Stefanie Pacheco named Nicholls T&F/XC assistant, recruiting coordinator

THIBODAUX, La. — Wednesday afternoon, Nicholls State University head track & field/cross country coach Stefanie Slekis announced Chelscie Pacheco as both a new assistant coach & recruiting coordinator for the Colonels’ T&F/XC programs, pending approval from the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.

“Chelscie is a strong addition to our program and staff,” Slekis said. “She brings a variety of experience from her background coaching and competing at different collegiate levels, which will serve us well we work on improving the depth on our team as we continue to have student-athletes reach the top of our conference and pursue qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

“Adding a recruiting coordinator with Chelscie’s experience will enable us to continue to find the best student-athletes that align with our academic and athletic program goals and enable us to not only continue to recruit locally and regionally, but to expand our recruiting efforts to show more out-of-state student-athletes what a great option Nicholls and our program can be for them to pursue their highest academic and athletic goals.”

Pacheco joins the Nicholls Track & Field/Cross Country coaching staff following a two-year stint at California State – Fullerton, where she served as a graduate assistant coach.

During her time with the Titans, Pacheco assisted coaches John Elders and Alex Tebbe in the development of the middle- and long-distance groups. During the 2019-20 cross country season, she helped lead the women’s team to their first conference championship title in program history, and the men to a second-place finish.

The previous year, Pacheco guided the women’s cross country team to a second place finish (highest in school history at that point) at the league meet and the women’s outdoor track & field team to their first-ever conference championship in school history.

Additionally, she helped Samantha Huerta to multiple school records in the 800m (2:03.96), 1500m (4:18.39), and mile (4:46.77), along with a 14th-place finish at Nationals in the 800m. Pacheco also assisted in developing a strong men’s and women’s steeplechase group that had three women and two men score at conference, not to mention a pair of men qualify for the NCAA West Regional meet.

Prior to her time at Fullerton, Pacheco spent one year as the assistant cross country coach at San Joaquin Delta College, where she also helped with recruiting and fundraising.

Pacheco is a Lodi, Calif. native and received her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology – Exercise Science from Sacramento State and her Master’s of Science in Kinesiology from California State University – Fullerton.

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