LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena College Vice President & Director of Athletics John D'Argenio announced the hiring of Capital Region native and former Stanford Head Women's Cross Country Coach Elizabeth DeBole as the new head coach of Siena Cross Country & Track. A nationally-recognized coaching talent and seasoned veteran, DeBole brings top-level coaching experience to Loudonville.

"We are excited to welcome Elizabeth DeBole to Loudonville to lead our cross country and track program," D'Argenio said. "Her many years of experience at the highest level of collegiate athletics, combined with her proven track record and continued growth with the programs she has worked with makes her a perfect fit to lead Siena programs that have shown consistent success in recent years. We look forward to seeing the continued success of our cross country & track programs under Elizabeth's leadership."

A former collegiate All-American and professional runner, DeBole's previous coaching experience includes working with dozens of All-American runners and producing top NCAA finishes in both cross country and track & field.

"I am extremely excited to lead Siena College cross country and track into the next chapter and continue to build on the great foundation already here," DeBole said, "Thank you to John D'Argenio and the senior staff for this opportunity, I cannot wait to get started. My family and I are thrilled to be part of the Siena community. Go Saints!"

DeBole's impressive resume is highlighted by her five-year tenure as the Head Women's Cross Country Coach and Assistant Women's Track & Field Coach at Stanford University from 2014-19. She led the Cardinal to a Top-15 team finish and as high as a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in each of her five seasons, while coaching ten All-Americans, one Pac-12 Individual Champion, and one NCAA Individual Top-Ten finisher.

Her role as Stanford's women's track & field assistant coach saw her work with 42 NCAA Division I First Team All-Americans, 45 NCAA Championship Qualifiers, eight NCAA individual or relay runner-up finishers, four Pac-12 Individual Champions, and 15 NCAA Academic All-Americans. She assisted with three teams who landed NCAA Top-Ten team finishes, including as high as third place in 2018.

Named the 2017 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Women's West Region Indoor Track & Field Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2016 USTFCCCA NCAA Women's West Region Cross Country Coach of the Year, DeBole also served as the recruiting coordinator, a meet administrator, and a camp director while at Stanford.

Following her time in California, DeBole founded The DeBole Group in 2021, which provides consulting services for small-family-owned businesses and helps prospective NCAA student athletes navigate the recruiting process.

Prior to entering the coaching field, DeBole put together a prolific running career of her own, earning four All-American honors while running cross country and track at Georgetown University. A team captain throughout her time at Georgetown, she was a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team member, and was named the 2007-08 Big East/Aeropostale Scholar Athlete of the Year.

DeBole went on to run professionally as a New Balance sponsored athlete from 2009-12, finishing inside the Top-Ten at five USA Track & Field National Championship events and finishing as a Finalist (seventh place) in the 5,000 at the 2012 Olympic Trials. She ranked inside the Top-25 in the world in the 5,000 in 2012 with a time of 15:15.34.

A native of Loudonville, DeBole earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in English from Georgetown in 2007, and earned her M.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Social and Public Policy from Georgetown in 2009. The former Elizabeth Maloy is married to Matt DeBole, also a former runner at Georgetown. They have three sons, George, Thomas, and Patrick.  

Interim Head Coach Nick Miller will remain with the program as an assistant coach.

"Assistant Coach Nick Miller is a great asset to both programs and their student athletes, and his stewardship of the team this fall as proven that he has a bright future in college coaching," D'Argenio added.

After wrapping up cross country season with a pair of top-three team finishes, Siena will begin indoor track season on December 2 at the Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston, Massachusetts.