Wake Forest Athletics News
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Bennett Named Director Of Wake Forest Track & Field
July 6, 2001 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest Director of Athletics, Ron Wellman, announced today that Annie Schweitzer Bennett will serve as Director of Wake Forest Track & Field and Head Women's Cross-Country Coach. Bennett, who recently completed her second year at Wake Forest as the Head Women's Cross Country and Women's Track & Field Coach, has assumed the duties of former Men's Track & Field Coach, Noel Ruebel, who resigned in early June. Bennett will have administrative and coaching responsibility for the entire men's and women's track programs as well as continuing to coach the women's cross-country team. "I am absolutely thrilled about the opportunity," said Bennett, who will also take on the responsibilities of becoming a mother this summer. "Everyone across the board will benefit from the shared knowledge, shared travel and shared experiences of this coaching staff. It will be a great experience for all." One of America's top distance runners in the mid-1980s, Bennett is a former six-time All-American and NCAA Champion. Last spring, Bennett saw Wake Forest finish fifth indoors and eighth outdoors at the ACC Championships and tied for 30th at both NCAA Championships. Eight Demon Deacons earned All-ACC honors, three won ACC Championships, seven All-America certificates were captured, Rachel Burns was named third team Academic All-America and Sara Day followed a Runner-Up finish in the 10K at the NCAA Championships with a 10th place finish at the U.S.A. Championships to earn a spot on the U.S. National Team competing in the World University Games this August in Beijing. In the fall of 2000, Bennett piloted the Demon Deacon cross-country harriers to the NCAA Championships after a third place finish at the ACC Championships and NCAA Regionals. In her first season at the helm of the Demon Deacons, Bennett coached the cross country squad to a fourth place finish at the ACC Championships and saw four different people earn all-conference honors, as well as Janelle Kraus and Jill Snyder earn All-American honors in both indoors and outdoors. Prior to coming to Winston-Salem, Bennett was the head coach of the women's track and cross-country program at Stephen F. Austin State University where Bennett spent five years at the helm of the Ladyjack program, taking them from 10th place at the Southland Conference championship meet to a 2nd place finish in 1999. "We are very excited about the new structure of our Track & Field and Cross-Country programs," said Wake Forest Senior Associate Athletic Director, Barbara Walker. "All student-athletes will benefit from the coaching expertise of all of our fine coaches." Gary Sievers will serve as Assistant Director of Wake Forest Track & Field and Head Men's Cross-Country Coach. Sievers, who enters his second year at Wake Forest, will continue to head the men's cross-country program as well as coach both men and women in distance and other events. He will work closely with Bennett in all areas of the track & field programs. John Williams, Jennifer Hoppe and Mike Bennett will all serve as assistant track & field coaches for both the men's and women's squads. Williams will primarily coach the Demon Deacons in throwing events, Hoppe will primarily handle and vertical jumps and Mike Bennett will coach the multi-events and pole vault. Another assistant track & field coach will be added to the staff at a later date. |