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Coaching Staff - Women's Cross Country
Head Coach Wendy McFarlane
• McFarlane's Year by Year Coaching Records
• All-Time Delaware Women's Cross Country Coaching Records
Wendy McFarlane, a former standout sprinter at the University of Tulsa and assistant coach at both the University of Delaware and Frostburg State, was named the head coach of the Blue Hen women's cross country team in August, 2012.
McFarlane, who has served as the Blue Hen women's indoor and outdoor track & field coach since 2008-09, took over additional head coaching duties when longtime head Jim Fischer retired.
Fischer, one of the longest tenured head coaches in Delaware athletics history, had served as women's cross country head coach for four seasons from 2008 until 2011. He served as the Delaware men's cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field from 1982 until 2011. Each of those men's programs were reclassified as club sports following the 2010-11 season.
McFarlane, who served two different stints as an assistant on the UD staff working with the sprinters and hurdlers, is just the fourth coach in UD women's cross country history. She also is the first female African-American to serve as head coach of a Blue Hen athletics team.
During her first season at the helm of the women's track & field team, UD student-athletes recorded 11 school records, including seven during the outdoor season, and pole vaulter Kelli McDonald advanced to the NCAA Outdoor East Regionals where she placed seventh, just missing a berth in the NCAA Championships.
McFarlane's second year was even more successful as Blue Hen athletes shattered 21 school records, 11 indoors and 10 outdoors. Jillian Seamon caputred the CAA javelin title and advanced to the NCAA East Regionals along with sprinters Cristine Marquez and Vicky Caruso. Delaware's 20th place finish at the ECAC Outdoor Championships was the team's best since 1992.
During the 2010-11 season, her indoor squad tied or broke nine school records while the Blue Hen women's outdoor track & field team placed fifth at the Colonial Athletic Association championships as Seamon won her second conference javelin title and Caruso captured the 400 meters and teamed with Kayla Hennessy, Kristi Cox, and Nijah Dupiche to claim the 4 x 400 meter crown. The outdoor squad set 12 new school standards.
The 2011-12 season was also a successful one as the Blue Hens placed fifth at the CAA outdoor championships as Caruso captured the 200 meters and LaToya James placed second in the 100 meter hurdles and advanced to the NCAA East Regionals. Indoors, the Hen had four student-ahletes earn All-East honors. The Blue Hens set seven outdoor and 12 indoor school records.
McFarlane previously served stints as an assistant coach at Delaware during the 2002-03 and 2007-08 seasons and also served in that capacity at Frostburg (Md.) State University,
A native of St. Mary, Jamaica, McFarlane attended G.C. Foster College in Jamaica for two years and received a diploma in teaching physical education. She competed for the track and field team and was a two-time team Most Valuable Player and also competed in volleyball and field hockey.
She moved on to the University of Tulsa where she was a two-year letterwinner in track and field, set school records in several relay events, and was a provisional qualifier to the NCAA Championships in the 400 meters and 4 x 400 meter relay. She was a Dean's List student and earned Western Athletic Conference All-Academic honors. She earned her degree in exercise sports science from Tulsa in 2001 and her master's degree in science in human performance from Frostburg (Md.) State University in 2005.
A USA Track and Field Level I and II certified coach, she began her coaching career at Delaware as a volunteer in 2002-03 and moved on to Frostburg State where she served as an assistant for both the men's and women's programs for two seasons.
She worked with the Delaware sprinters during the 2007-08 season and enjoyed outstanding success as an assistant to both Fischer and women's head coach Sue McGrath-Powell. She played a big part in helping UD athletes set school records in the indoor 55 meter hurdles, 60 meter hurdles, 400 meters, 500 meters, and 4 x 400 meter relay. During the outdoor season, Blue Hen athletes set school records in the 100 and 400 meter hurdles, the 400 meter dash, and the 4 x 100, 4 x 200, and 4 x 400 meter relays.
McFarlane has a daughter, Jayda. She previously worked full-time as an exercise physiologist with Delaware Back Pain and Sports Rehabilitation in Newark, Del. and also served as head track coach for McGlobal Elite Development Track Club
Updated 3/15/13
Head Coach Wendy McFarlane
Assistant Coach Joe Catania
McFarlane Year by Year Head Coaching Record
| Year |
Cross Country |
Indoor |
Outdoor (Conference Finish) |
| 2012-13 |
0-0/3rd, CAA |
- |
- |
