UT hires former Olympian for women’s running teams

Men’s cross-country, distance runners coach still awaited.

Texas track and field coach Edrick Floréal announced Friday that ex-Olympian PattiSue Plumer has been tabbed to coach the UT women’s cross-country team and distance runners.

Plumer has been the cross-country and track and field coach at California’s Gunn High School since 2013. Texas has not announced who will lead the men’s cross-country team and distance runners. Brad Herbster previously coached both of UT’s cross-country teams.

Plumer is the second assistant coach hired by Floréal, who arrived at Texas in June. Former Stanford assistant Zeb Sion will coach UT’s throwers after joining the Longhorns last week.

“I am thrilled to have PattiSue join us here at The University of Texas,” Floréal said in a news release. “She brings a great pedigree and a wealth of knowledge to share with our student-athletes as a two-time Olympian. I am excited to have her working with our women’s distance group and cross country program and lead them to great success.”

Plumer represented the United States at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, and she placed fifth in the 3,000meter run in Barcelona, Spain. Plumer competed at Stanford in college. In 2011, Floréal hired her to serve as an assistant coach while he led Stanford’s track and field program.

“I have enjoyed working with (Floréal) in the past, and I believe this is a place that we can accomplish great things together,” Plumer said.

Last fall, Texas won a bronze medal at the Big 12 cross-country meet. The Longhorns also qualified for the NCAA Championships for only the second time in five years. UT’s four fastest finishers at the Big 12 meet — Destiny Collins, Alex Cruz, Abby Guidry and Meghan Lloyd — were all underclassmen.