Stefanie Slekis was hired in August 2017 as the Colonels head cross country and track & field coach.
Since joining the Red & Gray, Slekis has bolstered performance across the board, overseeing the 2019 women's track & field squad set a combined 18 Nicholls all-time Top 10 marks across both indoor and outdoor competition, nearly surpassing the 2018 team's previous mark of 20 the season prior. In the classroom, her cross country program has compiled a number of recognitions, the most notable being both the 2018 (men's & women's) and 2017 (women's) USTFCCCA All-Academic team honors.
Off campus, Slekis never quite shakes off the distance-running spirit, as she managed to qualify for the 2020 US Marathon Olympic Trials behind a 2:42:24 time at Grandma's Marathon on June 22, 2019.
Prior to taking over at Nicholls, Slekis spent the last four years serving as the head men’s and women’s cross country and assistant track and field coach for North Texas.
The Mean Green cross country programs saw immediate success under Slekis’ tutelage as the men were Conference USA runner-ups in 2013 and champions in 2014. Consequently, she was deemed 2014 C-USA Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. The women also posted top-three finishes in Slekis’ first two seasons at the helm.
Slekis was an integral piece of a North Texas indoor track program that produced the 2015 men’s 3000-meter and women’s mile champions in Troy Taylor and Susie Kemper, respectively. Taylor additionally qualified for the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships as one of five men to earn NCAA South Central Cross Country All-Region honors during Slekis’ four-year span. Three women also received all-region honors.
Slekis contributed to 28 cross country and 13 track and field student-athletes receiving All-C-USA honors during her tenure with the Mean Green.
Slekis’ success translated to the track as 10 distance student-athletes set school records and five individuals qualified for the NCAA West Outdoor Track and Field Preliminary Rounds.
Slekis is currently the USTFCCCA south central region men’s cross country representative, tasked with participating in monthly executive meeting to review current and future submitted proposals and voting for regional and national polls throughout the season.
Slekis earned All-Big East honors twice as an indoor student-athlete with the Orange, finishing fourth in the 3000m outdoor steeplechase and eighth in the 3000m indoor at the Big East championships in 2010. She was a 2010 NCAA East Preliminary qualifier in the 3000m steeplechase and 10,000m.
Slekis received a bachelor’s degree in public relations at Syracuse. The Montclair, Virginia, native graduated Summa Cum Laude at Arizona State in 2012, acquiring a master’s degree in higher and postsecondary education.
Stefanie has two two daughters, Polly Jean and Sandy Jane.
