University of Richmond Athletics
Elly Heine Named Assistant Cross Country and Track & Field Coach
09/25/2026 | Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
RICHMOND, Va. — University of Richmond Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lori Taylor and Head Men's Coach Steve Taylor have announced the addition of Elly Heine to the Spider coaching staff as an assistant coach for the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs.
Heine joins Richmond following a distinguished collegiate career at the University of Kentucky and Walsh University. A Division I and SEC competitor, Heine brings extensive distance-running experience to the Spiders, along with a background in student-athlete leadership, youth programming, communications, marketing, and the running industry.
"We are thrilled to welcome Elly to the Richmond family," Lori Taylor said. "She brings a combination of competitive experience, a strong understanding of distance running and a genuine passion for the sport. Elly knows firsthand what it takes to develop as a student-athlete, compete at a high level and balance the demands of academics and athletics. Her experience working with young athletes and her background in communications and marketing will also bring a unique perspective to our program. We are excited to have her join our staff."
"Elly has experienced the sport at a high level and understands the progression that it takes to develop as a distance runner," Steve Taylor said. "Her experiences at Kentucky and Walsh, combined with her leadership as a student-athlete, will be valuable to our program. She has a great perspective on the student-athlete experience, and we are looking forward to her joining our staff."
Heine completed her collegiate career at the University of Kentucky in 2025-26 after beginning her career at Walsh University. Heine's collegiate résumé includes success as a distance runner (1500M-5,000M) and experience in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
A native of Medina, Ohio, Heine is a graduate of Medina High School. During her collegiate career, she earned All-Conference cross country recognition and was recognized for her academic achievements as an NCAA Academic All-American in cross country and track & field. She was also named to the SEC Spring Honor Roll in 2025 and SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2026.
Heine graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Strategic Communications and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology. As a student-athlete, she balanced elite training and competition with rigorous academic demands, developing the leadership, time management, and resilience that she now brings to her coaching career.
"Having been a collegiate athlete myself, I understand both how rewarding and how challenging the experience can be," said Heine. "I know firsthand how confidence can impact performance, so I want to create an environment where athletes feel supported, challenged, and genuinely excited about their own development."
"I'm most excited to learn from such established coaches who have seen great success. I've spent so much of my life experiencing this sport from the athlete's perspective, and I'm excited to see it from the other side and learn everything that goes into building a successful program. I'm also really excited to contribute my energy, relationship-building skills, and love for the sport. Cross country has given me some of the most meaningful relationships and experiences in my life, and I want to help create that same sense of community for Spider student-athletes."
In addition to her athletic career, Heine has gained valuable experience across the sports, running, and brand industries. Most recently, she served as a Strategic Communications Intern with UK Athletics, creating and scheduling social media content, monitoring engagement and analytics, and assisting with campaigns and brand collaborations.
She also worked as a Brand Merchandising Intern with Bowerman Track Club, where she developed branded product lines, analyzed consumer data, and collaborated with the organization's youth program on visual identity and brand materials.
As a Product Merchandising Intern with Converse, a Nike Inc. brand, Heine worked across the product-development process, collaborating with design, marketing and sales teams and presenting merchandising initiatives and seasonal planning to executives.
Her experience working with young athletes includes leading daily programming for more than 300 campers at the Bowerman Running Camp in Bend, Oregon. She designed and executed track and leadership-based activities focused on inclusion, motivation, confidence, and team development while adapting to the changing needs of campers and programming.
Heine has also worked in running-industry marketing and sales, including with Heartbreak Running Company and Fleet Feet Sports, gaining experience in community engagement, social media, customer service, footwear, and merchandising.
Heine joins a Richmond program that entered the 2026 season with a strong tradition of competitive and academic success. The Spiders' 2026 cross country schedule features three competitions at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, highlighted by the Richmond Invitational on Oct. 2 and the Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championships on Oct. 31. Richmond travels to Texas A&M for the Arturo Barrios Invitational on October 16 and will compete at the NCAA Southeast Region Championships on Nov. 13 in Spartanburg, S.C., which the Spiders will host next year.
Follow the season on RichmondSpiders.com and the team's social media accounts:
X: @RichmondXCTF https://twitter.com/RichmondXCTF
Instagram: @RichmondXCTF https://www.instagram.com/richmondxctf/
Facebook: @RichmondXCTF https://www.facebook.com/RichmondXCTF/
TikTok: @RichmondXCTF https://www.tiktok.com/@richmondxctf
