »»Ran a personal-best time of 2:11.08 in the 800-meter event at the the Spiked Shoe Invitational with a 6k time of 23:04 2014 VHSL Group 5A/6A State Outdoor Championship Finished 110th at the Penn State National Open, crossing the »» Competed in the 400-meter event with a time of 57.8 » » finish line (6k) in 22:04 Ran the 5k with a career-best of 18:48.30 » » Took 136th at the Paul Short Invitational with a 6k time of 21:37 »» PERSONAL 2015 (FR.) » »Daughter of Robert and Margaret Jones »»Redshirted »»Has one sister »»Birthday is March 14 »»Majoring in coaching and sport education »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll »»Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
27
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
R-JUNIOR
SARAH 5-7
» MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
2018 (R-SO.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Earned a 52nd-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional with a 6k time of 22:20 »»Placed 31st at the Big 12 Championship with a time of 21:30.8 (6k) »»Finished 76th overall at the Penn State National Open (6k) – 21:42 »»Recorded a 6k time of 21:44 at the Paul Short Invite, good for 49th place »»Led WVU with an 11th-place overall finish at the Spiked Shoe Invitational, crossing the finish line in 21:28 (6k) »»Finished second overall at the season-opening Charlotte Opener – 18:19.8 (5k)
2017 (R-FR.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Earned a 40th-place finish at the Big 12 Championship in a 6k time of 21:33.3 »»Posted a 65th-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional in 21:34.7 »»Finished third in WVU debut at Lehigh Invitational, finishing in 21:34.4 (6k) »»Was the third Mountaineer finisher at the Spiked Shoe Invitational, crossing the finish line in 26th place with a time of 22:22 (6k) »»Placed 63rd at Greater Louisville Classic in 17:38.17 (5k) »»Crossed the finish line in 21:59 at the Penn State National Open, good for 72nd place 2016 (FR.)
»»Redshirted 28
HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at University High for coach Ed Frohnapfel and ran club for WV Flyers under coach Jonathan Wright »»West Virginia team state champions in 2014 and 2015 »»2014 OVAC 5A champion »»Two-time cross country all-state »»Four-time all-state honoree in the 4×800 relay »»Placed third in the 800 meters, running a personal-best time of 2:17 at the 2016 state meet »»Runner-up finish in the 3,200 meters at the 2016 state meet, finishing with a personal-best time of 10:57 »»2016 state champion in the 1,600 meters with a personalbest time of 5:04 »»Member of the National Honor Society and math honorary – Mu Alpha Theta
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Norman and Rebecca Wills »»Has one sister »»Birthday is December 11 »»Majoring in biomedical engineering »»Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll »»Dean’s List
WVUSPORTS.COM
R-JUNIOR
ANTIGONE 5-4
» SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS
2018 (R-SO.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Placed 47th overall at the Big 12 Championship in a 6k time of 21:49.3 »»Crossed the finish line in 22:00 for 110th place at the Penn State National Open »»Competed at the Paul Short Invite, finishing 265th overall »»Registered a top-20 finish at the Spiked Shoe Invite with a time of 22:07 (6k) »»Earned a 5k time of 18:49.2 at the Charlotte Opener, good for eighth place
2017 (R-FR.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Finished 61st at Big 12 Championship in a 6k time of 22:17.3 »»Placed 11th in WVU debut at Lehigh Invitational in 22:33.4 (6k) »»Earned a 38th-place finish at the Spiked Shoe Invitational, crossing the finish line in 22:48 (6k) »»Also competed at Penn State National and Greater Louisville Classic, earning times of 22:24 (6k) and 18:46.96 (5k), respectively
2016 (FR.)
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Southlake Carroll High for coach Justin Leonard »»Varsity letterwinner in track and field and cross country (2013-16) »»A member of two-time Nike Cross National and team state champions »»Placed fifth at the Texas 5A state cross country championship
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of David and Amanda Archer »»Has one brother and two sisters »»Birthday is March 31 »»Majoring in social work »»Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll »»President’s List »»Dean’s List WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
29
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
JUNIOR
HAYLEY 6-0
» LUSBY, MARYLAND
2018 (SO.)
»»WVU Student-Athlete of the Week (10/29) »»Finished eighth overall at the Big 12 Championship (22:25), earning All-Big 12 accolades »»Took 57th place at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, crossing the finish line in 20:42 (6k) »»Made her season debut at the Penn State National Open, logging a 13th-place finish in 20:59 (6k)
2017 (FR.)
»»Earned a 25th-place finish at the Big 12 Championship in 21:07.1 (6k) »»Crossed the finish line in 58th place at the NCAA MidAtlantic Regional with a 6k time of 21:26.6 »»Made her WVU debut at Greater Louisville Classic in an 80th-place 5k finish (17:46.45) »»Competed at the Penn State National Open, finishing 49th in a 6k time of 21:28
HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Patuxent High for coach Kris Jost »»Accumulated 14 total state championships in high school career »»Won three 2A state cross country champions »»Won three 2A track championships as a senior »»Won Maryland state indoor track championships in the 800 meters and 1,600 meters as a senior »»Recorded state-record time in indoor 1,600, the fastest time in the country in 2016-17 »»Broke Maryland state outdoor record in two-mile run (10:14) as a senior »»Finished eight at the Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals as a senior
30
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Leah Walker »»Birthday is October 6 »»Enrolled in multidisciplinary studies »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll »»Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
R-SOPHOMORE
MARIANNE 5-4
» PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
2018 (R-FR.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 First Team »»Finished 51st overall at the Big 12 Championship with a 6k time of 22:02.0 »»Logged matching times of 22:22 at the Paul Short Invite and Penn State National Open »»Earned a sixth-place overall finish at the Lock Have Invite, posting a season-best time of 21:58.1 (6k) »»Placed 42nd at the Spiked Shoe Invitational in 22:41 (6k) »»Began the campaign with an 18th-place finish at the Charlotte Opener (5k) with a time of 19:10.1
2017 (FR.)
»»Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team »»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Vincentian Academy for coach Erika Suhy »»Became second athlete in WPIAL history to win four cross country championships »»Led Vincentian Academy to two WPIAL team titles »»Three-time PIAA cross country champion »»Won three WPIAL Class AA championships and two PIAA championships in 3,200-meter run »»Held WPIAL record for 3,200-meter run (10:45.54) »»High school valedictorian
32
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Marvin and Kim Abdalah »»Won USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championship in 2013 (13-14 Division) »»Has two brothers »»Birthday is April 27 »»Majoring in biology »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll »»Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll »»Dean’s List
WVUSPORTS.COM
SOPHOMORE
HANNAH 5-5
» ROMNEY, WEST VIRGINIA
2018 (FR.)
»»Finished 48th overall at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional with a time of 22:18 »»Took 36th place at the Big 12 Championship in 21:39.8 (season best) »»Earned a time of 22:42 at the Penn State National Open (6k) »»Recorded a fifth-place overall finish at the Lock Haven Invite with a 6k time of 21:43.6 »»Placed 21st overall at the Spiked Shoe Invitational in 22:08 »»Made her Mountaineer debut at the Charlotte Opener, taking ninth place in a 5k time of 18:50.3
HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Hampshire High for coach (and father) Bill Lipps »»Won Class AAA state cross country championship in her junior year; placed third as a senior »»12-time all-state selection »»Won back-to-back regional cross country championships as a junior and senior »»Hampshire High school-record holder in the 800 meters PERSONAL
»»Daughter of William and Patty Lipps »»One of four children »»Birthday is June 27 »»Majoring in elementary education »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
33
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
SOPHOMORE
CHARLOTTE 5-7
» BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO, CANADA
2018 (FR.)
»»Big 12 Women’s Runner of the Week (9/4) »»Competed at the IAAF/Mikkeller World Cross Country
Championship in Aarhus, Denmark, while representing Team Canada »»Finished 33rd overall at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, recording a time of 21:54 – first Mountaineer to finish »»Took 19th place at the Big 12 Championship, earning a season-best 6k time of 21:04.4 »»Tallied a 57th-place finish at the Penn State National Open in 21:33 (6k) »»Logged a time of 21:38 at the Paul Short Invite (6k), good for 39th place »»Earned the victory in her collegiate debut, winning the Charlotte Opener in 18:17.2 (5k) HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School »»Multiple-time competitor at Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association Championships »»Recipient of 2017 Jim Quigley Memorial AwardBracebridge Athlete of the Year »»Won GBSSA Cross Country Championships as a senior »»Has competed at Canadian Junior Nationals, Espoire Games and Athletics Ontario training camp »»School-record holder in 800 and 1,500 meters
34
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Dan and Laurie Wood »»Father played hockey for Team Canada in 1984 Winter Olympics »»Has one brother and one sister »»Birthday is June 13 »»Majoring in exercise physiology »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
WVUSPORTS.COM
SOPHOMORE
LINDA
2018 (FR.)
»»Finished 11th overall in her Mountaineer debut at the Lock Haven Invite (22:21.1) »»Also competed at the Penn State National Open, crossing the finish line in 23:29
HIGH SCHOOL
»»Attended Kapsisiywa Secondary School »»Previously coached by Elijah Samoei »»Participated at Kaptagat Training Camp in Kenya »»Ran 400 and 800 meters during high school career PERSONAL
5-3
» KAPSABET, KENYA
»»Daughter of William and Margaret Maiyo »»Has one sister »»Birthday is September 22 »»Majoring in criminology
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
35
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
2018 (FR.)
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at University High for coach Ed Frohnapfel »»Part of four-time Class AAA state champion cross country team »»Four-time All-Ohio Valley Athletic Conference in cross country »»All-state honoree in 2017 (XC); second-team selection in 2014 R-FRESHMAN »»Placed eighth at the 2017
PEYTON
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Jeffrey and Lisa Kukura »»One of four children »»Birthday is May 1 »»Majoring in elementary education
WVSSAC Class AAA State Cross Country Championship »»Participated in 4x800 relay, 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters at 2018 WVSSAC State Track Meet »»Raced at Footlocker South Regional Cross Country Championships as a junior
5-5 » MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
2018 (FR.)
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Morgantown High for coach Michael Ryan »»Team captain »»Led Morgantown High to four
R-FRESHMAN
SAMANTHA 5-2 » MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
36
consecutive Class AAA cross country state runner-up finishes »»Also helped the Mohigans to 2017 Class AAA state track and field championship »»11-time all-state selection, including 10 in track
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Dean and Judy Hatcher »»Has one brother and one sister »»Birthday is September 12 »»Majoring in nursing »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
WVUSPORTS.COM
2018 (FR.)
PERSONAL
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Morgantown High for
R-FRESHMAN
AMBER
coaches Michael Ryan and Steven Blinco »»11-time all-state selection »»Won eight letters during high school career »»Helped lead Morgantown to four consecutive Class AAA cross country state runner-up finishes »»Also helped the Mohigans to 2017 Class AAA state track and field championship »»Two-time state champion in the 4x800 relay »»Competed at the New Balance Nationals (outdoor) in 2016 and 2017
»»Daughter of Martin and Lynn Dombrowski »»Has one brother »»Birthday is June 7 »»Majoring in exercise physiology
5-4 » MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
2018 (FR.)
PERSONAL
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Morgantown High for coach Michael Ryan »»Ran club track for the WV Flyers »»Led Morgantown High to four
R-FRESHMAN
AVIGAIL
»»Daughter of Mike and Stephanie Radabaugh »»Has one brother »»Birthday is January 27 »»Majoring in exercise physiology »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
consecutive Class AAA cross country state runner-up finishes »»Also helped the Mohigans to 2017 Class AAA state track and field championship »»Named all-region and allconference in cross country »»Held a personal-best 5k time of 18:50
5-6 » MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
37
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
2018 (FR.)
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at McDonald High for coach Mike Richards »»Helped McDonald to a Division III
R-FRESHMAN
MALINA
state cross country championship in 2014 »»Also led the Blue Devils to a Division III state track title as a freshman and anchored state champion 4x400 relay team »»12-time all-state selection, including four in the 1,600 meters »»Holds 1,600-meter school record and was part of school-recordsetting 4x400 relay team »»Represented Ohio at the Midwest Meet of Champions
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of David Mitchell and Nancy Cassidy »»Only child »»Birthday is August 26 »»Majoring in sport and exercise psychology »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
5-6 » M cDONALD, OHIO
2018 (FR.)
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Ballarat Clarendon College »»Won state championship in 5k and 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2017 »»Placed third at Australian National Championship in 2017 (3,000-meter steeplechase) »»Enrolled at WVU in January 2018
R-FRESHMAN
KATHERINE 5-6 » CARLSBROOK, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
38
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Alastair and Carlene Dowie »»Has one sister »»Birthday is April 3 »»Majoring in exercise physiology »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
WVUSPORTS.COM
2018 (FR.)
PERSONAL
»»Redshirted HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Strathroy District
R-FRESHMAN
MIKENNA
Collegiate Institute for coach Sandy Cooper Ryder »»Also ran at London Legion Track Club »»Captain of cross country and track teams »»Named Athlete of the Year »»Canadian Interscholastic record holder in 1,500-meter steeplechase
»»Daughter of Chris and Jenn Vanderheyden »»Has two brothers »»Birthday is June 30 »»Majoring in forensics and investigative sciences »»Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll
5-7 » MOUNT BRYDGES, ONTARIO, CANADA
HIGH SCHOOL
»»Ran at Little Flower Academy for coach Mark Wilkie »»British Columbia high school steeple chase champion »»Won the silver medal at the 2018
FRESHMAN
CEILI
British Columbia Cross Country Championships »»British Columbia Club Champion in the 800 meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase »»Won a bronze medal at the 2018 U-18 Canadian National Cross Country Championships »»2019 U-20 Canadian Championships 3,000-meter steeplechase champion »»Named MVP of high school basketball team »»Was a multi-sport athlete all five years of high school
PERSONAL
»»Daughter of Bob and Kate McCabe »»Father, Bob, played rugby at the University of British Columbia »»Has one brother »»Birthday is Sept. 17 »»Majoring in sociology
5-4 » VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
39
MOUNTAINEER
40
CROSS COUNTRY
2019
PREVIEW 42
2019 SCHEDULE
43
A LOOK AT 2019
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
2019 CROSS COUNTRY
SCHEDULE
42
DATE EVENT
LOCATION
TIME
Aug. 30
Lehigh Invitational
Bethlehem, Pa.
6:15 p.m.
Sept. 13
Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invite
University Park, Pa.
10:00 a.m.
Sept. 21
Lock Haven Invitational
Lock Haven, Pa.
11:30 a.m.
Oct. 5
Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival
Fayetteville, Ark.
11:40 a.m.
Oct. 18
Penn State National Open
University Park, Pa.
10:45 a.m.
Oct. 18
Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational
Madison, Wis.
12:00 p.m.
Nov. 2
Big 12 Championship
Waco, Texas
TBA
Nov. 15
NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Bethlehem, Pa.
12:00 p.m.
Nov. 23
NCAA Championships
Terre Haute, Ind.
12:00 p.m.
WVUSPORTS.COM
2019
PREVIEW
COACH SEAN CLEARY
Sean Cleary is poised to begin his 13th season as the head coach of the West Virginia University cross country and track and field teams. Cleary boasts an impressive background in the sport, with more than 25 years of coaching experience under his belt. He has led the Mountaineers to five NCAA top-10 finishes since 2007 and has coached seven runners to a combined nine All-Big 12 honors since joining the conference in 2012. The Georgetown, Ontario, native is no stranger to winning championships, as he coached the Mountaineers to an Atlantic 10 title in 1994 and a Big East championship title in 2007. Cleary is looking to bring the Big 12 Championship trophy to Morgantown for the first time in program history. With a talented group of veterans and several youngsters eager to step up, Cleary is looking to lead WVU to greatness in 2019. The Mountaineers aim to be top contenders in the Big 12 conference, the Mid-Atlantic Regional and eventually the NCAA Championships.
since 1997, and they are looking to return to the championships as a team for the first time since 2014. Despite a young roster, the Mountaineers have a handful of seasoned upperclassmen familiar with national competition.
GOING FOR GOALS
With the goal to return to the NCAA Championships always in the front of the team’s mind, the Mountaineer cross country squad also looks to continue its climb up the Big 12 ladder in 2019. After finishing fourth in last year’s Big 12 Championship, WVU remains in contention for a conference crown. The Mountaineers have competed at the NCAA Championships nine times
VETERANS LEAD THE WAY
West Virginia is lucky to return all but one top performer from last season. Of the 10 letterwinners returning, nine competed in the Big 12 Championship, while seven also raced at the Mid-Atlantic Regional last season. Cleary is looking to his veterans’ familiarity with conference and regional racing to lead the Mountaineers this season. Redshirt seniors Olivia Hill and Candace (Jones) Archer bring the most experience to the squad this fall, as they begin their fourth season of collegiate running. The duo emerged as leaders in 2018, and they are expected to continue to guide the team, both on and off the course, preparing their young teammates for Division I competition. The Mountaineers return an All-Big 12 runner in junior Hayley Jackson, who finished in eighth place at last year’s conference meet. The junior class also is supported by Antigone Archer, Bree Warren and Sarah Wills, all of whom bring conference and regional experience to the plate.
YOUNGSTERS STEP UP
CANDANCE JONES
Sophomore Charlotte Wood was one of WVU’s top runners as a true freshman last season, and 2019 is expected to be no different. The Bracebridge, Ontario, native made five appearances in 2018, after making her collegiate debut and recording her first career victory at the Charlotte Opener on Aug. 31. She also gained international racing WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
43
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY 2019 SCHEDULE
CHARLOTTE WOOD
experience last year as she represented Team Canada at the IAAF/Mikkeller World Cross Country Championship in Aarhus, Denmark. Hannah Lipps and Linda Jebet also competed as true freshmen and both are anticipated to step up as contenders in 2019. Lipps recorded a season-best time (21:39.8) at the 2018 Big 12 Cross Country Championship, while Jebet finished 11th overall in her Mountaineer debut at the Lock Haven Invitational. The Mountaineers’ young squad features seven redshirt freshmen, all of whom are looking to make their collegiate debuts this season. With a lineup that favors the younger side rather than the older, big things are expected from these rookies as they prepare to become contributors to WVU’s team score. West Virginia added one true freshman to the roster this season. Ceili McCabe, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, won bronze at the 2018 U-18 Canadian National Cross Country Championships and also collected a silver medal at the 2018 British Columbia Cross Country Championships.
44
WEST VIRGINIA NATIVES LEAD THE WAY
Anyone who follows the Mountaineers knows that West Virginia natives often appear on the roster, and this year is no different. The 2019 cross country team features seven members from the Mountain State, five of whom hail from Morgantown. Each boasts experience running across the state for storied high school programs. Wills and redshirt freshman Peyton Kukura ran at University High School, where they were members of Class AAA state champion cross country teams multiple tim es. Wills was a two-time all-state honoree, while Kukura was part of a state champion team four consecutive years. Also from Morgantown are redshirt freshmen Samantha Hatcher, Amber Dombrowski and Avigail Radabaugh, all of whom ran at Morgantown High. They helped the Mohigans earn four consecutive Class AAA cross country runner-up finishes in their time at MHS. Hill and Lipps also hail from the Mountain State. Hill, a Scott Depot native, was named the Teays Valley Christian School Female Athlete of the year in 2015, while Romney native, Lipps, won the Class AAA state cross country championship as a junior.
With his focus constantly set on postseason competition, Cleary has once again put together a schedule that he feels will best prepare his athletes for the national scene. The 2019 slate features six regular-season meets to prepare the runners for the Big 12 Championship, and the Mid-Atlantic Regional in November. The season opens with a preview of the Mid-Atlantic Regional course as the Mountaineers compete in the Lehigh Invitational in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 30. From there, the Mountaineers again visit Penn State for the Spiked Shoe Invitational on Sept. 13. WVU travels to Lock Haven for the second consecutive year on Sept. 21. The team is tabbed to visit Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the first time, as it competes in the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival, hosted by Arkansas, on Oct. 5. The Mountaineers then split for two separate meets to complete regularseason action on Friday, Oct. 18. Half the team is set to run at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, while the others race at the Penn State National Open. Postseason competition begins at the 2019 Big 12 Cross Country Championship on Nov. 2, in Waco, Texas. The 2019 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 15, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, marking the Mountaineers’ second trip to Lehigh’s campus this season. Solid performances at the conference and regional meets will give the Mountaineers the opportunity to race at the 2019 NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Nov. 23.
SARAH WILLIS
REVIEW 46
A Look Back at 2018
48
2018 Results
49
Meet-by-Meet Breakdown
50
Individual Times
50
Accolades
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
2018
SEASON REVIEW
CROSS COUNTRY
»» WVU finished fourth at the 2018
Big 12 Championship in Ames, Iowa, and sixth at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional in University Park, Pennsylvania
»» Olivia Hill and Andrea Pettit were
named to the 2018-19 Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District Track & Field/Cross Country Team
»» Pettit went on to being named to
the 2018-19 Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team
46
»» The Mountaineers were named an All-Academic Team by the USTFCCCA
»» Seven members of the team were
named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team
»» WVU won multiple regular-season meets – Charlotte Opener, Lock Haven Invitational – for the first time since 2011
»» Hayley Jackson finished eighth
overall at the conference meet, becoming the ninth Mountaineer to earn All-Big 12 honors
»» WVU Outstanding Senior Andrea
Pettit was named a receipt of the school’s highest student honor, the Order of Augusta
»» Olivia Hill was selected for the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award, the Big 12’s highest academic honor
»» Charlotte Wood qualified for the
2019 IAAF/Mikkeller World Cross Country Championship in Aarhus, Denmark, finishing 40th in the Women’s U20 race while representing Team Canada
WVUSPORTS.COM
TEAM
»» USTFCCCA All-Academic Team MARIANNE ABDALAH
»» Academic All-Big 12 First Team ANTIGONE ARCHER
»» Academic All-Big 12 First Team JILLIAN FORSEY
»» Academic All-Big 12 First Team OLIVIA HILL
»» Academic All-Big 12 First Team »» Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District Team
»» Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award
»» Big 12 Women’s Runner of the Week (9/25/18)
HAYLEY JACKSON
»» All-Big 12 »» WVU Student-Athlete of the Week (10/29/18)
ANDREA PETTIT
»» Academic All-Big 12 First Team »» Order of Augusta recipient »» WVU Outstanding Senior »» Rhodes Scholarship finalist »» Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team
BREE WARREN
»» Academic All-Big 12 First Team SARAH WILLS
»» Academic All-Big 12 First Team CHARLOTTE WOOD
»» Big 12 Women’s Runner of the Week (9/4/18)
»» IAAF/Mikkeller World Cross
Country Championship qualifier
SARAH WILLS, CHAROLETTE WOOD, OLIVIA HILL
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
47
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
2018 MEET-BY-MEET
RESULTS
2018 RESULTS
DATE EVENT Aug. 31 at Charlotte Opener Sept. 7 at Spiked Shoe Invitational Sept. 22 at Lock Haven XC Open Sept. 29 at Paul Short Run Oct. 12 at Penn State National Open Oct. 26 at Big 12 Championship Nov. 9 at NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional
PLACE Concord, N.C University Park, Pa. Lock Haven, Pa. Bethlehem, Pa. University Park, Pa. Ames, Iowa University Park, Pa.
(POINTS) 1st (23) 5th (127) 1st (27) 18th (530) 6th (221) 4th (96) 6th (217)
CHARLOTTE OPENER
AUGUST 31 » CONCORD, N.C. FRANK LISKE PARK (5K) TEAM STANDINGS 1. West Virginia 2. North Carolina 3. Georgia UNC Charlotte 4. 5. Queens 6. Davidson 7. Wake Forest WVU Finishers 1. Charlotte Wood 2. Sarah Wills 3. Olivia Hill 8. Antigone Archer 9. Hannah Lipps 16. Bree Warren 18. Marianne Abdalah
POINTS 23 40 93 100 132 133 NTS Time 18:17.2 18:19.8 18:27.6 18:49.2 18:50.3 19:09.1 19:10.1
SPIKED SHOE INVITATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 7 » UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. BLUE-WHITE GOLF COURSE (6K) TEAM STANDINGS 1. Penn State 2. Syracuse 3. Georgetown 4. Cornell 5. West Virginia 6. St. Joseph’s 7. Pitt 8. American 9. Navy 10. Grove City WVU Finishers 11. Sarah Wills 20. Antigone Archer 21. Hannah Lipps 33. Bree Warren 42. Marianne Abdalah
POINTS 32 55 73 87 127 204 209 213 215 314 Time 21:28 22:07 22:08 22:20 22:41
LOCK HAVEN INVITATIONAL SEPTEMBER 22 » LOCK HAVEN, PA. WEST BRANCH XC COURSE (6K)
TEAM STANDINGS (17 Teams) POINTS 1. West Virginia 27 114 2. West Chester 3. Point Park 129 149 4. Lebanon Valley 5. Penn State (Club) 159 WVU FINISHERS 2. Olivia Hill 3. Candace Jones 5. Hannah Lipps 6. Marianne Abdalah 11. Linda Jebet
PAUL SHORT RUN
SEPTEMBER 29 » BETHLEHEM, PA. GOODMAN CAMPUS COURSE (6K) TEAM STANDINGS (41 Teams) 1. Yale 2. Georgia 3. Utah State 4. Cornell 5. Virginia Tech 18. West Virginia WVU FINISHERS 39. Charlotte Wood 49. Sarah Wills 61. Bree Warren 116. Marianne Abdalah 265. Antigone Archer
48
TIME 20:59.5 21:15.9 21:43.6 21:58.1 22:21.1
POINTS 118 127 163 208 256 530 TIME 21:38 21:44 21:50 22:22 24:07
WVUSPORTS.COM
PENN STATE NATIONAL OPEN OCTOBER 12 » UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. BLUE-WHITE GOLF COURSE (6K)
TEAM STANDINGS (17 Teams) 1. Penn State 2. Michigan State 3. Georgia Tech 4. Princeton 5. Dartmouth 6. West Virginia WVU FINISHERS 13. Hayley Jackson 28. Olivia Hill 47. Bree Warren 57. Charlotte Wood 76. Sarah Wills 85. Candace Jones 110. Antigone Archer 161. Marianne Abdalah 203. Hannah Lipps 258. Linda Jebet
POINTS 62 87 143 182 186 221 TIME 20:59 21:12 21:26 21:33 21:42 21:47 22:00 22:22 22:42 23:29
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 26 » AMES, IOWA
ISU CROSS COUNTRY COURSE (6K) TEAM STANDINGS Iowa State 1. 2. Oklahoma State 3. Kansas 4. West Virginia 5. Texas 6. Oklahoma 7. Texas Tech 8. TCU 9. Baylor 10. Kansas State WVU FINISHERS 8. Hayley Jackson 18. Olivia Hill 19. Charlotte Wood 24. Bree Warren 27. Candace Jones 31. Sarah Wills 36. Hannah Lipps 47. Antigone Archer 51. Marianne Abdalah 54. Jillian Forsey
POINTS 35 52 90 96 113 207 217 223 238 240 TIME 20:42.0 21:02.5 21:04.4 21:09.9 21:19.9 21:30.8 21:39.8 21:49.3 22:02.0 22:05.1
NCAA MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL NOVEMBER 9 » UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. BLUE-WHITE GOLF COURSE (6K)
TEAM STANDINGS (30 Teams) 1. Villanova 2. Princeton 3. Penn State 4. Temple 5. Penn 6. West Virginia
POINTS 33 64 91 158 171 217
WVU FINISHERS 33. Charlotte Wood 39. Olivia Hill 45. Candace Jones 48. Hannah Lipps 52. Sarah Wills 57. Hayley Jackson 59. Bree Warren
TIME 21:54 22:08 22:11 22:18 22:20 22:25 22:29
2018 MOUNTAINEERS
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
49
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
2018 INDIVIDUAL MARIANNE ABDALAH (R-FR.) Event
Charlotte (5k) Spiked Shoe Lock Haven Paul Short PSU National Big 12
WVU Overall Finish Finish
1st 5th 1st 18th 6th 4th
18th 42nd 6th 116th 161st 51st
TIMES
Time
19:10.1 22:41 21:58.1 22:22 22:22 22:02
JILLIAN FORSEY (R-SR.) Event
Big 12
WVU Overall Finish Finish
4th
54th
Charlotte (5k) Lock Haven PSU National Big 12 Regional
WVU Overall Finish Finish
Time
22:05.1
Time
1st 3rd 18:27.6 1st 2nd 20:59.5 6th 28th 21:12 4th 18th 21:02.5 6th 39th 22:08
LINDA JEBET (FR.) Event
Lock Haven PSU National
WVU Overall Finish Finish
1st 6th
11th 258th
Event
Charlotte (5k) Spiked Shoe Lock Haven PSU National Big 12 Regional
WVU Overall Finish Finish
HAYLEY JACKSON (SO.) Time
1st 9th 18:50.3 5th 21st 22:08 1st 5th 21:43.6 6th 203rd 22:42 4th 36th 21:39.8 6th 48th 22:18
CHARLOTTE WOOD (FR.)
OLIVIA HILL (R-JR.) Event
HANNAH LIPPS (FR.)
Time
22:21.1 23:29
Event
Charlotte (5k) Paul Short PSU National Big 12 Regional
WVU Overall Finish Finish
Time
1st 1st 18:17.2 18th 39th 21:38 6th 57th 21:33 4th 19th 21:04.4 6th 33rd 21:54
ANTIGONE ARCHER (R-SO.) Event
Charlotte (5k) Spiked Shoe Paul Short PSU National Big 12
WVU Overall Finish Finish
1st 5th 18th 6th 4th
8th 20th 265th 110th 47th
Time
18:49.2 22:07 24:07 22:00 21:49.3
Event
PSU National Big 12 Regional
WVU Overall Finish Finish
Time
6th 13th 20:59 4th 8th 20:42 6th 57th 22:25
CANDACE JONES (R-JR.) Event
Lock Haven PSU National Big 12 Regional
WVU Overall Finish Finish
Time
1st 3rd 21:15.9 6th 85th 21:47 4th 27th 21:19.9 6th 45th 22:11
BREE WARREN (SO.) Event
Charlotte (5k) Spiked Shoe Paul Short PSU National Big 12 Regional
WVU Overall Finish Finish
Time
1st 16th 19:09.1 5th 33rd 22:20 18th 61st 21:50 6th 28th 21:26 4th 24th 21:09.9 6th 59th 22:29
SARAH WILLS (R-SO.) Event
Charlotte (5k) Spiked Shoe Paul Short PSU National Big 12 Regional
WVU Overall Finish Finish
1st 5th 18th 6th 4th 6th
2nd 11th 49th 76th 31st 52nd
Time
18:19.8 21:28 21:44 21:42 21:30.8 22:20
2018-19 SEASON ALL-BIG 12 Hayley Jackson BIG 12 WOMEN’S RUNNER OF THE WEEK Charlotte Wood (Sept. 4) Olivia Hill (Sept. 25) ACADEMIC ALL-BIG 12 FIRST TEAM Marianne Abdalah Antigone Archer Jillian Forsey Olivia Hill Andrea Pettit Bree Warren Sarah Wills
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ACCOLADES GOOGLE CLOUD 2019 TRACK AND FIELD/ CROSS COUNTRY ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA (COSIDA) Andrea Pettit (Third Team) GOOGLE CLOUD 2019 TRACK AND FIELD/ CROSS COUNTRY ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT (COSIDA) Olivia Hill
DR. GERALD LAGE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Olivia Hill WVU FOUNDATION OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD Andrea Pettit WVU FOUNDATION ORDER OF AUGUSTA Andrea Pettit
RECORD
BOOK 52
Hall of Fame
52
NCAA Honors
52
Conference Honors
53
Other Honors
53
All-Americans
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
HALL OF
FAME
Megan (Metcalfe) Wright
(2015)
Charity Wachera
(2016)
NCAA
HONORS
ALL-AMERICANS Jillian Forsey Kaitlyn Gillespie Kate Harrison Clara Grandt Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Megan Metcalfe Charity Wachera
2014 2010, 2011, 2014 2011 2009 2007, 2008, 2009 2007, 2008, 2009 2002, 2004 1997
DIVISION I DISTRICT II COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR
Martin Pushkin/Sean Cleary 1995, 1997, 2000
MID-ATLANTIC REGION COACH OF THE YEAR Sean Cleary
2004, 2007, 2008
NCAA MID-ATLANTIC TEAM CHAMPIONS 2004, 2008
NCAA ALL-MID-ATLANTIC CHAMPION Megan Metcalfe
2012, 2014 2012. 2013 2010, 2011, 2014 2010, 2011, 2012 2008, 2011 2008, 2009, 2011 2008, 2009, 2011 2007, 2008, 2009 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 2004, 2005 2004 2002, 2003, 2004 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 1999, 2000 1999, 2000 1998, 2000 1998 1998 1998 1998
NCAA TEAM QUALIFIERS 2002
NCAA ALL-MID-ATLANTIC REGION Amy Cashin Millie Paladino Savanna Plombon Maggie Drazba Brynn Harshbarger Jillian Forsey Sarah Martinelli
Sydney Scott Kelly Williams Kaitlyn Gillespie Sarah-Anne Brault Ahna Lewis Kate Harrison Kaylyn Christopher Clara Grandt Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Susan Davis Jennifer Davis Tara Struyk Megan Metcalfe Merissa Sexsmith Rebecca Stallwood Karin Lockhart Kate Vermeulen Charity Wachera Nancy Knapp Francine Darroch
2016, 2017 2015 2015 2014, 2016, 2017 2014 2013, 2014, 2016 2013
1997, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014
INDIVIDUAL NCAA QUALIFIERS Jillian Forsey Maggie Drazba Millie Paladino Kaitlyn Gillespie Sarah-Anne Brault Susan Davis
2016 2016 2015 2010 2010, 2012 2005
Megan Metcalfe Tara Struyk Merissa Sexsmith Rebecca Stallwood Kate Vermeulen Charity Wachera Vicki Stum
2002, 2003 2003 1999 1999 1998 1995, 1997 1990
NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR Rebecca Stallwood
2001
NCAA ELITE 89 AWARD Kelly Williams Ahna Lewis
2014 2011
WVU AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1997 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
20th (485 points) 21st (491 points) Metcalfe (9th) Metcalfe (32nd), Davis (70th) 15th (388 points) Davis (74th) 9th (375 points) 4th (198 points) 6th (259 points) Gillespie (34th), Brault (71st) 8th (297 points) Brault (76th) 24th (621 points) 8th (277 points) Paladino (77th) Drazba (58th), Forsey (97th)
CONFERENCE ALL-BIG 12
Hayley Jackson Amy Cashin Jillian Forsey Maggie Drazba Kaitlyn Gillespie Sarah Martinelli Sarah-Anne Brault
HONORS 2018 2017 2014, 2016 2014, 2017 2014 2013 2012
BIG 12 WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Jillian Forsey Kaitlyn Gillespie Sarah Martinelli
2016 2014 2013
BIG 12 WOMEN’S RUNNER OF THE WEEK Charlotte Wood Olivia Hill Amy Cashin Jillian Forsey Sarah Martinelli
2018 (Sept. 4) 2018 (Sept. 25) 2017 (Sept. 12) 2016 (Sept. 13) 2013 (Oct. 8)
BIG EAST TEAM CHAMPIONS 2007
52
BIG EAST FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR Megan Metcalfe
BIG EAST WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION Marie-Louise Asselin
2000
Susan Davis Tara Struyk Megan Metcalfe Rebecca Stallwood Merissa Sexsmith Charity Wachera
2008
ATLANTIC 10 TEAM CHAMPIONS
BIG EAST TEAM ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
2005 2002, 2003 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 1999, 2000 1999 1997
1994
2011
ATLANTIC 10 INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS
BIG EAST INSTITUTIONAL FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC 10 FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Charity Wachera Ahna Lewis
ALL-BIG EAST
Sarah-Anne Brault Kate Harrison Kaitlyn Gillespie Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Clara Grandt
Vicki Stum
1997 2011
Charity Wachera Heather Bury
ALL-ATLANTIC 10 2011 2011 2010, 2011 2007, 2008, 2009 2007, 2008, 2009 2007, 2008, 2009
Charity Wachera Carisa Brown Heather Bury Kerryn Davidson Erin O’Reilly Vicki Stum
1991
1994 1993
1994 1994 1993, 1994 1992, 1993, 1994 1991 1990, 1991
WVUSPORTS.COM
OTHER
HONORS
CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Andrea Pettit Amy Cashin Amy Cashin Jillian Forsey Kelly Williams Kelly Williams Kaitlyn Gillespie Jillian Forsey Sarah-Anne Brault Kaitlyn Gillespie Katie Harrison Kaylyn Christopher Ahna Lewis Sarah-Anne Brault Keri Bland April Rotilio Marie-Louise Asselin Kaylyn Christopher Marie-Louise Asselin Megan Metcalfe
Third Team First Team Second Team Second Team First Team First Team Second Team Third Team Second Team First Team First Team Third Team Third Team Second Team Third Team Third Team Second Team Third Team Third Team Third Team
CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT Olivia Hill Andrea Pettit Amy Cashin Amy Cashin Jillian Forsey Amy Cashin Kelly Williams Jillian Forsey Kaitlyn Gillespie Kelly Williams Kelly Williams Sarah-Anne Brault Sarah-Anne Brault Kaylyn Christopher
First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team
ALL-
2019 2018 2017 2017 2016 2015 2015 2015 2013 2012 2012 2012 2012 2011 2011 2011 2010 2010 2009 2005
2019 2019 2018 2017 2017 2016 2016 2015 2015 2015 2014 2013 2012 2012
Kaitlyn Gillespie Kate Harrison Ahna Lewis Keri Bland Sarah-Anne Brault April Rotilio Marie-Anne Asselin Kaylyn Christopher Marie-Louise Asselin Marie-Louise Asselin Jessica Czaikowski Alison Spiker Abbie Stechschulte Megan Metcalfe Devon Plesuk Tara Struyk
First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team First Team
USTFCCCA CROSS COUNTRY ALL-AMERICA Jillian Forsey Kaitlyn Gillespie Katie Harrison Kaitlyn Gillespie Kaitlyn Gillespie Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Clara Grandt Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Megan Metcalfe Megan Metcalfe Steve Bohan (men’s)
AMERICANS
CHARITY WACHERA
2012 2012 2012 2011 2011 2011 2010 2010 2009 2008 2007 2007 2007 2005 2005 2005
2014 2014 2011 2011 2010 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008 2007 2007 2004 2002 2000
USTFCCCA CROSS COUNTRY ALL-ACADEMIC Amy Cashin Maggie Drazba Jillian Forsey Amy Cashin Maggie Drazba Jillian Forsey Kaitlyn Gillespie Brynn Harshbarger Sydney Scott Maggie Drazba Kaitlyn Gillespie Jillian Forsey Kelly Williams Kelly Williams Sarah-Anne Brault Kaitlyn Gillespie Kate Harrison Ahna Lewis Sarah-Anne Brault Kaitlyn Gillespie Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Clara Grandt Kate Harrison Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland Kaylyn Christopher Ahna Lewis Marie-Louise Asselin Keri Bland
2017 2017 2016 2016 2016 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2014 2014 2013 2012 2011 2011 2011 2011 2010 2010 2009 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008 2008 2008 2007 2007
Bold/Italic indicate current runners
CHARITY WACHERA 1997
Charity Wachera was one of WVU’s best distance runners during her career. For her efforts and accomplishments, she was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. The Nairobi, Kenya, native earned All-America honors in the 10,000 meters with a sixth-place finish (34:29.64) at the 1998 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She also set two school records during her tenure at WVU. She ran a 16:27.27 in the 5,000 meters and a 34:24.00 in the 10,000 meters during the 1998 outdoor track season. Her mark in the 10,000m still stands today, while her mark in the 5,000 meter was broken by fellow All-American Rebecca Stallwood in 2001. In 1997, Wachera finished 11th at the NCAA Championships with a time of 17:00 to become WVU’s first female cross country All-American. WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
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MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
MEGAN METCALFE 2002, 2004
Megan Metcalfe, a nine-time All-American, is the most prolific distance runner in Mountaineer women’s cross country and track and field history and was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. She was the first women’s cross country runner, and the third women’s track and field athlete to be inducted. Metcalfe is also the first Mountaineer to achieve two All-America honors in cross country. The Edmonton, Alberta, native earned her first All-America accolade as a member of the 2001 distance medley relay team, which finished in eighth place at the NCAA Track & Field Championships. Metcalfe’s second All-America award, and first individual, came with a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter race at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championship in a WVU record-time of 9:09.95. Also an outstanding cross country runner, Metcalfe was named the 2000 Big East Freshman of the Year. Her third All-America honor came with a ninth-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Cross Country Championship, making her just the second female cross country All-American in school history and only the fourth Mountaineer to earn All-America honors in two sports. She earned her fourth and fifth All-America accolades in 2003 by finishing fourth in the 3,000-meters at the indoor championship and wa s a part of the school-record-setting distance medley relay team in that same meet. Her sixth and seventh awards came in March 2004, when she was fifth in the 3,000-meters at the NCAA Finals and again was a member of the DMR team. Metcalfe’s school-record setting eighth All-America honor came at the 2004 NCAA Cross Country Championship where she recorded a 16th-place overall finish. Metcalfe capped off her brilliant career with a ninth All-America honor and a national championship when she won the 5,000-meters at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She also competed at the World Cross Country Championship twice during her tenure at WVU and competed at the World University Games in Turkey. In 2008, Metcalfe reached the top, as she ran in the 5,000-meter race for Canada in the Beijing Olympics.
MEGAN METCALFE
MARIE-LOUISE ASSELIN 2007, 2008, 2009
MARIE-LOUISE ASSELIN
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Marie-Louise Asselin capped off her cross country career as one of the most decorated runners in WVU history. The Sarnia, Ontario, native owns seven All-America medals, including three in cross county and four in track. Asselin’s last cross country season, 2009, was one for the record books as she became one of only two WVU runners to earn three All-America honors in the sport. Along with teammate Keri Bland, Asselin achieved the honor as she finished in 31st place (20:43) at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships. The Mountaineers went on to finish sixth, marking the third-consecutive year that WVU finished in the top 10 at the national championship. Asselin also earned all-region honors for the fourth time in her career and All-Big East honors for the third time. Her success continued into the track season as she posted a second-place finish in the 5,000-meter race at the NCAA Indoor Championships (15:50.53) and a secondplace finish in the 5,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships (15:53.93). In 2008, she led WVU to its most successful season in school history, as the Mountaineers took a historic fourth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, first at the NCAA All-Mid-Atlantic Regionals and second at the Big East Championship. Asselin became WVU’s first Big East Women’s Cross Country Individual Champion in 2008, as she took the top spot with a time of 20:10. She then placed 17th at the NCAA Championships race with a time of 20:27 to earn her second consecutive All-American honor. She earned her first All-American title in 2007 as the Mountaineers captured their first Big East Championship and finished ninth in the country. Even though she was just a sophomore at the time, Asselin became WVU’s third All-American in the sport when she finished 17th (14th in the team standings) with a time of 20:39 at the 2007 NCAA Championships. It was a fitting ending to an outstanding season that saw her post the team’s highest finish in the final five meets. Asselin showed glimpses of her abilities just weeks earlier at the Big East Championship, where she took second place. At the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional race that year, she placed third in leading her team to an overall second-place finish. Asselin, an All-Big East and All-Mid-Atlantic region selection, was joined by Bland as an All-American, marking the first time in program history that two teammates earned the honor in the same season. In the 2008 indoor track season, Asselin went on to place seventh in the 3,000-meter to earn All-America honors and was on the All-America distance medley relay team that took fourth at nationals.
WVUSPORTS.COM
KERI BLAND
2007, 2008, 2009 Keri Bland, a seven-time All-American, continued to leave her name in the WVU record books as she aided the Mountaineers to a sixth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships, marking the third-straight year WVU finished in the nation’s top 10. Bland, along with teammate Marie-Louise Asselin, became the only Mountaineers in school history to earn All-America honors for three seasons in cross county, as she finished 34th at the national meet (20:45). The Fairview, West Virginia, native earned two All-America honors in the 2009 indoor track season, as she placed eighth in the mile and was a part of the distance medley relay team. Bland continued to dominate in the outdoor season, as she earned her fourth honor of the year by virtue of finishing as one of the top U.S. competitors in the 1,500-meter race, marking the second time she earned honors in all three seasons. Bland was an essential part of the Mountaineers cross country team in 2008, when she led WVU to its most successful season in school history as the squad placed fourth at the NCAA Championships, first at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals and second at the Big East Championship. She was the first Mountaineer to finish at the NCAA Championships, where she finished 14th with a time of 20:20. In 2007, Bland and Asselin helped guide the Mountaineers to their first conference title and the highest finish at nationals in school history (ninth) in 2007. At nationals, Bland was the second Mountaineer to cross the line in 23rd at 20:58. Bland, along with Asselin, was named a first team All-American, marking the first time WVU’s cross country program had multiple All-Americans in the same year. Bland earned All-Big East and All-Mid-Atlantic region accolades during the season after finishing fourth and seventh, respectively, in those races. In the 2008 indoor track season, Bland was a part of the All-America distance medley team that set a school record and placed fourth in the country. She finished the 2008 outdoor season by earning All-America honors in the 1,500-meters to become the first female in WVU history to earn AllAmerica honors in three sports in the same year.
KERI BLAND
CLARA GRANDT 2009
CLARA GRANDT
Clara Grandt saved the best for last as she posted the finest season of her career and earned her first All-America honor in cross country as a senior in 2009. The West Union, West Virginia, native led the team to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the first Mountaineer to cross the line in 13th-place overall. Grandt also earned all-region and All-Big East honors and was named the Big East Cross Country Athlete of the Week on Sept. 24, for her efforts in the Midwest Open. There she crossed the line in 17:00.1, 19 seconds before Louisville’s Tarah McKay (17:19.4), for the fastest course time in over 20 years. In the track season, Grandt earned her second honor of the year by virtue of finishing as one of the top U.S. citizens in the 5,000-meter race at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships. She then capped off her final season as a Mountaineer with a fourth-place showing in the 10,000-meter race at the outdoor championship, giving her four total All-America honors. Grandt became WVU’s 24th track and field All-American as she earned the honors with a fourth-place showing in the 10,000-meter finals at the NCAA Championships in 2009. Grandt started off the race behind the lead pack before finding her stride around the 6,000-meter mark. The junior closed the gap, and finished with a time of 33:45.16. Since graduating from WVU, Grandt has gone one to win the Pittsburgh Marathon twice (2014, 2015), finish first among Americans at the 2013 Chicago Marathon and fifth overall in 2014. The two-time Olympic trial qualifier has also experienced success at the Boston Marathon and was a member of the U.S. HalfMarathon Championships team in 2014. Currently, Grandt serves as a graduate assistant for coach Sean Cleary’s cross country and track and field teams. WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
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MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY KAITLYN GILLESPIE 2010, 2011, 2014
KAITLYN GILLESPIE
Kaitlyn Gillespie finished her Mountaineer career with three All-American honors. As a junior, she placed seventh at the Big East Championship in 20:14 and followed it with a seventh-place mark in 21:46 at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. To earn All-America status, she came in 27th place at the NCAA Championships with a 6k time of 20:17, improving in placement and time from her 2010 NCAA finish. Gillespie was also named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic team following the 2011 season. In her first season at WVU after one year at Cedarville University, Gillespie quickly made the successful jump to Division I competition in 2010 by earning All-America, all-region and all-conference accolades. The Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, native became an All-American for the first time following her 34th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, where she finished the 6k course in 20:46. To earn All-Mid-Atlantic Region and All-Big East honors, Gillespie came in 10th place at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and the Big East Championship, widely regarded as the most difficult regional and conference events in the nation. Before a 17th-place finish at the 2010 Penn State National, she had two first-place finishes at the Big East Preview and Notre Dame Invitational. Gillespie’s final season in Morgantown saw her obtain All-America status for the third time. She garnered All-Big 12, All-Mid-Atlantic Region and All-America honors throughout the 2014 campaign. Gillespie was the first Mountaineer to cross the line at the Big 12 Championship, finishing in fifth-place overall in the conference. She finished third in the Mid-Atlantic Region race and followed that up with a 26th-place finish at the 2014 NCAA Championships.
KATE HARRISON 2011
A native of Toronto, Ontario, Kate Harrison ended a stellar WVU cross country career with one of the most impressive single-season resumes in school history. A four-time NCAA participant, Harrison recorded the all-time program-best finish at the NCAA Championships with an eighthplace mark, breaking Megan Metcalfe’s ninth-place finish in 2002 at the event. She also finished the race with a career-best 6k time of 19:50 as she earned All-America for the first time in cross country. During the 2011 season, she was twice named the WVU Athlete of the Week and also earned All-Big East and All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors. To earn all-conference, the senior placed third in 19:52 at the conference meet, before recording a fifth-place finish in 21:38 at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional to earn all-region marks. She also excelled in academics as she was named to the 2011 USTFCCCA All-Academic team.
KATE HARRISON
JILLIAN FORSEY 2014
JILLIAN FORSEY
56
As a sophomore, Jillian Forsey made her mark as a Mountaineer, earning All-America status for the first time, doing so with a 14th-place finish (20:17.9) at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, native raced to a second-place finish overall, with a time of 20:18 at the Mid-Atlantic Region to earn All-Mid-Atlantic Region recognition. She also received All-Big 12 distinctions after placing 12th in 20:54.9 at the 2014 Big 12 Cross Country Championship in Lawrence, Kansas. Forsey has received Academic All-America honors and Academic All-Big 12 accolades, while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. In 2016, Forsey qualified individually to the NCAA Championships, where she earned a 97th-place finish. She was also named the Big 12 Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2016. She returns to Morgantown for her senior season this fall.
GENERAL
INFORMATION 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
President E. Gordon Gee Director of Athletics Shane Lyons Athletics Senior Staff Head Coaches Athletics Facilities What to Know When Covering WVU WVU Athletics Communications
MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
PRESIDENT » WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
E. GORDON
D
GEEJ.D., ED.D
r. E. Gordon Gee is one of America’s most prominent higher education leaders, having helmed universities for more than three decades. In 2009, Time magazine named him one of the top 10 university presidents in the United States. Recently, the website Great Value Colleges named him the nation’s top university president. In 2014, Gee returned to West Virginia University, where his career as a university president began. His leadership goals include putting students first, advancing the university’s research agenda, partnering with West Virginia communities and making sure that 1.8 million West Virginians know in their hearts and minds that West Virginia University is their university. Born in Vernal, Utah, Gee graduated from the University of Utah with an honors degree in history and earned his J.D. and Ed.D. degrees from Columbia University. He clerked under Chief Justice David T. Lewis of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals before being named a judicial fellow and staff assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court. In this role, he worked for Chief Justice Warren Burger on administrative and legal problems of the Court and federal judiciary. Gee returned to Utah as an associate professor and associate dean in the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University and was granted full professorship in 1978. One year later, he became dean of the West Virginia University College of Law, and, in 1980, was named West Virginia University president. He served in that role until 1985. He went on to lead the University of Colorado (1985-1990), Brown University (1998-2000) and Vanderbilt University (2001-2007). He served as president of The Ohio State University from 1990 to 1997 and again from 2007 to 2013. Gee has been a member of several education-governance organizations and committees including the Big 12 Conference Council of Presidents, the Business-Higher Education Forum and the American Association of Universities. He was chair of the American Council on Education’s Commission on Higher Education Attainment and served as co-chair of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Energy Advisory Committee. In 2009, Gee was invited to join the International Advisory Board of King Adbulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, and he currently serves on the Board of the Royal University for Women in Bahrain. Active in many national professional and service organizations during his tenures, he has served on the boards for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. and Limited Brands. In 2011, Gee was appointed
The GEE FAMILY - Front from left: Nathan, Elly and Ben Patrón. Back from left: Rebekah Gee, Eva Patrón, E. Gordon Gee, Elizabeth Patrón and David Patrón.
52
to serve as secretary on the Board of Directors of Ohio’s economic development program, JobsOhio. In 2011-2012, he was asked by Governor Kasich to chair both the Ohio Higher Education Capital Funding Collaborative and the Ohio Higher Education Funding Commission. In March 2015, he was elected to the board of directors of the American Council on Education, the nation’s largest higher education organization. And he served as chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors Executive Committee for the 2017-18 year. Gee presently serves on the council of presidents for the Southern University Research Association. Mentoring and inspiring youth is one of Gee’s highest priorities. He serves on the National Executive Board for Boy Scouts of America and on the Board of Trustees for the National 4-H Council. Through his leadership, West Virginia University has created a Youth Development Initiative office to expand its partnering relationships with Boy Scouts, 4-H and similar organizations. Gee has received many honorary degrees, awards, fellowships and recognitions. He is a fellow of the prestigious American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest science organization. In 1994, Gee received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Utah, as well as from Teachers College of Columbia University. In 2013, he received the ACE Council of Fellows/Fidelity Investments Mentor Award and received the Outstanding Academic Leader of the Year Award on behalf of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This year, Boy Scouts of America gave him the Silver Buffalo Award, Scouting’s top honor for adult volunteers. Gee is the co-author of over a dozen books, including his two most recent, “Leading Colleges and Universities” and “Land-Grant Universities for the Future.” In the summer of 2016, Gee announced his engagement to Laurie Erickson, leader of the Erickson Foundation. Gee’s daughter, Rebekah, is Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health. In addition to that role, she is a practicing gynecologist and Gratis Faculty at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Dr. Rebekah Gee is married to David Patrón and they have five children.
E. Gordon GEE and fiancée Laurie ERICKSON.
WVUSPORTS.COM
DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS
SHANE
I
LYONS ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT
n his fifth year as the director of athletics at West Virginia University, Shane Lyons’ vison for the athletic program is crystal clear and working. It’s a vision that focuses on the betterment of more than 500 student-athletes and the day-to-day needs that will help them succeed in the classroom and in competition. His open lines of communications have made him a popular role model for WVU athletes and coaches. His honest, fair and caring approach has energized an entire department, which has led to great success on and off the field. Whether it’s regularly scheduled meetings with the student-athletes or his open-door office policy, Lyons has his finger on the pulse of his student-athletes, coaches and staff. He devotes endless energy to his Climbing Higher facilities master plan that will keep West Virginia a strong Power 5 institution and position his department for growth and continued success. Lyons’ Climbing Higher facilities master plan isn’t about keeping up with the Joneses, it’s about taking what his department has, improving it and making it complete for the student-athlete. It’s an aggressive $100 million fundraising campaign centered on one of his core values, which is enhancing the student-athlete experience. From training, nutrition, medical and competitiveness, Lyons’ vision is for future success, building winning programs and growing WVU’s strong reputation across the country. He is about results, and he has already left a great deal of accomplishments in his rear-view mirror. In 2019, West Virginia recorded its highest APR score ever at 985 and again finished higher than the national average. The overall athletics department GPA was its highest at 3.26 with 13 teams over a 3.0 GPA for the year. Lyons commissioned and announced an Economic Impact study that showed Mountaineer Athletics produced more than $300 million to the state’s economy and more than $78 million to the local economy. And with the local economy in mind, Lyons’s department will assist with the formal opening of a new $45 million aquatic and track facility that will not only benefit WVU’s swimming and diving program, but also local high schools and the entire community. Among the Mountaineer highlights in the 2019 campaign were 43 All-Americans, 81 All-Conference performers, three conference championships, 159 Academic AllConference selections, seven teams to the NCAA postseason, a fourth-place finish for the Heisman Trophy and 22 professional draft picks among all sports. In addition, Lyons’ department hosted for the first time in history both the NCAA Rifle Championships and the Big 12 golf championship as well as the NCAA baseball regionals for the first time since 1955. In total, WVU athletics hosted more than 160 events during the 2018-19 season. From 2015-18, he spearheaded and finished more than $100 million in fan enhancements to Milan Puskar Stadium and the WVU Coliseum, completed a second phase Coliseum renovations, bringing the arena up to current ADA seating code, and for the first-time ever, introduced a second video board to Milan Puskar Stadium to provide information and improve fan entertainment. Overseeing 18 varsity sports, a self-sustaining department budget of more than $93 million and 250 employees, under Lyons’ leadership, WVU athletics has implemented a Clinical and Sport Psychology unit with a full-time director and professional interns, added specialized learning assistants to the Student-Athlete Development unit and entered into a partnership with WVU Medicine’s Neuroscience Department to assist in the training and recovery of student-athletes, all emphasizing his overall commitment to the well-being and performance of Mountaineer student-athletes. Ask him and he’ll tell you it’s not his department, but West Virginia’s department, and he can tell you his vision to improve it not only for the coming year, but for three, five, seven and 10 years down the road. He cares, and the proof lies in what he has already accomplished in four years. The director hates to be last, and he rolls up his sleeves every day to make sure WVU is not last in anything. Additionally, his work with WVU President E. Gordon Gee’s senior leadership team, as well as the Big 12 Conference and other national committees, has brought additional respect and positive exposure to his department and the University. He currently serves on the Big 12 Administration Committee, Finance and Budget Committee and the Game Management and Officiating Subcommittee. In 2018, he chaired the overall athletic directors committee for the Big 12, was named again to the NCAA Division I Council and will serve as chair of the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee. He is also a member of the college football competition committee and locally serves on the board of directors for Mylan Park i n Morgantown. Lyons came to West Virginia after spending three years as the deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer at Alabama where he worked closely on day-to-day strategic leadership and direction of the Crimson Tide Athletic program. During his time at Alabama, his responsibilities included oversight of a $120 million budget, management of the day-to-day operations of the department and oversight of the Crimson Tide’s 21 sports teams. In addition, he played a pivotal role in a historic renegotiation of Alabama’s multimedia rights agreement that started in 2014 and was involved in several significant capital projects totaling more than $85 million. The Crimson Tide won seven national titles in five different sports during his time there – two in football, two in men’s golf, one in women’s golf, one in gymnastics and one in softball. He also played a critical role in the hiring of four Alabama head coaches. Prior to joining the Alabama staff in November 2011, Lyons spent 10 years as an associate commissioner at the Atlantic Coast Conference. At the ACC, Lyons focused on
conference-wide compliance and academic initiatives, providing direct assistance to the conference’s presidents, chancellors and athletics directors in matters dealing with NCAA regulatory matters. In addition, he served as the ACC’s human resource manager and was responsible for the administration, negotiation and mediation of the employee benefits program and managing the conference’s organizational policies and procedures. He was part of the senior administrative team for ACC events, including the football championship game, the men’s basketball tournament and men’s and women’s NCAA basketball events. Prior to working at the ACC, Lyons served as associate athletics director for compliance at Big 12 member Texas Tech from 1998 to 2001. During that time, Lyons assumed responsibility for the leadership, administration and implementation of a comprehensive NCAA compliance program with emphasis toward rules education and extensive monitoring systems. He also served as oversight administrator for several of the Red Raiders’ athletic teams and had financial and operational supervision of the strength and conditioning, nutritional and sports medicine units. Before joining Texas Tech, Lyons worked at the NCAA for almost 10 years as a senior membership services representative, where he was responsible for the oversight and coordination of rules and interpretations for the 25 membership service representatives and was the staff liaison to various NCAA standing committees. Lyons began his career in college athletics in July 1988 as assistant commissioner of the Big South Conference. With the Big South, he was in charge of conference-wide compliance and championships. A native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, and a graduate of Parkersburg High, Lyons was a standout basketball player for the Big Reds. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport management from WVU in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Lyons, the University’s 12th athletic director, and his wife, Emily, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, have two children: Cameron and Brooke. Cameron is a member of the football team at Akron and Brooke attends Morgantown High School. SHANE LYONS THROUGH THE YEARS: 1988-89 Big South Conference (Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Championships) 1989-98 NCAA (Senior Membership Services Representative) 1998-2001 Texas Tech (Associate Athletic Director – Compliance) 2001-11 Atlantic Coast Conference (Associate Commissioner) 2011-15 Alabama (Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Operating Officer) 2015-present West Virginia (Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President) SHANE LYONS’ NATIONAL COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS 2000-01 Division I Satisfactory Progress Waivers Committee 2004-06 Division I Academics/Eligibility Compliance Cabinet 2004-06 Recruiting Subcommittee Chair 1 year 2004-08 Division I Interpretations Committee Chair 2 years 2005-07 Legislative Review Committee Chair 2 years 2006-08 Division I Management Council 2008-11 Division I Legislative Council Chair 1 year 2010-11 Division I Communications and Coordination Committee 2015- Big 12 Administration Committee 2015 - Big 12 Finance and Budget Committee 2015- Big 12 Game Management and Officiating Subcommittee 2017- Big 12 Athletic Directors Council Chair 2018- Division I Council 2018- Division I Football Oversight Committee Chair 2018- Division I Football Competition Committee
THE LYONS FAMILY Cameron, Emily, Shane, Brooke and the family dog, Zoey WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
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MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY INTERCOLLEGIATE
ATHLETICS
KELI ZINN DEPUTY ATHLETICS DIRECTOR
BEN MURRAY SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / MAC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BRANDON CUNNINGHAM ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / MAJOR GIFTS AND CAPITAL PROJECTS
ERIC BUDA ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / ANNUAL GIVING
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STEVE URYASZ EXECUTIVE SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR
MATT WELLS SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
SAM MORRONE ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / BUSINESS OPERATIONS
JAMIE HALL ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / DONOR RELATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION
SIMON DOVER SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / BUSINESS OPERATIONS, CFO
GREG FEATHERSTON ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / GOVERNANCE & COMPLIANCE
PRESTON WAGES ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / COMPLIANCE
BRITTNEY O’DELL ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / STUDENT-ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT
MICHAEL FRAGALE SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / COMMUNICATIONS
APRIL MESSERLY ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / FACILITIES & OPERATIONS
ZACH ECKERT ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / FACILITIES & OPERATIONS
STEPHANIE WHITE ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / STUDENT-ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT
TERRI HOWES SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / SPORTS ADMINISTRATION, SWA
BRYAN MESSERLY ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / COMMUNICATIONS
NATHANIEL ZINN ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / MARKETING
RANDY MEADOR ASSISTANT ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER, OLYMPIC SPORTS
WVUSPORTS.COM
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
HEAD COACHES
NEAL BROWN FOOTBALL
JASON BUTTS
TIM FLYNN WRESTLING
JON HAMMOND
MARLON LeBLANC MEN’S SOCCER
MIHA LISAC TENNIS
GYMNASTICS
RIFLE
MIKE CAREY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SEAN CLEARY CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK
SEAN COVICH GOLF
BOB HUGGINS MEN’S BASKETBALL
NIKKI IZZO-BROWN WOMEN’S SOCCER
JIMMY KING ROWING
RANDY MAZEY BASEBALL
VIC RIGGS MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
REED SUNAHARA VOLLEYBALL
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
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MOUNTAINEER
CROSS COUNTRY
ATHLETICS
FACILITIES
BASKETBALL PRACTICE FACILITY
CAPERTON INDOOR FACILITY
CARY GYM
DICK DLESK SOCCER STADIUM
DREAMSWORK FIELD
MONONGALIA COUNTY BALLPARK
MOUNTAINEER FIELD AT MILAN PUSKAR STADIUM
MOUNTAINEER TENNIS COURTS
TRACK & FIELD COMPLEX AT MYLAN PARK
WVU BOATHOUSE
WVU COLISEUM
WVU NATATORIUM
WVU RIFLE RANGE
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WVU WRESTLING PAVILLION
WVUSPORTS.COM
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
MEDIA INFORMATION
MEDIA SERVICES
RECEIVING INFORMATION
SOCIAL MEDIA
The West Virginia University athletics communications office will be available throughout the entire 2019 cross country season to accommodate any media requests. The following are some guidelines that should make it easy for media members to cover the Mountaineers. Any additional questions should be directed to the cross country contact Olivia VanHorn.
Media members may receive WVU cross country press releases, notes and more via email. Please email Olivia VanHorn (olivia.vanhorn@mail.wvu.edu) to be included on the distribution list.
WVU Cross Country is active on various social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit facebook.com/WVUCrossCountry to like the Facebook page. To follow the Mountaineers on Twitter, visit Twitter.com/WVUXCTF. To follow the team on Instagram, visit Instagram.com/WVUXCTF
DURING THE WEEK
Player and coaching staff bios are available at the click of a finger by going to WVUsports.com. After each meet, WVUsports.com is updated with the latest statistics. Not only will you find this season’s stats, but you will also be able to find the WVU record book, where you can gain historical insights.
Any member of the media wishing to interview a runner or a member of the coaching staff during the week should contact Olivia VanHorn, via email (olivia.vanhorn@mail. wvu.edu) or phone (304-293-2821), at least 24 hours in advance.
WVUSPORTS.COM WVUsports.com is the place for media and fans to go for the latest on Mountaineer cross country.
Cell phone numbers will not be provided, and all WVU student-athletes have been instructed to not conduct interviews without prior approval from the athletics communications staff.
WVUCross Country/Track and Field
@WVUXCTF
@WVUXCTF
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MOUNTAINEER
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WVU ATHLETICS CONTACT INFORMATION ATHLETIC INFORMATION
The West Virginia University athletics communication office is located on the second floor of the WVU Coliseum in room 217.
STAFF
COMMUNICATIONS MICHAEL FRAGALE SENIOR ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / COMMUNICATIONS
BRYAN MESSERLY ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR / COMMUNICATIONS
JOHN ANTONIK DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS CONTENT
GRANT DOVEY DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MEDIA
MIKE MONTORO DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL COMMUNICATIONS
JOE SWAN DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS PUBLICATIONS
KRISTIN COLDSNOW LEAD DESIGNER
TYLER SCHIEFELBEIN ATHLETICS GRAPHIC DESIGNER
ASHLEY BAILEY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
AMY SALVATORE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
CHRIS PHARIS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
JOE MITCHIN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
LISA AMMONS BUSINESS MANAGER
CHERYL WIRE OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
AMY PRUNTY PROGRAM ASSISTANT
TANNER CAIN GRADUATE ASSISTANT
KATIE M acCRORY GRADUATE ASSISTANT
JAQUIE TUN GRADUATE ASSISTANT
OLIVIA VanHORN GRADUATE ASSISTANT
MAILING ADDRESS
Athletics Communications Office West Virginia University P.O. Box 0877 Morgantown, WV 26507-0877 OVERNIGHT SHIPPING ADDRESS
WVU Athletics Communications 3450 Monongahela Blvd., Room 217 Morgantown, WV 26506 PHONE INFORMATION
Office: 304-293-2821 Fax: 304-293-4105 Press Box: 304-293-6480 CROSS COUNTRY CONTACT
OLIVIA Van HORN Graduate Assistant, Athletics Communications Office: 304-290-2821 Cell: 304-276-8940 E-mail: Olivia.VanHorn@mail.wvu.edu
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