Cross Country

Smith Leads St. Mary´s Cross Country to Sixth in Heartland Conference

DALLAS—Jessie Smith finished 15th overall to lead the way as St. Mary’s University finished sixth as a team at the Heartland Conference Cross Country Championships, Saturday morning on the Dallas Baptist University campus.

Smith (Sr., Boerne) covered the six-kilometer course in 25:18 to place 15th overall. Hannah Steffan of Dallas Baptist University ran away with the individual title, defeating teammate Linet Kibet by 17 seconds.

Amy Crissman (Jr., San Antonio) finished in 19th place with a 26:03. Melissa Recio (Sr., Laredo) was 33rd with a time of 28:21, Katrina White (So., San Antonio) was 43rd with a 30:19, Amanda Benavides (Sr., San Antonio) was 44th a 30:30, Alyssa Alfaro (So., Eagle Pass) was 45th with a 30:54 and Courtney Deane (Jr., El Paso) was 47th with a 34:42.

In the team competition, Dallas Baptist had five runners in the top 10 to easily win the team title with 23 points. Newman University was second with 63, the University of the Incarnate Word was third with 87 points, Lincoln University was fourth with 97 points, Texas A&M International University finished fifth with 142 points, St. Mary’s was sixth with 154 points, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin was seventh with 157 points, Oklahoma Panhandle State University finished eighth with 203 points and St. Edward’s University was ninth.

The Rattlers will wrap up the 2008 season when they compete at the NCAA South Central Region Championships in San Antonio on Nov. 8.

    

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