NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Melissa Stoll has been named head women's cross country/track and field coach at Southern Connecticut State University. The announcement was made today by Director of Athletics Patricia Nicol. Stoll joins the Owls with more than a decade's worth of Division I experience as a student-athlete and coach, including stints in the Big 12, Big West and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

“Melissa has clearly distinguished herself as one of the rising coaching stars in the college track and field ranks,” said Director of Athletics Patricia Nicol. “Her experiences as a student-athlete and coach at UC-Riverside, Iowa State and most recently, Manhattan College, have provided an outstanding foundation that will allow her to excel in her new role leading our program. I am thrilled to welcome Melissa to the Southern Connecticut State family.”

Stoll spent the last four years as assistant cross country/track and field coach at Manhattan, where she was involved in all facets of the program, including practice and competition oversight, alumni relations, academic monitoring, compliance and equipment. She also served as the program's recruiting coordinator and helped the Jaspers to 11 combined MAAC Championships.

Stoll also mentored more than 100 MAAC individual champions and a dozen NCAA Track and Field Regional qualifiers. Academically, Stoll coached two Academic All-Americans, six USTFCCCA All-Academic selections and was a part of six teams that earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.

She also served as Assistant Meet Director for the Manhattan College High School Cross Country Invitational, the largest high school competition in the United States with more than 13,000 participants.

Prior to joining the Jaspers staff, Stoll spent one year at Iowa State as an assistant coach. While with the Cyclones, she took part in recruiting, daily planning and program implementation and also coordinated team travel, equipment and compliance.

Stoll broke into coaching at her alma mater, the University of California-Riverside, during the 2006-07 academic year after a decorated four-year career as a student-athlete. She served as a two-year team captain for the Highlanders and was a member of the team's nationally ranked 4x800 meter and distance medley relay units.

Stoll is a member of the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy and the National Association of Collegiate Women's Athletics Administrators (NACWAA). She was previously selected to participate in USA Track & Field's Emerging Elite Coaches Camp and is certified through USA Track and Field (Level I) and the USTFCCCA (Endurance).

She holds a bachelor's degree in sociology from UC-Riverside and a master's degree in teaching from National University.


TRANSACTIONS – Southern Connecticut State University – Melissa Stoll named head women's cross country/track and field coach.