Russell Smelley

Biography

Coach Russell Smelley has served as the head coach in cross country and track & field at Westmont since his arrival in 1979. His tenure has produced numerous NAIA All-Americans and NAIA All-American Scholar-Athletes in both cross country and track & field. Smelley guided the women's Cross Country team to national prominence and was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1995. His men's and women's cross country teams have won 16 conference titles. Smelley was inducted into the NAIA Cross Country Hall of Fame in November of 1999. His coaching philosophy emphasizes developing the potential of each individual team member academically, athletically, and spiritually by challenging them to be learners and strivers. Besides his coaching duties, Smelley is a tenured, full professor in the kinesiology department, earning Teacher of the Year honors in 1988 and 2002. Prior to Westmont, Smelley attended the University of Richmond where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Physical Education. He was an All-American middle distance runner for the Spiders with seven school records to his credit. He served as the Spiders' first head coach for women's cross country and track & field and as an assistant men's coach while earning his MEd in Education at UR. He also competed on two USA Track & Field teams during graduate school.