Northwestern University Athletics
NU Names 'A Havahla Haynes Head Cross Country Coach
7/2/2015 6:41:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Former Northwestern assistant returns to Evanston after exceptional five-year stint at New Mexico
EVANSTON, Ill. — Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Jim Phillips announced today, July 2, 2015, that Northwestern alum 'A Havahla Haynes ('13 MSA) has been named head coach of the Wildcats women's cross country program.
"We are ecstatic to welcome 'A Havahla back to Northwestern to lead our program," said Phillips. "She has a demonstrated commitment to developing young men and women in the classroom and in competition, and to building a foundation for consistent success. Her decorated career as a Big Ten student-athlete has segued into a remarkably accomplished coaching resume that most recently produced a Top-3 national finish last season. It is a thrilling and uncommon opportunity to add a leader that has been a coach and student at your institution. She will be a tremendous mentor for our student-athletes and we already know she is a perfect fit for this university."
Haynes returns to Evanston after five seasons at the University of New Mexico where she most recently served as the Associate Head Coach of both the cross country and track & field programs. In the fall of 2014, she helped lead the Lobos to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championships, the best result in school history and the team's fifth consecutive national Top-10 finish.
"I am excited to be a part of the Wildcats family and heading back to the Midwest," said Haynes. "I believe in Dr. Phillips' vision of providing each and every student-athlete with a world-class experience and look forward to being a part of it. April Likhite has been an invaluable mentor for me as a coach, and has created an outstanding culture around this program that I'm looking forward to building on. I'd like to thank everyone involved in the search process, especially the search committee, for their time and diligence and for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I will be forever grateful to University of New Mexico administration, coaches and student-athletes for allowing me to spend five great seasons with the cross country and track and field program."
During Haynes' five years in Albuquerque she guided her runners to 10 Mountain West Conference (MWC) cross country team championships (5 men, 5 women), four MWC indoor track & field team championships (2 men, 2 women) and a pair of men's outdoor track & field titles. Her group also captured five Mountain Region cross country championships.
Under her tutelage Lobos student-athletes earned 10 All-America honors and six MWC individual titles in cross country, 10 All-America nods and 14 MWC individual crowns in indoor track, and eight All-America awards and 14 MWC individual championships in outdoor track.
Both the New Mexico men's and women's cross country squads were named Division I All-Academic teams by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) last season, and five Lobos student-athletes were awarded individual All-Academic honors. The women's squad boasted a 3.67 team GPA, 10th best in the nation.
Prior to her tenure at New Mexico, Haynes spent two years as Northwestern's assistant cross country coach under recently retired head coach April Likhite. The Phillips, Wisconsin, native is a 2007 graduate of the University of Wisconsin where she earned All-Big Ten and All-Midwest honors for both cross country and track & field. She was a member of the 2006 Badgers cross country team that placed fourth at the NCAA Championships and she competed in three NCAA Cross Country Championships during her college career. On the track she set the school record (since eclipsed) in the 3000-meter steeplechase and earned All-America honors in 2007. She also qualified to the 2008 Olympic Trials in the steeplechase.
Haynes earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin and a Master's of Sports Administration with a focus in marketing & public relations from Northwestern University.
"We are ecstatic to welcome 'A Havahla back to Northwestern to lead our program," said Phillips. "She has a demonstrated commitment to developing young men and women in the classroom and in competition, and to building a foundation for consistent success. Her decorated career as a Big Ten student-athlete has segued into a remarkably accomplished coaching resume that most recently produced a Top-3 national finish last season. It is a thrilling and uncommon opportunity to add a leader that has been a coach and student at your institution. She will be a tremendous mentor for our student-athletes and we already know she is a perfect fit for this university."
Haynes returns to Evanston after five seasons at the University of New Mexico where she most recently served as the Associate Head Coach of both the cross country and track & field programs. In the fall of 2014, she helped lead the Lobos to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Championships, the best result in school history and the team's fifth consecutive national Top-10 finish.
"I am excited to be a part of the Wildcats family and heading back to the Midwest," said Haynes. "I believe in Dr. Phillips' vision of providing each and every student-athlete with a world-class experience and look forward to being a part of it. April Likhite has been an invaluable mentor for me as a coach, and has created an outstanding culture around this program that I'm looking forward to building on. I'd like to thank everyone involved in the search process, especially the search committee, for their time and diligence and for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I will be forever grateful to University of New Mexico administration, coaches and student-athletes for allowing me to spend five great seasons with the cross country and track and field program."
During Haynes' five years in Albuquerque she guided her runners to 10 Mountain West Conference (MWC) cross country team championships (5 men, 5 women), four MWC indoor track & field team championships (2 men, 2 women) and a pair of men's outdoor track & field titles. Her group also captured five Mountain Region cross country championships.
Under her tutelage Lobos student-athletes earned 10 All-America honors and six MWC individual titles in cross country, 10 All-America nods and 14 MWC individual crowns in indoor track, and eight All-America awards and 14 MWC individual championships in outdoor track.
Both the New Mexico men's and women's cross country squads were named Division I All-Academic teams by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) last season, and five Lobos student-athletes were awarded individual All-Academic honors. The women's squad boasted a 3.67 team GPA, 10th best in the nation.
Prior to her tenure at New Mexico, Haynes spent two years as Northwestern's assistant cross country coach under recently retired head coach April Likhite. The Phillips, Wisconsin, native is a 2007 graduate of the University of Wisconsin where she earned All-Big Ten and All-Midwest honors for both cross country and track & field. She was a member of the 2006 Badgers cross country team that placed fourth at the NCAA Championships and she competed in three NCAA Cross Country Championships during her college career. On the track she set the school record (since eclipsed) in the 3000-meter steeplechase and earned All-America honors in 2007. She also qualified to the 2008 Olympic Trials in the steeplechase.
Haynes earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin and a Master's of Sports Administration with a focus in marketing & public relations from Northwestern University.
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