STANFORD, Calif. – Elizabeth Maloy, a four-time All-American at Georgetown, has joined the Stanford cross country and track and field staff, Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field Chris Miltenberg announced Friday.
Maloy, 28, will assist Miltenberg in coaching women’s distance runners. She replaces Mary Jo Pruitt, who accepted a position as athletic director at Palo Alto’s Castilleja School.
Maloy competed for Miltenberg during her final year at Georgetown, in 2007-08, and continued to train under him for four years as a professional while also serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Hoyas.
"I am thrilled to have Elizabeth join our staff,” Miltenberg said. “The entire time I was coaching Elizabeth, I always believed she had the tools to be a great coach. She was one of the most driven athletes I've ever worked with, but also had incredible balance, composure and enthusiasm in her approach every day.”
A three-year cross country and track and field team captain, Maloy was a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic selection and earned Big East Conference Scholar-Athlete honors.
“She was a driving force behind the successful culture we built at Georgetown,” Miltenberg said. “Her ability to connect with people is amazing. She truly understands the sport at the highest level as well as what it means to balance academics and athletics at highest level. Elizabeth will be an outstanding mentor for our student-athletes and a great fit for Stanford."
Maloy improved by more than a minute in the 5,000 meters under Miltenberg and placed seventh at the 2012 Olympic trials. She placed among the top 10 at five U.S. championship meets and ran a personal best of 15:15.27.
“I’m such a believer in Coach Milt’s program that when this opportunity came up, it was a no-brainer,” she said. “I feel like he creates the best programs in the country and I want to be part of that, and help grow that here.”
The Loudonville, N.Y., native also had personal bests of 4:08.12 for 1,500 and 4:35.12 for the mile, finishing seventh at that distance at the 2008 NCA indoor championships. However, her best running came as she developed under Miltenberg and, in 2012, she was ranked No. 8 in the 5,000 in the annual U.S. rankings by Track & Field News.
“His program is so individualized,” she said. “He’ll work with the individual and make you the best athlete you can be, whether that’s going to the conference championships or the Olympic trials. It’s all about you. That was a big difference for me. I really needed someone who would take the time and teach me patience.”
Emily Infeld, now running for the Oregon Oregon Project, was an NCAA indoor champion at 3,000 and an outdoor 1,500 runner-up at Georgetown and said she was greatly influenced by Maloy, first as a teammate and then as volunteer coach and training partner.
“Liz was definitely an influence on my running,” Infeld said. “She was always a leader at practice and just had an air about her that made everyone follow in line with her, without being bossy or forceful. I knew I wanted to be just like her and to treat my teammates as she did.”
Since retiring from competitive racing in 2012, Maloy had been working for a public relations firm in Vienna, Va.
“It was about a year before I realized what I should be doing,” Maloy said. “I really missed this. And, fortunately, this opportunity opened up.”
Infeld, for one, believes Maloy will make the most of the opportunity.
“I know that Liz will do a phenomenal job as a coach because she truly wants to help everyone succeed, in running and life,” Infeld said. “She is kind, smart, positive, and calm, even in the most nerve-wracking situations. She is a phenomenal person and just cares so much about the sport.”
What mark would Maloy like to leave at Stanford?
“I ran my best was when I was having fun and loving the process every day,” she said. “If I could do one thing here, it would be to instill that in everybody.”