Engel brings new perspective to Duke women's cross country in first year at the helm

Duke head coach Christine Engel seems to have  the Blue Devils on the right track to reclaim their spot among the nation's elite cross country programs.
Duke head coach Christine Engel seems to have the Blue Devils on the right track to reclaim their spot among the nation's elite cross country programs.

Heading into the first meets of the 2013 season, the Blue Devils were at the top of the Southeast regional poll and in the top five in the national poll. But Duke did not live up to those expectations. Plagued by illness, injury and the weight of those rankings on their shoulders, they were not able to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Weary of goals and expectations for this year, the squad had diminished confidence as the fall season approached, still burdened by last year’s disappointment.

But a late hire just before the team returned to school may have been just what the Blue Devils needed.

Coming on as head women’s cross country coach in early August, Christine Engel hoped that her positive energy and sincere love of the sport would give Duke the fresh start it needs.

“I feel like I have the greatest job in the world to still be a part of this sport and do this every day,” Engel said. “The sport of track and cross country was such a huge part of my life growing up. It was something I was always very passionate about. After college, I worked in the business world for a while but found that I wasn’t as passionate about that as I was this sport.”

Engel had served as the men’s and women’s head coach at Elon for the past six years, leading the women’s squad to a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regionals in 2013—the highest finish in school history. The Phoenix placed second at last year’s Southern Conference Championships with five runners earning all-conference honors at the competition.

Prior to her time at Elon, Engel was an assistant coach at Columbia University and also coached the Impala Racing Team—an all-women’s club team—helping to qualify six runners for the 2008 Olympic trials in the marathon. An experienced athlete in her own right, Engel earned her place on Clemson’s Athletic Wall of Fame as a standout track performer.

Putting in 15-hour days to prepare for the runners’ arrival, Engel worked hard to get her plans for the season in order. Almost as soon as the team arrived, she took them to Blowing Rock, N.C., for a much-needed opportunity to get to know the athletes and see how she could fit into the squad’s team chemistry.

“It was the perfect opportunity for me as a new coach to be immersed in the team,” Engel said. “Anytime you are off-campus spending 24 hours a day together, you almost instantly connect.”

Engel’s biggest challenge has been getting the team healthy again. Focusing on athletes who had suffered injuries or were only able to practice intermittently, she has devoted the first two months of the season to getting the team back into running form. But getting her athletes healthy from a training perspective was only half the battle.

The team’s confidence and attitude has changed in just two short months since the beginning of the preseason. Engel attributes much of this new team positivity to her emphasis on communication with her athletes and effort to foster open conversation.

And the conversation has not shied away from setting goals.

Coaching at a program so close to Duke and attending many of the same meets, Engel saw the team struggle with the high expectations. Sensitive to the team’s battered confidence returning from summer vacation, she focused on setting daily goals.

“Initially they were apprehensive about what we could achieve this season, so at the beginning it was just focusing on the process goals and getting better each day,” Engel said. “With a month under their belts, we are still focusing on the process goals but also recognizing that it is okay to set outcome goals.”

With Engel’s guidance, the team has set realistic goals for the end of the season. Looking to qualify for the national championships in November, the team will aim to improve upon last year’s fifth-place finish at the ACC Championships and fourth-place performance at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships. Throughout the season, the Blue Devils hope to earn points towards an NCAA Championship berth by posting strong performances at regular season meets.

Discussion

Share and discuss “Engel brings new perspective to Duke women's cross country in first year at the helm” on social media.