March 15, 2011 -- Coach Patty Ley Leaves For Spokane, WA

In four short seasons with the Captains, Coach Patty Ley sparked a resurgence of the CNU distance program. Her student-athletes posted 167 Track & Field PRs and broke School Records 8 times. She brought three distance runners to the NCAA National Championships, returned the Women’s Cross Country team to the verge of a Nationals berth and helped the men’s squad back in to Regional contention.

Coach Patty Ley Accepts New Post At Gonzaga

Head Cross Country Coach And Mentor Leaves Indelible Mark

The numbers, as impressive as they are, only tell part of the story. In three Track & Field seasons (two Indoor and one Outdoor), the distance squad posted 167 Personal Records, broke six School Records eight times, and sent three individuals to the National Championships including an All-American finisher. The 2011 outdoor season should see significant additions to those numbers.

Add to that four All-Region Cross Country runners, returning the women’s XC team to a third place finish at Regionals, and rebuilding the men’s team resulting in an eighth place finish.

The 2011 South/Southeast Region Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year for both Men & Women, Coach Patty Ley did more than orchestrate a string of improved performances – she re-set the culture of the distance program and helped the team see National level competition as an attainable expectation of the program. Her charges gained confidence, self-reliance, and a level of preparation that is showing in improved racing as well as faster times. Her influence reached the entire Track & Field tea

m through her enthusiasm, support, and advice for the student-athletes in all of the event groups.

At the conclusion of the Indoor season, Coach Ley returned to her home state of Washington to coach with long-time friend and mentor Pat Tyson at Gonzaga University in Spokane where she will head up their women’s program. She will continue to oversee the training programs for the Captains’ distance corps during the Outdoor season to allow for a thorough national search for her replacement.

While she leaves behind some big shoes to fill, she has set a standard of excellence andexpectations amongst her mentees that will make it easier for her successor to continue the Captains’ rise to National prominence. Gonzaga is truly fortunate to have her on staff and they can be assured they have several new fans of their program here in the Commonwealth.