West Virginia University Women's Cross Country

Follow @scleary8 The Cleary File Personal Information Hometown Georgetown, Ontario Education West Virginia, 1992 (Bachelor's) Running Career Central Oregon C...

Blair Rush joined West Virginia University Athletics as an athletic trainer in August 2025. Rush will primarily work with the cross country and track and field teams at West Virginia. Before coming to Morgantown, Rush worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for two years as a trainer. In her time at UNLV, Rush worked with the cross country and track and field teams, along with the tennis program. Rush earned a B.S. in exercise science and an M.S. in athletic training from Southern Utah University.

Clara Grandt Santucci is in her fifth season as the director of operations for the track and field and cross country programs. She has 14 years of experience in various aspects track and field as a professionally sponsored distance runner for Mizuno and Saucony, winning the Pittsburgh Marathon twice in 2014-15; she was the first American finisher at the 2013 Chicago Marathon (placing fifth overall) and qualified for three U.S. Olympic Trials in the women’s marathon in 2012, 2016 and 2020. In the meantime, Santucci worked in aquatic therapy at Healthworks Rehab and Fitness in Morgantown while also volunteering as a Mountaineer coach. Clara served as the graduate assistant director of operations for the WVU cross country and track and field teams while earning two master’s degrees, one in sport management and the other in sport education. The West Union native completed her undergraduate degree in exercise physiology at West Virginia University in 2010, where she was a four-time All-American performer in track and cross country for the Mountaineers. She became just the third female runner in school history to earn three All-America honors in three sports in the same season in 2010. In 2009, Grandt was named to the USA Cross Country team and captured first-place honors at the NACAC Cross Country Championships. She also took eighth place at the 2008 United States World Cross Country Trials with a time of 28:22. Santucci was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. She c

The O'Reilly File Personal Information Birthday January 18 Hometown Canton, Ohio Education West Virginia, 1993 (Bachelor's) West Virginia, 2004 (Master's) Ru...

Jake Gurtis joined the Mountaineer strength and conditioning staff in July 2025 and oversees the strength and conditioning efforts for the women’s soccer, cr...

Natasha Oakes joined the West Virginia University staff on August 15, 2022, as Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA). In 2...

Sandy Cole-DeMent serves as assistant director for student-athlete development. She has previously served as an educational academic counselor for the WVU student-athletes since 1990. She graduated Phi Kappa Phi in health and physical education from WVU in 1989, and received a master's in education administration in 1990. She is working toward a doctorate in counseling and sport behavior. While a graduate assistant, she worked with the university academic services department. Cole-DeMent is a member of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics, and received the 2000 Curbstone Quarterback Award from the Morgantown Touchdown Club. A native of Morgantown and an avid Mountaineer fan, the St. Francis High graduate and her husband, Rex, live in Star City.