Cross Country

St. Mary´s Cross Country Places 9th at Corpus Christi

Jessie Smith (foreground) and Melissa Recio finished third and fourth on the St. Mary's squad, respectively, at the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islander Splash Invitational Friday (photo by Derek Smolik).

CORPUS CHRISTI--Tara Wicketts placed 36th overall to lead the way individually, as St. Mary's University finished ninth as a team at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islander Splash Invitational Friday night at West Guth Park.

Wicketts (Sr., Cibolo) covered the five-kilometer course in 19:31 to lead the Rattlers for the second straight meet this season. Amy Crissman (So., San Antonio) was the second Rattler to finish with a time of 20:53. Jessie Smith was 63rd overall with a time of 21:19, while Melissa Recio (Jr., Laredo) was 74th with a 22:22, Katrina White (Fr., San Antonio) was 82nd with a 23:52 and Yesenia Bernal (Sr., San Antonio) was 85th in 24:31.

Overall Betsy Jimenez of the University of Texas won the individual competiton with a time of 17:33. Teammate Asia Myrland was second with a 17:37. In the team standings Texas won the title with just 16 points. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was second with 56 points. St. Mary's took ninth with 257 points. The meet was the best yet this season for the Rattlers, as it featured eight NCAA Divison I schools.

The Rattlers will return to action on Saturday, October 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Incarnate Word Invitational, which will be held at the San Antonio State School.

    

Coaching Staff

Head Coach Haley Long

Taking on a dual role in her first year on the St. Mary's coaching staff, Haley Long will serve as the Rattlers' head cross country coach and assistant softball coach, leading with experience and high expectations for success.

Long comes into her new coaching roles as a former athlete herself, having enjoyed an extensive softball career dating back to her star-studded career at Brenham High School in her hometown of Brenham, Texas, where she earned First-Team All-State, Academic All-State and helped her team to a state title. The former right fielder then took her play to the collegiate level, playing her freshman year at Blinn College before finishing her career at the University of Nebraska. After slugging away for a .355 batting average, 43 runs scored, five doubles, 33 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a team-high 10 triples in her sole season at Bilnn, Long became a three-year starter in right field for the University of Nebraska. There, her success led to a Second Team All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore. As a junior competing in the Big 12 championship, Long earned an All-Tournament Team selection. Her three years at the University of Nebraska also gave Long a three-time stint on the Big 12 Commissioners' Honor Roll.

Long completed her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Nebraska in 2009 and completed her master's degree in kinesiology at the University of Texas-Permian Basin in 2012.

While completing her master's degree, Long took her first step in coaching as one of Blinn College's assistant softball coaches and helped the Buccaneers to a fourth-place national championship finish in 2012. During her two years on the coaching staff, Blinn received the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Midwest Coaching Staff of the Year both years.

With a Division I, Big 12 athletic transcript and an accredited coaching background, Long looks forward to being an asset to St. Mary's softball team and taking the cross country team to new heights.

"I'm excited to see what their expectations are of themselves," says Long of her Rattler runners, "and see how they respond to my expectations for them. My expectations of them are to work hard every day and build a work ethic of a winning mentality. I want them to put themselves on the map and know that they do matter. This is going to become a growing program, and we re going to be expected to win."

Long takes on her head cross country and assistant softball coach position with confidence, priming for two teams of Rattler talent to work with.

"I'm just excited to get started," she said.

2012 St. Mary's Cross Country Roster