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Magdalena Lewy, a former Cal track and field All-American, originally returned to her alma mater in 2003 as a coach for the Golden Bear cross country program. Lewy begins her seventh non-consecutive season at Cal. She was the research director for Sports Street Marketing, which manufacturers GU, an energy and electrolyte gel supplement, from 2000-07.
Still an avid runner, Lewy placed second in the women's marathon at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the Olympic Games this summer in Beijing, China. She became Cal's 43rd track and field Olympian in the history of the program. Lewy clocked a time of 2:30:19 to take second overall. In 2004, she placed fifth (2 hours, 30 minutes) in the marathon at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. More recently in 2006, she finished 10th overall and was the first American woman to finish at the Bay to Breakers 12k. Lewy won 12 of the 17 races she competed in last year.
After assuming her coaching duties at Cal in 1996 while still an undergraduate, she left for the 1998 season to serve as the assistant women's cross country coach at Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif. She then returned for the 1999 and 2000 collegiate seasons in Berkeley.
Lewy earned her All-America honor with a third-place finish in the 5000m at the 1997 NCAA Championships with a career-best time of 16:04.86. She qualified for the 1995 NCAA meet in the 3000m and 5000m, but only ran the 5000m.
On Cal's all-time performers list, Lewy ranks second in the 5000m (16:04.86), third in the 3000m (9:25.93) and eighth in the 1500m (4:23.20).
Originally from Poland, Lewy attended Lakewood High School in Southern California and then spent two years at Long Beach City College before transferring to Cal. She earned her bachelor's degree in human biodynamics from Cal in 1997 and a master's degree in exercise physiology from Cal State Hayward.
She lives in Oakland with her husband Richie Boulet and their two-year-old son, Owen.
