Lafayette College Women's Cross Country

Michele Curcio is in her 12th season as the head coach of Lafayette's cross country and track & field programs, after previously spending 14 seasons as an assistant for the program. Curcio, who worked primarily with the throwers, pole vaulters and combined athletes as an assistant, now supervises all aspects of the team in her head coaching role.  In her tenure, Curcio has coached 42 Patriot League Champions, 38 All-East performers, a two-time ECAC Champion, a three-time Penn Relays Champion, as well as 21 NCAA Regional qualifiers. In addition, Curcio's athletes have set 41 school records and she has coached student-athletes to five berths at the final round of the NCAA Championships. In her first year as head coach, Curcio helped guide Elise Buffinton '14 to an ECAC Championship in the indoor pole vault. Later on that spring, Rachel Pena '14 concluded her collegiate career by qualifying for the NCAA Regional Championship in the hammer. Lafayette added three Patriot League championships in Curcio's second season, including indoor and outdoor titles in the women's 4x400m relay. In 2009, Curcio mentored Seamas McGuire '10 to a spot at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the javelin. She coached Ashley Harbin '08 to four NCAA Championship meets in the hammer and weight throws. She also guided Harbin (Hammer, 2008) and post collegiate Barry Krammes (Javelin, 2008 & 2012) to berths at the U.S. Olympic Trials.  In the summer of 2010, Curcio was selected to be part of the coaching staff for the USA Under 23 Team competing at the NACAC Championships. In 2012, Curcio was also selected to be part of the USA Under 20 Team as the Women's Throw Coach at the World Championships. She was the Women's Throw Coach in 2019's "The Match" - U.S.A. vs. The World. Curcio was announced as the USATF Men’s Throws Coach for the 2023 Under 20 Pan American Championship, held from August 4-6 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Nine of the 12 school records in the Men's and Women's Throws are held by student-athletes coached by Curcio. As a head coach, 11 of the Men's track and field school records and 23 of the Women's track and field records are under the reign of Curcio. Before arriving on College Hill, Curcio was an assistant at Slippery Rock University. During her three years at The Rock, Curcio coached an All-American thrower, three NCAA Division II National Qualifiers, six conference champions and aided in the development of two All-American decathletes.  Prior to Slippery Rock, Curcio was an assistant at East Stroudsburg University for four years where she earned her master's degree in Physical Education & Health. Curcio graduated from the University of Delaware in 1991, following a four-year track and field career. A two year captain, she was the East Coast Conference Champion in the 20-pound weight and the hammer throw her senior year. Upon graduation, Curcio continued her career in the hammer, competing on the national level and eventually qualifying for the 1992 Olympic Trials. Curcio is Level I and Level II Certified by USATF in the throws and jumps as well as being Level 1 certified by USA Weightlifting. She has served as an instructor for the USTFCCCA Coaching Education programs since 2014. Curcio resides on College Hill in Easton, Pa. Updated 6/6/25

Mike Scott arrived on College Hill in the fall of 2017 as an assistant coach of Lafayette’s track and field programs, bringing a wealth of experience and a track record of competitive excellence.  With over two decades of collegiate coaching at every level of NCAA competition, Scott has developed a reputation for building strong team cultures, elevating program performance, and mentoring student-athletes to success both on and off the track. Since he joined the Leopards, Scott has helped athletes join the record books, including records in the women’s indoor 60m, 200m, 4x800m, pole vault, and men’s heptathlon as well as the women’s outdoor 100m, 200m, triple jump, 4x100m, and men’s 110m hurdles and 4x400m. Additionally, there have been eight performances ranked No. 2 all-time and another 68 between No. 3 and No. 10 all-time.  Under his tutelage, Ida Moczerniuk broke and rebroke the records in the indoor 60 and 200 and the outdoor 100 and 200, as well as contributing to the 4x100 record. She was named Patriot League Athlete of the Week, Patriot League Scholar Athlete of the Year, and Maroon Club Leopard of the Year. Moczerniuk was named to the Patriot League All-Academic Team, First-Team All-Patriot League as the 60m champion, and was a two-time Second-Team All-Patriot League performer as the runner-up in both the indoor 200m and the outdoor 100m. She finished fourth in the 100m at the 2024 Polish U20 Championships, fifth in the 100m at the 2025 Polish U23 Championships, and was selected to the 4x100 relay to represent Poland at the European Championships. Before joining Lafayette, Scott held key coaching positions at several respected programs. At Missouri State University, he helped lead the women’s team to multiple Missouri Valley Conference podium finishes, while overseeing NCAA qualifiers in sprints, hurdles, and jumping events. At the University of Iowa, Scott contributed to a Big Ten powerhouse, working with nationally ranked athletes and helping refine training systems for elite development. His decathlete broke the indoor and outdoor school records and qualified for the NCAA championships in the pole vault. Earlier in his career, Scott held coaching roles at Ohio Northern University, where he helped guide the Polar Bears to conference titles and NCAA Division III championship appearances, and at the University of Central Missouri, a consistent contender at the DII level, where he worked across event groups and helped produce All-Americans and school record-holders. Known for his athlete-centered coaching style, Scott combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of team dynamics and academic balance. His coaching philosophy emphasizes long-term development, leadership, and accountability – key qualities that align with Lafayette’s tradition of academic and athletic excellence. Scott holds a USATF Level II certification as well as four USTFCCCA event specialist certifications and a strength and conditioning certification. He continues to stay active in the national coaching community through clinics, mentorship, and professional development. Under his leadership, the Leopards are building momentum as a rising force in the Patriot League. Scott holds multiple undergraduate degrees from several institutions including the University of Missouri, where he was a sprinter for the track and field team. He currently resides in Easton, Pa.