Fontbonne Hires New Head Cross Country and Track and Field Coach
St. Louis- Fontbonne University is pleased to announce the hiring of Coach Kelli Blake. Coach Blake will oversee all aspects of Fontbonne’s cross country and track and field programs.
Director of Athletics Maria Eftink is excited about the new addition, "We could not be more excited to name Kelli Blake as our Head Cross Country and Track Coach. Coach Blake comes to us from a successful collegiate running career and has gained valuable experience under outstanding coaches in her career. We welcome Coach Blake to the Fontbonne Family and are very excited to see the direction and future developments under her leadership."
“I want to thank Maria Eftink and the Fontbonne community
for this exciting opportunity, says Coach Blake. I am
thrilled to coach a group of student-athletes who are dedicated to
maximizing their potential. Fontbonne is an institution that
prioritizes the success and well-being of its student-athletes and
I look forward to being a part of that culture.”
Blake ventures back to St. Louis after serving as assistant cross
country and track coach at Occidental College (Oxy). At Oxy,
Blake helped lead the men’s cross country team to 1st place
at the 2011 West Regional Championships and 27th place finish at
DIII Nationals. In 2012, three individual Tigers qualified
for Cross Country Nationals and the women’s cross country
team was runner-up at the conference meet. During the spring
track and field season, Blake supervised the middle-distance
runners, including All-American 800m runner Cole Williams.
Coach Blake competed collegiately at Washington University in St.
Louis. A middle distance runner, she was an indoor
All-American on Wash. U.’s Distance Medley Relay and a
multiple-time All-Conference scorer. Blake served as Cross
Country and Track and Field Captain her senior year when the Bears
placed 2nd at DIII Cross Country Nationals.
Coach Kelli Blake can be reached at kblake@fontbonne.edu
COURTESY OF FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
