March 2, 2005

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- UAB head track and field coach Ray Stanfield was named the Conference USA Women's Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year this weekend at the C-USA Championships in Houston, Texas after his Blazers finished third at the meet.

Stanfield arrived at UAB on August 1, 2002 after spending a year at Samford University as an assistant coach. Under his guidance, the UAB track and field program has improved immensely. In his first season with the Blazers, the team placed 12th out of 13 teams and fielded only 14 athletes. In his second season, UAB finsihed eighth out of 13 teams, improving five places and 16 points from 2003. Now in his third season with UAB, the Blazers recorded one of their highest finishes since UAB became a member of Conference USA with a third-place finish.

Stanfield has coached his athletes to numerous personal acheivements as well, including several school records. The Blazers have set seven school records this season under his tutelage and sophomore Genoah Collins ran a provisional qualifying mark in the 800 meters at the C-USA Championships, placing third. Freshman Elizabeth Hilligoss, a native of Houston, who was named C-USA Freshman of the Year during the cross country season, has already set indoor freshman records in the 5,000-meter run twice this season, bettering her own record at the C-USA Championships when she ran a 17:23.09. Hilligoss scored in two events at the C-USA Championships, as she placed sixth in both the 3,000-meter run and the 5,000-meter run.

One of Stanfield's primary focuses when it comes to developing his program has been recruiting. Stanfield has already signed Tara Gruber from Flower Mound Marcus High School. Gruber is a Texas 5-A state champion in the 1,600 meters.

Stanfield has over 20 years of experience coaching track and field in the college and high school ranks. He began his coaching career in 1976 at the high school level. While at Canton (Texas) High School, he was named the state's 2000 U.S. Running Cross Country Coach of the Year. Stanfield's previous high school coaching experience also includes head coach at Crockett (Texas) High School (1998-99) and head coach at Huntsville (Texas) High School (1988-94).