Ellen Carpenter Hometown: Long Island, NY. Position: Head Coach

Ellen Carpenter begins her fifth season as Old Dominion University head coach and her 14th year of collegiate coaching. While at Old Dominion, Carpenter has enjoyed success on the course and in the classroom. Her 1998 squad earned the team Academic All- American status with a team GPA of 3.32 en route to the honor. In 1999, she coached the school's first ever Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year and NCAA All- South Region selection.

Before coming to Old Dominion, Carpenter was the head cross country and track and field coach at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota where her mark was made in the history books. In 1994, Carpenter guided St. Benedict's to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships for the first time. In only her second season as head coach, Carpenter was named the 1994 NCAA Division III Central Region Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Since first becoming a head coach in 1993, Carpenter has led her teams to eight NCAA Division III Indoor/Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Six of the top ten spots of the St. Benedicts' all-time cross country honor roll were runners who were under her tutelage. In addition, her track and field teams set 15 indoor and 17 outdoor school records.

Prior to St. Benedict, Carpenter served as an assistant cross country coach and track and field coach at Central Michigan from 1990-93. She was also a graduate assistant coach at the University of North Carolina from 1988-90. While in Chapel Hill, she coached heptathletes, including All-American and 1992 Olympic Trails Qualifier Nicky Hudson.

Carpenter, a native of Long Island, NY., Is a 1987 graduate of Oberlin College with a BA in psychology and physical education. In 1990, she earned a masters in physical education/ sport psychology from the University of North Carolina. Currently, Carpenter is enrolled in coursework at Old Dominion for a doctorate in the industrial/organization psychology program.

Carpenter and her husband Chuck have three children, Katie (8), Troy (4) and Sam (2). When she isn't coaching, working out, Carpenter enjoys gardening, knitting and cross stitch.