DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis Track & Field is strengthening its distance program with the addition of Assistant Coach Maria Anderson, a decorated former student-athlete and rapidly rising coach. Anderson brings a strong record of developing all-conference performers, guiding championship teams, and mentoring student-athletes on and off the course.

"We are excited to welcome Coach Maria to our coaching staff," said Track & Field Head Coach Ngoni Makusha. "Her depth of experience, combined with the passion she showcased at Elizabethtown College and San Francisco State, will be a tremendous asset to our athletes and our program. We look forward to the leadership and enthusiasm she brings."

Anderson arrives in Davis after spending the 2024 season at San Francisco State, where she coached the men's and women's distance squads. Prior to that, she spent six seasons at Elizabethtown College, rising from volunteer coach to Associate Head Coach while helping guide both the men's and women's teams to Landmark Conference Cross Country Championships. During her tenure, she coached multiple all-conference and all-region athletes, as well as competitors who qualified for NCAA Division III and Atlantic Regional Championships.

"I'm honored to join the coaching staff at UC Davis and grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented group of student-athletes and coaches," Anderson said. "I'm excited to get to work on this upcoming season and look forward to the progress made towards our team goals in the MPSF and Big West Conference."

As a student-athlete at Elizabethtown, Anderson was a four-time All-Landmark Conference performer in cross country, the 2014 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year, and helped lead the Blue Jays to four team championships. She also earned two All-Mideast Region honors, captured the 2018 Landmark Conference steeplechase title while setting a facility record, and finished her career as a five-time all-conference honoree in track & field.

Anderson graduated from Elizabethtown in 2018 with a degree in fine arts and earned her master's in art education from Millersville University in 2022. She also holds A.C.E. personal training certification, USATF Level 1 coaching certification, and is pursuing USATF Level 2 in endurance.

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 

UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked #1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as #1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.