Saint Francis University Women's Cross Country

Hoover enters his fifth season at the helm of the Saint Francis University men's and women's cross country and track & field programs in 2016-17. A 16-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, Hoover previously served two years as an assistant coach with the Red Flash from 2000-2002. During his fourth season as head coach, Hoover led the men and womens cross country teams both to fourth place finishes at the NEC Cross Country Championship. Bryce England led the way for the men, earning a third place finish and earned All-NEC honors. On the womens side, Morgan Kiebler and Angela Barber posted top-15 finishes and landed on the All-NEC Team. Jordan Collins highlighted the indoor track and field season. Collins was named NEC Most Outstanding Field Performer for throws as the Saint Francis men and womens track and field teams landed nine athletes on the 2016 Indoor Track and Field All-Northeast Conference team. Collins again proved to be a mainstay during the outdoor season. Collins claimed three top-five finishes, including a second place finish in the discus throw. Nicholas Miller helped led the mens outdoor team to a third place finish at the NEC Outdoor Championships after finishing first in the mens high jump. Continuing on the mens side, Nicholas Conway took 44th at the NCAA Division I East Preliminaries in the men's 400-meter hurdles. Hoover led the cross country teams to a strong fall as each finished in the top-three in their respective championships. The men placed second as Ryan Kennedy, Bryce England, and Christopher Fischer each posted top-12 finishes and landed on the All-NEC squads. Kylie Jackson and Hannah Dorian led the womens team with All-NEC honors as the squad finished third. Jackson earned NEC Scholar-Athlete honors for womens cross country and womens indoor track & field. The mens indoor track & field team highlighted the 2014-15 campaign with a third place finish. Jesse Brown won the weight throw, while earning NEC Rookie Performer of the Meet honors. Ryan Steinbugl claimed another victory pole vault at the Championships. On the womens side Emma OHara put together another strong performance at the NEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships as she broke the NEC record for the hammer throw. During his second season at SFU, Hoovers squads hosted the 2013 Northeast Conference Cross Country Championships in Loretto. The mens side improved six spots from its finish in 2012 by placing third, while the womens team jumped up four spots and finished fourth overall. Kylie Jackson earned All-NEC First Team honors for her efforts as the junior placed sixth overall.   During the track & field season, Hoover saw the mens team make great strides. Ryan Steinbugl won his second straight NEC Indoor Pole Vault Championship and the Flash placed sixth, improving four spots from 2012-13. The womens team finished fourth at the Indoor Championships and fifth at the Outdoor Championships. Senior Brittany Johnson claimed the 100m and 200m dash titles for the second straight season. Freshman standout Emma OHara also picked up a win in the hammer throw for SFU, while Paris Cotman won the 400m dash for the second consecutive year.   Hoover coached the womens track and field team to a second place finish at the 2013 Northeast Conference Outdoor Championships after winning five events. Brittany Johnson picked up wins in two individual events and took home the NEC Track Athlete of the Meet. Paris Cotman also earned an individual win in the 400m dash. Doug has the understanding of our University mission and brings a passion as well as the knowledge to be successful as our head coach," said Director of Athletics Bob Krimmel.  "We feel our programs are positioned to make great strides in the Northeast Conference. Hoover landed back in Loretto from Juniata College, where he served as an assistant coach with the mens and womens track & field and cross country teams since 2007. While there, he helped the womens cross country team to a Landmark Conference Championship in 2007. Under his guidance, Juniata produced three All-America selections, an NCAA Championship qualifier and a provisional qualifier for the track & field teams.  During his tenure, the Colleges mens cross country squad landed 14 student-athletes on the Landmark Conferences first or second teams, while the womens cross country team had 12 who were honored. I am thrilled to be at Saint Francis University and for the opportunity to work within a fantastic athletic department committed to the complete development of the student-athletes, said Hoover.  Saint Francis track & field and cross country is rich in tradition and I look forward to the challenge of continuing that pursuit of excellence in the classroom and on the competition field. While Hoover has experience in guiding established collegiate programs, he has also had a hand in starting them from scratch.  Prior to his days at Juniata, he spent five years as the head coach for the mens and womens cross country teams at Penn State Altoona, where he was instrumental in the founding of the program in 2002.  In his first five years with the newly-minted program, Penn State Altoona teams placed among the top three in the conference championships eight times while earning one team championship and one individual championship.  He was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Womens Cross Country Coach of the year in 2004 and 2005. A decade ago I learned that Saint Francis University is a very special place.  Its one of the most unique universities in the country.  Im still excited to be in Loretto and look forward to continue building this program, said Hoover. Hoover received his bachelors in finance with a minor in economics from the Pennsylvania State University in 1994, and earned his masters in business administration from Saint Francis in 2002.  He has been a member of the United States Summer Biathlon Nation Team since 1997, where he has competed in cross country running and rifle marksmanship.  Hoover is a four-time USA National Champion and has 13 top-ten finishes in the USA National Championships.  He was a USA Flag Bearer at the IBU World Championships in 2007 and was the USA Team Captain in 2009. On April 23, 2016, Hoover was inducted into the Blair Country Sports Hall of Fame. Douglas Hoover File   Douglas Hoover enters his fifth season at the helm of the Saint Francis University men's and women's cross country and track & field programs in 2016-17. A 16-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, Hoover previously served two years as an assistant coach with the Red Flash from 2000-2002. During his fourth season as head coach, Hoover led the men and womens cross country teams both to fourth place finishes at the NEC Cross Country Championship. Bryce England led the way for the men, earning a third place finish and earned All-NEC honors. On the womens side, Morgan Kiebler and Angela Barber posted top-15 finishes and landed on the All-NEC Team. Jordan Collins highlighted the indoor track and field season. Collins was named NEC Most Outstanding Field Performer for throws as the Saint Francis men and womens track and field teams landed nine athletes on the 2016 Indoor Track and Field All-Northeast Conference team. Collins again proved to be a mainstay during the outdoor season. Collins claimed three top-five finishes, including a second place finish in the discus throw. Nicholas Miller helped led the mens outdoor team to a third place finish at the NEC Outdoor Championships after finishing first in the mens high jump. Continuing on the mens side, Nicholas Conway took 44th at the NCAA Division I East Preliminaries in the men's 400-meter hurdles. Hoover led the cross country teams to a strong fall as each finished in the top-three in their respective championships. The men placed second as Ryan Kennedy, Bryce England, and Christopher Fischer each posted top-12 finishes and landed on the All-NEC squads. Kylie Jackson and Hannah Dorian led the womens team with All-NEC honors as the squad finished third. Jackson earned NEC Scholar-Athlete honors for womens cross country and womens indoor track & field. The mens indoor track & field team highlighted the 2014-15 campaign with a third place finish. Jesse Brown won the weight throw, while earning NEC Rookie Performer of the Meet honors. Ryan Steinbugl claimed another victory pole vault at the Championships. On the womens side Emma OHara put together another strong performance at the NEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships as she broke the NEC record for the hammer throw. During his second season at SFU, Hoovers squads hosted the 2013 Northeast Conference Cross Country Championships in Loretto. The mens side improved six spots from its finish in 2012 by placing third, while the womens team jumped up four spots and finished fourth overall. Kylie Jackson earned All-NEC First Team honors for her efforts as the junior placed sixth overall.   During the track & field season, Hoover saw the mens team make great strides. Ryan Steinbugl won his second straight NEC Indoor Pole Vault Championship and the Flash placed sixth, improving four spots from 2012-13. The womens team finished fourth at the Indoor Championships and fifth at the Outdoor Championships. Senior Brittany Johnson claimed the 100m and 200m dash titles for the second straight season. Freshman standout Emma OHara also picked up a win in the hammer throw for SFU, while Paris Cotman won the 400m dash for the second consecutive year.   Hoover coached the womens track and field team to a second place finish at the 2013 Northeast Conference Outdoor Championships after winning five events. Brittany Johnson picked up wins in two individual events and took home the NEC Track Athlete of the Meet. Paris Cotman also earned an individual win in the 400m dash. Doug has the understanding of our University mission and brings a passion as well as the knowledge to be successful as our head coach," said Director of Athletics Bob Krimmel.  "We feel our programs are positioned to make great strides in the Northeast Conference. Hoover landed back in Loretto from Juniata College, where he served as an assistant coach with the mens and womens track & field and cross country teams since 2007. While there, he helped the womens cross country team to a Landmark Conference Championship in 2007. Under his guidance, Juniata produced three All-America selections, an NCAA Championship qualifier and a provisional qualifier for the track & field teams.  During his tenure, the Colleges mens cross country squad landed 14 student-athletes on the Landmark Conferences first or second teams, while the womens cross country team had 12 who were honored. I am thrilled to be at Saint Francis University and for the opportunity to work within a fantastic athletic department committed to the complete development of the student-athletes, said Hoover.  Saint Francis track & field and cross country is rich in tradition and I look forward to the challenge of continuing that pursuit of excellence in the classroom and on the competition field. While Hoover has experience in guiding established collegiate programs, he has also had a hand in starting them from scratch.  Prior to his days at Juniata, he spent five years as the head coach for the mens and womens cross country teams at Penn State Altoona, where he was instrumental in the founding of the program in 2002.  In his first five years with the newly-minted program, Penn State Altoona teams placed among the top three in the conference championships eight times while earning one team championship and one individual championship.  He was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Womens Cross Country Coach of the year in 2004 and 2005. A decade ago I learned that Saint Francis University is a very special place.  Its one of the most unique universities in the country.  Im still excited to be in Loretto and look forward to continue building this program, said Hoover. Hoover received his bachelors in finance with a minor in economics from the Pennsylvania State University in 1994, and earned his masters in business administration from Saint Francis in 2002.  He has been a member of the United States Summer Biathlon Nation Team since 1997, where he has competed in cross country running and rifle marksmanship.  Hoover is a four-time USA National Champion and has 13 top-ten finishes in the USA National Championships.  He was a USA Flag Bearer at the IBU World Championships in 2007 and was the USA Team Captain in 2009. On April 23, 2016, Hoover was inducted into the Blair Country Sports Hall of Fame. Douglas Hoover File  

Ridgeley will enter her fourth season as an assistant coach for the Saint Francis U track & field programs in 2015-16. She brings with her 30 years of coaching experience, including three years as an assistant coach with the Red Flash from 1999-2002. Ridgeley began her storied coaching career at Clarion Area High School, before taking over the reins as head girl's track and field coach at Central Cambria High School. She mentored numerous PIAA District VI and State Championship individuals and teams while at the helm of the Central Cambria program. Through her career, she has coached every track and field event area.   From 1999 through 2002, Ridgeley served as an assistant coach for the Saint Francis University men's and women's track and field teams. During her first tenure in Loretto, she was primarily responsible for coaching the sprints and relays. Under her guidance, the SFU sprinters broke numerous school records and earned multiple Northeast Conference honors. Her charges also helped the men's track and field team win back-to-back NEC indoor and outdoor championships in 2001 and 2002.   Ridgeley is a graduate of Clarion University, where she was a former school record holder in the javelin. She lives in Ebensburg and is a teacher at Central Cambria High School. She is married to long-time Central Cambria boys track andfield coach Joe Ridgeley. They have two children. Their daughter, Brooke, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Slippery Rock University. Their son, Ben, is a senior Actuarial Science major at Robert Morris University, where he has played football for the last four years.

Cianci will work with the cross country and track & field programs, specifically the middle distance and distance runners.   "I'm excited to welcome Coach Cianci back to Loretto and the SFU family," Hoover remarked. "She had a good career here as a student-athlete and brings that experience with her to hit the ground running.  Her background as an educator and investment in the mission of Saint Francis University makes her a great fit for our team.  She is going to do good things here and am confident that our student-athletes will benefit from her experience."   Cianci rejoins Saint Francis after working as a third grade teacher at the Saint Michael School since July of 2012. She also founded the Saint Michael School's track & field program in August of 2012.   During her time with the Red Flash, Cianci put together an impressive career, earning 11 spots in the record books for Top-10 finishes in track & field including school records for the indoor 4x800 and outdoor 4x1500 teams. She scored in six NEC Championships for a total of 22.5 career points.   For the cross country team, Cianci ran in the conference meet all four years, placing on the team's Top-Seven in two appearances. In her senior season she made a career-best finish, placing fifth on the team at the NEC Championship meet, good for 40th overall.   Cianci was also an exceptional student during her time with the Red Flash, graduating with a 3.99 GPA, earning Northeast Conference Academic Honor Roll recognition during her entire undergraduate career.Katie Cianci