4/24/2020 10:57:00 AM | Cross Country, Track and Field, Women's Cross Country
JACKSONVILLE – Following 15 years at the helm of Jacksonville State's cross country and track and field programs, head coach Steve Ray announced his retirement Friday.
Â
Ray, a veteran of the coaching ranks, joined Jax State in 2005 after a 13-year stint at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He earned his bachelor's in education from Henderson State University, followed by a master's in education from Florida State, before returning to his home state of Arkansas to begin his coaching career in 1980.
Â
"We appreciate all the work Coach Ray has put into our track and cross country programs at JSU over the years," said Athletics Director Greg Seitz. "His teams positively represented Gamecock athletics both in competition as well as in the classrooms. We wish him the best going forward with his retirement."
Â
While at JSU, Ray managed student-athletes across four NCAA championship sports with men's and women's cross country along with indoor and outdoor women's track and field. His teams succeeded both in competition and in academics. Last year, the Gamecocks were named a USTFCCCA (U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) All-Academic team for the eighth time in the past 10 years. His 2017-18 program combined for a 3.55 team GPA to be recognized as a top 25 team nationally. More than 150 JSU XC/T&F student-athletes have been named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll during Ray's tenure.
Â
"Three years ago, I made a promise concerning my retirement and I am confident that I made, or am making, the correct decision," says Ray. "Like most, I am saddened by the current situation that we are all enduring, but I for one have faith that we will come out of this and get back on the starting line - the race is not over by a long shot!"
Â
His impact was quickly felt in both cross country and track and field upon his hiring in the summer of 2005. His first track season saw the Gamecocks propel to second place, the best finish in program history, at the 2006 OVC Outdoor Championships. JSU would finish in the top-four six times in Ray's 14 years, with 2020 being canceled. On the indoor side, the Gamecocks slowly improved each of Ray's first three years to its best finish of third at the 2008 OVC Indoor Championships. JSU matched that mark again in 2012.
Â
Individually, Ray coached six Athlete of the Year selections. For indoor, triple and long jump specialist Andrea Arnaud earned the honor in 2007, while Shamira Barrett was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2011. Barrett took the same honor for the outdoor season, a year after Elizabeth Bond was FOTY in 2010. Track standouts Eboni Matthew (2006) and Laveeta Oliver (2011) were tabbed OVC outdoor track Athletes of the Year. Matthews and Oliver also garnered championship MVP honors in 2006 and 2011, respectively.
Â
Overall, 99 Gamecocks earned All-OVC honors as champions or runner-ups at the OVC championships. Additionally, 12 individuals or relay teams have qualified for NCAA postseason championships. The Gamecock record books have literally been rewritten under Ray's guidance with 44 of the 46 recognized school marks being set.
Â
In the fall cross country season, Ray led the women's team to their first-ever NCAA Regional in 2006. The Gamecock ladies and men have both since returned to numerous regionals including this past season where individuals Emily Sorrell and Elizabeth Wetmore represented JSU in Tallahassee, Fla.
Â
Two cross country Gamecocks earned Freshman of the year honors with Marius Sava (2007) and David Nilsson in 2009. Sava helped his 2007 XC club finished a school-best second in the OVC championships, finishing runner up to Eastern Kentucky's nationally-ranked program that's won 14-straight OVC titles.
Â
"I want to thank all of my former assistant coaches as they each played a huge role in the lives of the student-athletes and the direction that these programs traveled," said Ray. "To be certain, I could not have done much on my own. But mostly, I want to thank each and every young man and woman that took a chance on JSU and Steve Ray. I hope I made some positive impact in their lives. Forty years, I enjoyed the race."
Â
Ray spent his first six-years coaching in the high school ranks in Arkansas. He started the cross country programs at both Pea Ridge and Eureka Springs where his boys' teams won the 1985, 1986 and 1987 state cross country titles. In the process, his athletes also captured four individual cross country titles.
Â
Ray's first collegiate position was at the University of Arkansas-Monticello where he proceeded to lead the Boll Weevils to two fifth-place finishes at the NAIA indoor and outdoor national championships. He then stopped at Lyon College before spending a season as a G.A. on Auburn's staff in 1992 where he earned an A.B.D in Athletic Administration. Following his time with Auburn, he took the reins of Carthage where he teams won outdoor conference titles in 2003 and 2004, while his Lady Reds captured every official indoor title between 2000-2005.
Â
In 2006, Ray was inducted into his alma mater Henderson State's athletic hall of fame. As a student-athlete, he became the school's first runner to qualify for the NAIA cross country championships all four years. Overall, he won 56 individual cross country and track races.
Â
Coach Ray's final day at JSU will be May 31. He plans to move back to Arkansas to a home he and his wife bought a few years ago on the Little Red River.
Â
Â
Ray, a veteran of the coaching ranks, joined Jax State in 2005 after a 13-year stint at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He earned his bachelor's in education from Henderson State University, followed by a master's in education from Florida State, before returning to his home state of Arkansas to begin his coaching career in 1980.
Â
"We appreciate all the work Coach Ray has put into our track and cross country programs at JSU over the years," said Athletics Director Greg Seitz. "His teams positively represented Gamecock athletics both in competition as well as in the classrooms. We wish him the best going forward with his retirement."
Â
While at JSU, Ray managed student-athletes across four NCAA championship sports with men's and women's cross country along with indoor and outdoor women's track and field. His teams succeeded both in competition and in academics. Last year, the Gamecocks were named a USTFCCCA (U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) All-Academic team for the eighth time in the past 10 years. His 2017-18 program combined for a 3.55 team GPA to be recognized as a top 25 team nationally. More than 150 JSU XC/T&F student-athletes have been named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll during Ray's tenure.
Â
"Three years ago, I made a promise concerning my retirement and I am confident that I made, or am making, the correct decision," says Ray. "Like most, I am saddened by the current situation that we are all enduring, but I for one have faith that we will come out of this and get back on the starting line - the race is not over by a long shot!"
Â
His impact was quickly felt in both cross country and track and field upon his hiring in the summer of 2005. His first track season saw the Gamecocks propel to second place, the best finish in program history, at the 2006 OVC Outdoor Championships. JSU would finish in the top-four six times in Ray's 14 years, with 2020 being canceled. On the indoor side, the Gamecocks slowly improved each of Ray's first three years to its best finish of third at the 2008 OVC Indoor Championships. JSU matched that mark again in 2012.
Â
Individually, Ray coached six Athlete of the Year selections. For indoor, triple and long jump specialist Andrea Arnaud earned the honor in 2007, while Shamira Barrett was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2011. Barrett took the same honor for the outdoor season, a year after Elizabeth Bond was FOTY in 2010. Track standouts Eboni Matthew (2006) and Laveeta Oliver (2011) were tabbed OVC outdoor track Athletes of the Year. Matthews and Oliver also garnered championship MVP honors in 2006 and 2011, respectively.
Â
Overall, 99 Gamecocks earned All-OVC honors as champions or runner-ups at the OVC championships. Additionally, 12 individuals or relay teams have qualified for NCAA postseason championships. The Gamecock record books have literally been rewritten under Ray's guidance with 44 of the 46 recognized school marks being set.
Â
In the fall cross country season, Ray led the women's team to their first-ever NCAA Regional in 2006. The Gamecock ladies and men have both since returned to numerous regionals including this past season where individuals Emily Sorrell and Elizabeth Wetmore represented JSU in Tallahassee, Fla.
Â
Two cross country Gamecocks earned Freshman of the year honors with Marius Sava (2007) and David Nilsson in 2009. Sava helped his 2007 XC club finished a school-best second in the OVC championships, finishing runner up to Eastern Kentucky's nationally-ranked program that's won 14-straight OVC titles.
Â
"I want to thank all of my former assistant coaches as they each played a huge role in the lives of the student-athletes and the direction that these programs traveled," said Ray. "To be certain, I could not have done much on my own. But mostly, I want to thank each and every young man and woman that took a chance on JSU and Steve Ray. I hope I made some positive impact in their lives. Forty years, I enjoyed the race."
Â
Ray spent his first six-years coaching in the high school ranks in Arkansas. He started the cross country programs at both Pea Ridge and Eureka Springs where his boys' teams won the 1985, 1986 and 1987 state cross country titles. In the process, his athletes also captured four individual cross country titles.
Â
Ray's first collegiate position was at the University of Arkansas-Monticello where he proceeded to lead the Boll Weevils to two fifth-place finishes at the NAIA indoor and outdoor national championships. He then stopped at Lyon College before spending a season as a G.A. on Auburn's staff in 1992 where he earned an A.B.D in Athletic Administration. Following his time with Auburn, he took the reins of Carthage where he teams won outdoor conference titles in 2003 and 2004, while his Lady Reds captured every official indoor title between 2000-2005.
Â
In 2006, Ray was inducted into his alma mater Henderson State's athletic hall of fame. As a student-athlete, he became the school's first runner to qualify for the NAIA cross country championships all four years. Overall, he won 56 individual cross country and track races.
Â
Coach Ray's final day at JSU will be May 31. He plans to move back to Arkansas to a home he and his wife bought a few years ago on the Little Red River.
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Track and Field
/ Track and Field
Tuesday, November 03
Friday, October 23
Wednesday, October 14
Friday, October 09
