Baylor T&F Announces Staff Addition and Promotion

[Pirtle, Colin]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Aug. 3, 2022

Baylor T&F Announces Staff Addition and Promotion
Abbie Fredrick joins the Baylor track staff from Black Hills State
For more information contact: Colin Pirtle, 940-564-0351, Colin_Pirtle1 at Baylor.edu


WACO, Texas – Baylor track and field head coach Michael Ford announced two changes to the program’s staff on Wednesday, with the addition of Abbie Fredrick as an assistant coach and the promotion of Stacey Smith to associate head coach.



“I am looking forward to having Abbie on the staff this upcoming season,” said Ford. “She will be assisting with the cross country teams and distance events during the indoor and outdoor seasons. She brings coaching experience from her brief time at Black Hills State as a coach and as a successful student-athlete.”



Fredrick makes her way from Waco after a stint coaching at her alma mater of Black Hills State University, an NCAA Division II school in Spearfish, S.D. In her one year with the Yellow Jackets, Fredrick doubled the recruiting class size from the year prior.



Before her return to BHSU, Fredrick was the Assistant Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at Dawson Community College in Glendive, Mont. In her time at DCC, she coached the program’s first All-America honoree in cross country. Along with the distance events, Fredrick worked most closely with sprints, middle distance and oversaw strength and conditioning efforts.



In her collegiate career, Fredrick earned All-Academic and All-American honors in the 2016-20 seasons. The exercise science graduate earned Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference weekly honors in February 2020 after running a 4:53.25 (converted) mile, which landed her No. 14 at the time that season in Division II.



Fredrick graduated high school from Cheyenne East H.S. in Cheyenne, Wyo.



“I’m really looking forward to joining the staff and working with the team,” said Fredrick. “Coach Ford and Coach Barnett have such a passion for their job and their student-athletes. They’ve created a fun, hard working environment, and I’m so excited to jump on board and get going.”



Smith was promoted to associate head coach after being the associate women’s coach since the summer of 2017. Coach Smith is one of the most decorated women’s athletes in program history and still holds school records in the indoor and outdoor triple jump.



“Coach Smith will now be the associate head coach for the entire program,” said Ford. “We just really appreciate her years of service on our staff. She has been such a blessing to me, the staff and mostly to our student-athletes.”



In her 20th year on the coaching staff, Smith coached four jumpers to qualify for last year’s NCAA Championships in Eugene, with Caira Pettway ending with All-America honors in the long jump. Johnny Brackins advanced to indoor nationals and finished the long jump in eighth place, also earning All-America honors.



In addition to sweeping the Big 12 indoor and outdoor triple jump titles in 1998 and again in 1999, Smith was Baylor’s first female athlete named to a USA national team, competing in the 1998 Goodwill Games and 1999 World Championships.



“I am really excited for this opportunity,” said Smith. “I am so grateful for this program and Coach Ford in believing in me and allowing me to assist him as the associate head coach. I’m excited about it, and I am looking forward to where we go from here!”


For the latest news on the Baylor track and field team all year long, follow its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorTrack.



www.BaylorBears.com

_________________________________________
Colin Pirtle | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (T&F, XC, MTEN)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 940-564-0351

[signature_2230589939]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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