Wednesday, August 21, 2013

LACEY, Wash. – Saint Martin's University head track & field coach Dee Dee Montgomery has resigned while Jason McConnell has been named head cross country and assistant track & field coach for the Saints.

Montgomery has accepted an administration position at another university. A search for her replacement will begin immediately.

McConnell will serve as the head cross country coach and as an assistant with the track & field program.

"I loved being an athlete and competing and coaching has given me the opportunity to share my passion for the sport. I am very excited to join the staff here at SMU and begin working with our student-athletes," said McConnell.
 
McConnell joins the Saints having coached previously at The Evergreen State College in Olympia serving as both an assistant and head coach during his time there from 2007 to 2011.

A 2007 graduate of TESC he joined the Geoducks coaching staff as an assistant with the cross country and track & field programs in the fall of 2007. McConnell served as an assistant until 2009 when he took over as the head coach working in that capacity until 2011.

During his time at Evergreen, McConnell coached multiple athletes to NAIA National Championship appearances. In 2008 he had two athletes, Brian Rakestraw and Annie Mullen, qualify for the NAIA Cross Country Championships. Both athletes also appeared at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

In 2009, Rakestraw made his second consecutive trip to the cross country championships and in 2010 took eighth in the marathon at the outdoor championships.

Eric Jones earned a 10th-place finish in the marathon at the outdoor track & field championships in 2009.

In 2011, Karissa Carlson earned a trip to both the indoor and outdoor championships in the 800 m placing ninth during the outdoor season at the championships.

McConnell competed in both cross country and track & field from 2004 to 2008 and was a national qualifier in the marathon in 2007 during the outdoor season as well as a team captain in 2008.