BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- The Bakersfield track and field and cross country teams are proud to welcome former Olympian Lindsey Anderson to the coaching staff. Anderson will join the crew as a volunteer assistant coach for both squads during the 2014-15 seasons.
“I am thrilled to have Lindsey join us,” said Bakersfield's Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, Marcia Mansur-Wentworth. “It will be great to have somebody with her experience competing on the highest stage possible, the Olympic Games. I think she is going to be a great role model for our young women and young men and I am just thrilled that she wants to help us.” Anderson brings several years of coaching experience to Bakersfield after being an assistant coach for her alma mater, Weber State. She also competed for Oiselle, a women's running company that sponsors several elite female runners like Kara Goucher and Lauren Fleshman.
Before she coached the Wildcats, she attended WSU and put together one of the best running careers in school history. Anderson's career was highlighted by multiple All-Conference and All-American awards, school and NCAA records, trips to the NCAA West Regionals, multiple trips to NCAA Championships in both track and cross country, and Big Sky Track Athlete of the Meet at the Big Sky Championship in 2005 and 2007. Anderson finished her career holding four school records, two All-American honors, nine Big Sky Conference titles, an NCAA record in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. She was also honored with the Weber State Female Career Achievement Award in 2007 and was named Weber State Female Athlete of the Year for the 2006-07 season.
“When we first moved to Bakersfield, I wasn't sure if I was going to get involved with coaching again,” said Anderson. “Two weeks after we moved, I knew I needed to try to coach somewhere. I looked up the university and learned about it. I saw that there was a great coaching staff here and said that I would love to help.”
After graduating, she became the first athlete from Weber State to qualify for the Summer Olympics. In July 2008, Anderson finished second at the US Olympic Trials to earn a spot on the US Olympic Team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She ran a personal best time of 9:30.75 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Trials to solidify her spot. In Beijing, Anderson posted a time of 9:36.81 to place 24th in the preliminaries, but did not qualify for the finals.
"It all came together for me at the [U.S. Olympic] Trials and I ran a PR," said Anderson. "I loved my Olympic experience. It was so cool! My favorite part was the Olympic Village, being there with all the other athletes and getting to know the athletes. Every kid, when they are little, wants to go to the Olympics...When I actually did make it, it was awesome!"
~www.GoRunners.com~
