Laurie Feit-Melnick Hometown: Massapequa Park, N.Y. Position: Head Coach Birthdate: 03/08/1965

Education:  B.S., Rutgers, 1987
            M.S., Miami (Ohio), 1992
Coaching:   Assistant Cross Country Coach, Rutgers, 1988-89
            Assistant Coach, Miami (Ohio), 1989-92
            Head Coach, Rhode Island, 1992-present

Laurie Feit-Melnick enters her eighth season as head coach of the Rhode Island women's cross-country, indoor and outdoor track & field programs. But she'll have a hard time matching last year's exploits.

Feit-Melnick has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments over the years. Under her guidance, last year's cross-country team scored a second place finish at the Atlantic 10 Championship and three runners were named to the all-conference team. One runner went on to be named to the All-New England and the NCAA All-District teams.

She was named Atlantic 10 Coach-of-the-Year for the 1998 cross-country season and the 1999 indoor track season. She was named the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track Coach-of-the-Year in 1996. The Massapequa Park, N.Y. native was also honored as the University's Women's Coach-of-the-Year in 1999.

She has led her teams to second (tie, 1993 and 1996) and third (1995, 1997, 1998 and 1999) place finishes in the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track Championship. At the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championship, the Rams placed third (1997 and 1999) and fourth (1998) the past three years. Her teams have fielded 21 Atlantic 10 champions, two conference record-holders and have sent four athletes to national competitions.

Feit-Melnick received a bachelor's degree from Rutgers in 1987. While at Rutgers, she was a four-year member of the cross-country, indoor and outdoor track teams. She was named MVP of the Scarlet Knight cross-country team as a senior. A middle distance runner on the track team, she was also a member of the All-East two mile relay team.

Feit-Melnick spent one season as an assistant cross country coach at Rutgers before joining the coaching staff at Miami (Ohio), where she worked from 1989-92. She took over the cross-country, track & field coaching duties on an interim basis during the 1990-91 season.

Feit-Melnick received a master's degree in exercise science from Miami (Ohio) in 1992. She is a USA Track & Field certified Level I and II coach. She is a member of the U.S. Women's Track & Field Association and the Commissioner of the New England Women's Intercollegiate Cross-Country and Track & Field Association. She is also a USATF New England Women's Track & Field representative. She has served as secretary/treasurer of the ECAC. She was the coach of the USA Junior Team for the 1998 World Cross-Country Championships in Marakesh, Morocco.

Feit-Melnick continues to train and compete. She is married to John Melnick, an assistant track & field coach with the Rams. The couple lives in Narragansett.

• Recruiting Questionnaire 

• 2007 Roster

• 2007 Schedule

• Support URI Men's Cross Country

HEAD COACH: JOHN COPELAND

• 401-874-2163

• jco2653u@postoffice.uri.edu

ASST. COACH: TODD LINDER

• 401-874-2163

• lindert@mail.uri.edu

VOLUNTEER ASST. COACH: KYLE POLAND

• 401-874-2163

• poland.kyle@gmail.com

CROSS COUNTRY LINKS

• Atlantic 10 Cross Country

• NCAA Cross Country

• USA Track & Field (Cross Country)

• IAAF