Anne Carlson

Edinboro hired Anne Carlson as the head track and field coach/director of cross country operations today, replacing retired coach Doug Watts.

Athletic director Bruce Baumgartner said Carlson will serve as the men’s and women’s track and field coach and will oversee the incoming cross country head coach. Edinboro will begin searching for a cross country coach soon, Baumgartner said.

Watts announced his retirement in April after coaching Edinboro’s running programs for the past 44 years.

Carlson has been an assistant women’s track and field coach at Edinboro since June 2011. She is a former Central Missouri All-American and won the pentathlon national championship in 2009.

“Obviously, Anne has some big shoes to fill,” Baumgartner said. “But we are supremely confident that she is a young coach with a bright future.”

Watts supported the choice of Carlson for the job.

“In the two short years she’s been here, Coach Anne has proven to be a superior technician and an excellent role model,” Watts said. “Having her inherit the program made it easy for me to pass the reins of this outstanding tradition of excellence to her.”

North East distance runner Ryan Smathers, seated, accepts his appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point in a ceremony at the North East library Monday. Smathers is joined by, from left, his mother, Gracie Smathers, North East track and field coach Dick Gregg, distance coach Ted Miller and his father, Cliff Smathers. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

 

North East standout distance runner Ryan Smathers has accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Smathers will attend the United States Military Academy Preparatory School for one year before heading to the Academy. He will run cross country and indoor and outdoor track.

Smathers has been a four-year star at North East in both cross country and track. He is the defending PIAA Class AA champion in the 1,600 meters and holds the District 10 record in that event.

By accepting the appointment, Smathers is making a 10-year commitment —  one year at prep school, four years at the Academy and five years of active service.

Good news for bubble teams and athletes in NCAA Division II cross country and track and field: The national championship fields will be expanded starting in 2012-13.

The Erie area’s small college cross country athletes are among the best students in the country, according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Gannon men had DIvision II’s best team GPA, 3.64.

The Gannon women had the country’s second-best GPA, 3.74.

The Mercyhurst College women had a 3.58 GPA.

Edinboro’s women had a 3.36 GPA.

The Mercyhurst College men had a 3.28 GPA.

Edinboro’s men had 3.16 GPA.

The Penn State Behrend men and women each made the Division III list.

How it works: Every day we’ll post a photo of a former college athlete from the Erie Times-News archive. You guess who it is, then check back Monday for the answer and another Old School athlete photo.

Feb. 17:

Cathedral Prep graduate Willie Drexler swam and ran cross country at the College of Wooster in the mid-1990s.

Today’s Old School Athlete: