Le’Titia Silas Comes Back to UNF
8/25/2009 4:42:25 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Men's Track, Women's Track
JACKSONVLLE,
"I am thrilled to have Le'Titia return to UNF to help build this program into a Division I power,” said VanAlstyne. “I know she'll approach this opportunity with the same passion and dedication with which she competed. In her, the athletes will have a great person, a wonderful role model as an athlete, and an accomplished teacher to guide and mentor them."
A former track star and UNF graduate, Silas has excelled on and off the field during her time as an Osprey. As an athlete, she was an All-American at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Indoor National Championships in 1996 finishing fourth in the 400 meter dash, as well as finishing in eighth place at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Junior Olympics Track and Field Championships in 1995. Silas graduated from UNF, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education (Secondary Mathematics) in 1998 and a Masters of Education (Secondary Education – Instructional Technology) in 2005.
The former sprinter set school records during her time at UNF for indoor and outdoor and track and field in the 55 meter, 60m, 100m, 200m, 400m, and was a part of some record-setting relay teams (4x400, sprint medley, and distance medley). To this day, her records in the 200m (indoor), 400m (indoor and outdoor) and the relays are all still intact.
“It is definitely an honor to be able to come back and coach at the same university for which I competed,” said Silas. “It is really exciting to see how the program has evolved in the 11 years that I have been elsewhere, especially the track and soccer stadium [Hodges Stadium]. I am excited about the move to Division I because it means bigger and better things for the university, and the opportunity to recruit some outstanding student-athletes will definitely help to put this university on the map.”
Before returning to UNF, Silas taught math at
Silas has gone full circle as an Osprey, being a valued student-athlete and now an assistant coach. All eyes will be on the direction of this growing program as the Ospreys start the 2009 cross country season.
“I am still an athlete, still competing,” said Silas. “I hope that the love and passion that I have for track and field will serve as a catalyst for the student-athletes on the team, as a motivator for them to always strive to be and do the best that they possibly can. I believe that the knowledge and skills that I have acquired over the years and am still acquiring will serve as an important tool in helping develop the student-athletes to be successful both individually and collectively. This team will definitely be a force to be reckoned within this newly acquired Division I status.”
