Cross Country

Smith Leads St. Mary´s Cross Country at Islander Splash Invitational

Melissa Recio and the St. Mary's Rattlers finished eighth at the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islander Splash Invitational Friday night (photo by Jeff Huehn, Lazy J Photo).

SAN ANTONIO—Jessie Smith finished 18th individually in a season-best time, helping the St. Mary’s University cross country team to an eighth place finish at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islander Splash Invitational Friday night at West Guth Park.

Smith (Sr., Boerne) covered the five-kilometer course in a time of 19:22, good for 18th place overall. The time was her best for the five-kilometer distance this season and the 18th-place finish was her fourth straight top-25 finish. The top finisher at the meet was Dan Mecke of the University of Texas-San Antonio in a time of 17:09.

Amy Crissman (Jr., San Antonio) was the second finisher for the Rattlers, placing 31st in a time of 21:37. Melissa Recio (Sr., Laredo) finished 33rd in a time of 21:42, Katrina White (So., San Antonio) was 39th in 23:21, Amanda Benavides (Sr., San Antonio) was 45th in a time of 24:14 and Courtney Deane (Jr., El Paso) was 48th in 26:12.

In the team standings host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi took the title with a score of 24 points. Texas-San Antonio was second with 72, the University of Texas-Pan American was third with 80, Central Arkansas was fourth with 102, Tech de Monterrey was fifth with 106, St. Mary’s was sixth with 134 and Texas A&M University-Kingsville was seventh with 155.

St. Mary’s will return to action on Oct. 18 when they travel to Dallas for the Heartland Conference Championships, hosted by Dallas Baptist University.

    

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