Episode 110 - Donna Ricks

Donna Ricks has been the Head Coach of the Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field team at Carleton College for 30 years. They have multiple individual national champions in track, countless All-Americans, but finally earned their first ever team trophy in cross country after placing fourth at the 2022 D3 XC National Championships. Donna was a Multi in college and set University of Minnesota Mankato’s heptathlon record. She used her experience working with different coaches and understanding all the events into her coaching experience. She credits being able to coach multiple events at practice to her time as a multi athlete. She spoke about women in coaching and the potential for why, especially in cross country and track, there is a decline. She suggested more support staff to take on the roles coaches are having to do that they may not be necessarily trained for (mental health, sports psychology, etc). She credits her longevity to the passion she has for the sport and how much fun she is having everyday. Donna brings so much energy to her profession and this episode that you can tell why she is having so much fun. And remember, don’t lay down after a race. Donna’s Stats: 19 XC National Qualifying Teams 7 Individual National Champions in Track and Field 60+ All Americans in XCTF BPN Ambassador We’re excited to be Ambassadors for Bare Performance Nutrition. A supplement company that gets you ready for next competition. Whether it’s protein or electrolytes, their supplements are geared to help you compete at your best. I’ve been taking their electrolytes to refuel after a run and can it increase my recovery. If you’re interested in trying them out, head over to their website and try today. How to Support D3 Glory Days: D3 Glory Days Venmo. We launched a Patreon! Subscribe and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Instagram, Twitter and Strava. D3 Glory Days Merch