Cross Country

Waninger to Compete in USA Triathlon National Championship

File Photo (Antonio Morano Photography / www.moranomemories.photoreflect.com)

SAN ANTONIO — College athletes are a special breed, balancing classes, their social life and, of course, their selected sport.

But there’s a college athlete at St. Mary’s that’s a breed all to her own, training to become a Rattler first.

That would be St. Mary’s cross country runner Jessica Waninger, a triathlete who is on the fast track — literally — to becoming the first–known Rattler to represent the school on the national stage in a triathlon.

And while her track is fast, it’s anything but easy.

“I usually swim between 10,000 to 15,000 yards a week, which is close to 10 miles,” Waninger says, “and I bike around 150–170 miles a week. I then run between 35–50 miles a week, and I do strength training twice a week, too.”

That is the 20 hour–per–week training schedule of Waninger, whose extensive athletic ability and work ethic was tremendously felt on the Rattlers’ cross country team this past season, when in her first year as a Rattler she led St. Mary’s to a 19th–place finish at regionals in its first regional appearance since 2006.

Now, her training has taken her to the 2012 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship, where Waninger will represent St. Mary’s this Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Waninger was welcomed to the St. Mary’s cross country team with two first–place finishes in regular–season meets and was twice named the Heartland Conference Runner of the Week. While usually athletes are summed up with their performance within their season, Waninger is a few paces ahead by also excelling during the so–called offseason.

The junior from Santa Claus, Ind., transferred from the University of Texas–Tyler, where she left her mark with numerous school records and awards.

And at St. Mary’s, she has connected with Rattler alum Shirley Gonzalez, a triathlete herself who has proven an inspirational force for Waninger.

“Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to (do all this),” Waninger says.

Cooling down and stretching in front of the St. Mary’s University Center before hopping in car to drive to the national championship, Waninger reflected on finding success in her first year as a St. Mary’s athlete despite all that could weigh her down.

“It’s definitely hard because I train a lot,” says Waninger of her part–time, 20 hours–per–week training schedule, “so it gets to be a lot with school because I’m taking 18 hours right now, too. It’s a tough balance because I try to work, too (at a triathlon shop)—and be a wife.”

To go along with her already extensive résumé, the new, fresh face of the Rattlers’ cross–country team is also a newlywed. Waninger married this past January, finding “the one” to fit right into her ambitious and motivated schedule.

“He’s a triathlete too; he’s actually a professional,” says Waninger of her husband, Mark, who will also be competing along with her in this weekend’s national championship. “He got his professional card last year. We train together. It’s a lot of fun.”

While she’s proud to now represent the Rattlers, Waninger eyes becoming a professional triathlete herself. And she knows her own trek to becoming a pro.

“There are certain sanctioned races by USA Triathlon, so there has to be a certain prize purse in order to qualify,” she said. “And they give you certain slots you have to finish in. Mark qualified as top–3 male overall at a sanctioned race, so you qualify that way in order to get your professional license. I definitely want to pursue a professional triathlon career. It takes a lot of time and commitment.”

Luckily for the Rattlers, Waninger still has another year left to compete on the cross–country team, where her first season has given her a respectable shot at the national championship.

“It’s pretty cool to bring the whole sport of triathlon to St. Mary’s,” says Waninger, who placed first in her first career meet as a Rattler and qualified for the national event by placing second at a recent regional race. “And it’s definitely cool to being able to represent St. Mary’s. Arlynda (Flores), the cross country coach, has just been amazing in working with me and allowing me to pursue this and still run, because my passion was first running. During the season I put all of my effort into that. Arlynda’s just been great in helping me and supporting me.”

Regardless of the outcome of the national championship, Waninger is already making history at St. Mary’s and will doubtlessly excel as a St. Mary’s alum.

Waninger will compete in the Collegiate National Championship on Saturday. The horn blows at 7:30 a.m. Fans can visit usatriathlon.org for more information.

St. Mary’s University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community service, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence. The University has six athletic national titles: men’s basketball (1989–NAIA), baseball (2001–NCAA Div. II), softball (1986–NAIA and 2002–NCAA Div. II) and an individual national champion in men’s golf (2006–NCAA Div. II) and a national academic championship in men’s golf (2009–NCAA Div. II). St. Mary’s also had more than 40 percent of its athletes named to conference, regional and/or national honor rolls this past year. St. Mary’s student–athletes graduation rate is 65 percent, higher than the NCAA Division II average of 55 percent. To learn more about St. Mary's, visit www.stmarytx.edu/athletics.

    

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