Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Murray State Sports Information
Severns Named Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach
7/26/2010 9:03:18 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
Severns comes to Murray State after spending the previous four seasons at UNC Greensboro
Athletics Director Allen Ward has announced the hiring of the school's head track & field and cross country coach, Jenny Severns.
“I'm pleased that Jenny has accepted our offer to become Murray State's track & field and cross country coach,” said Ward. “She brings a good combination of experience and enthusiasm that will continue to improve both programs.”
“I am very excited about the opportunity to work with the athletes and staff at Murray State University,” said Severns. “I have had the opportunity to work with great coaches and am excited to bring everything I have learned and implement it at Murray State. We have all the tools necessary to succeed and I can not wait to take the program to the next level.”
“Jenny brings good experience and a commitment to developing the whole person,” said Matt Kelly, Associate AD for Internal Operations. “Her student-athletes have excelled in the community, classroom, and in their sport. Her style and ideals fit very nicely into what we want to do here at Murray State. I am excited that she will be joining us and leading our track & field and cross country programs into the future.”
Severns comes to the Racers after spending the last four seasons as an assistant cross country and track & field coach at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. While with the Spartans, she helped the men's cross country team to four-consecutive top-five finishes at the Southern Conference Championships, including the team's highest finish in school history (3rd in 2006).
During Severns tenure at UNCG, she coached 15 All-SoCon athletes, three Junior National qualifiers, one ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team honoree and helped her student-athletes break 26 school records.
Severns duties with UNCG included working with the distance runners, providing academic support to student-athletes, travel coordinator, assisting with training and conditioning, and recruiting.
Prior to UNCG, Severns was an assistant coach at Dickinson College (2005-06), where she led the cross country team to its sixth-straight Centennial Conference title, the NCAA Mideast Region crown and a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships. The men's cross country team placed second at the Centennial Conference meet and fifth at the NCAA Mideast Regional, and had a male runner earn the schools first cross country All-American honors. In track and field, Dickinson mentored one All-American, eight conference champions, 33 all-conference performers, and eight school and three conference marks.
Severns got her coaching start at Mt. Pleasant High school in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. She served as a volunteer assistant track & field coach from March 2001-June 2002 and then returned in January 2004 as the assistant coach for cross country and track & field. During Severns' second stint, the girls track & field team won the conference and region crowns and placed sixth at the state meet.
In cross country, Mt. Pleasant won the girls' conference championship.
The Flint, Mich., native was a member of the Central Michigan University cross country and track & field teams for one season, while she earned a bachelor's degree in applied arts in 2002. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in sports administration from CMU. Severns also has a USATF Level 1 Coaching Certification.
Besides her coaching responsibilities, Severns is still a distance runner. She has been a competitor in 14 marathons, including six Boston Marathons.
“I'm pleased that Jenny has accepted our offer to become Murray State's track & field and cross country coach,” said Ward. “She brings a good combination of experience and enthusiasm that will continue to improve both programs.”
“I am very excited about the opportunity to work with the athletes and staff at Murray State University,” said Severns. “I have had the opportunity to work with great coaches and am excited to bring everything I have learned and implement it at Murray State. We have all the tools necessary to succeed and I can not wait to take the program to the next level.”
“Jenny brings good experience and a commitment to developing the whole person,” said Matt Kelly, Associate AD for Internal Operations. “Her student-athletes have excelled in the community, classroom, and in their sport. Her style and ideals fit very nicely into what we want to do here at Murray State. I am excited that she will be joining us and leading our track & field and cross country programs into the future.”
Severns comes to the Racers after spending the last four seasons as an assistant cross country and track & field coach at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. While with the Spartans, she helped the men's cross country team to four-consecutive top-five finishes at the Southern Conference Championships, including the team's highest finish in school history (3rd in 2006).
During Severns tenure at UNCG, she coached 15 All-SoCon athletes, three Junior National qualifiers, one ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team honoree and helped her student-athletes break 26 school records.
Severns duties with UNCG included working with the distance runners, providing academic support to student-athletes, travel coordinator, assisting with training and conditioning, and recruiting.
Prior to UNCG, Severns was an assistant coach at Dickinson College (2005-06), where she led the cross country team to its sixth-straight Centennial Conference title, the NCAA Mideast Region crown and a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships. The men's cross country team placed second at the Centennial Conference meet and fifth at the NCAA Mideast Regional, and had a male runner earn the schools first cross country All-American honors. In track and field, Dickinson mentored one All-American, eight conference champions, 33 all-conference performers, and eight school and three conference marks.
Severns got her coaching start at Mt. Pleasant High school in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. She served as a volunteer assistant track & field coach from March 2001-June 2002 and then returned in January 2004 as the assistant coach for cross country and track & field. During Severns' second stint, the girls track & field team won the conference and region crowns and placed sixth at the state meet.
In cross country, Mt. Pleasant won the girls' conference championship.
The Flint, Mich., native was a member of the Central Michigan University cross country and track & field teams for one season, while she earned a bachelor's degree in applied arts in 2002. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in sports administration from CMU. Severns also has a USATF Level 1 Coaching Certification.
Besides her coaching responsibilities, Severns is still a distance runner. She has been a competitor in 14 marathons, including six Boston Marathons.
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