Q&A with Director of Women's Cross Country & Track and Field Jen Straub
2/13/2020 2:30:00 PM | Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field, DAF
Now in your 20th year at Davidson, what brought you here and what keeps you here?Twenty years ago, I was offered the head women's cc/track and field position at Davidson after being an assistant at Wake Forest for eight years. It was an amazing opportunity, and I was eager to bring Davidson to the top of the Southern Conference and now the Atlantic 10 Conference. As the years went by, Davidson felt like home. Coaching such wonderful scholar-athletes, who were challenged both in the classroom and on the track, energized me, and I wanted to build a program that reflected that mindset. Davidson is a wonderful place to raise a family, and Tim (the golf coach here at Davidson) and I feel tremendously blessed to be a part of this community.
In 2014, Davidson moved 19 of its 21 Division I programs to the more competitive Atlantic 10 Conference. What opportunities has this move brought to your program?
When we moved to the A-10, we immediately saw a rise in interest from scholar-athletes in areas of the country we did not reach in the past. The A-10 is a very strong conference that is diverse institution-wise, and it enabled us to compete at a higher level than in the past. As a result, our performances continued to get better, and we have broken most of our school records during this time.
We talk about "doing athletics right." How do you see that in action in your daily work?
I think it is critical to understand why our scholar-athletes choose Davidson. They come here to receive a top-notch education while pursuing excellence in the sport they love. We emphasize the duality of education and sport, and we celebrate academic achievements as much as athletic achievements. Just like we set athletic goals, we also set academic goals. "Doing athletics right" also means emphasizing growth, leadership, gratitude and teamwork. We express these themes over and over again throughout the year.
In the past few years, we've seen an increase in successes with your program and your scholar-athletes. Can you talk a bit about what you feel are the contributing factors to such growth?
Since moving to the A-10, we have seen our performances improve dramatically. Much of this is a direct result of the generosity of alumni and parents who have donated money to our program. This support allows us to take our top athletes to the most competitive meets in the country. These meets produce stellar results, and that helps with our recruiting.
What is one of your favorite coaching memories during your time at Davidson so far?
This is a tough one! There have been so many stories, memories and results that make me smile. But the one memory that stands out is when the women's cross country team won its first Southern Conference championship. We hosted the championship here at Davidson, and it was my fourth year of coaching. We had finished 7th, 5th and 3rd in prior years, and I felt that we had a shot if we all ran our best race. We ended winning by one point, edging out Furman for the win! The team and I were so elated and teary-eyed. What a special group of Wildcats!
What do your students learn as scholar-athletes at Davidson that is most beneficial in the next chapters of their lives?
The students learn that they can go out into the world as leaders. They learn to go out and pursue their dreams as fervently as they did their academics and their sport(s) while at Davidson. They learn the value of hard work and accountability, bringing these traits to their next life experience.
If you would like to hear more about the women's cross country & track and field programs and follow their season by receiving regular updates, contact the DAF at daf@davidson.edu. Please include the email address you would like to receive updates at and the sport(s) you would like to receive updates from.
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