Renee Marler | Renee@CedarbrookMedia.Com-
Prosper cross country is no stranger to State appearances, but if new Head Coach Jennifer Gegogeine has her wish, the team will not only place, but will come out champions.
Gegogeine, pronounced “ja-goin”, comes to Prosper most recently from The Woodlands College Park.
Gegogeine attended Purdue University and graduated from Ball State College in Indiana with a degree in Sports Marketing. After college, she worked for the Houston Rockets for two years before starting her teaching career at Magnolia West High School. In her time at Magnolia West, she led the team to receive numerous varsity accolades and was named 2007 District 18-4A Coach of the Year.
Gegogeine is now in her 15th year of teaching, but she has been involved in long distance running for many years. She ran her first half-marathon when she was just in 8th grade.
“I just love it,” said Gegogeine. “I have now run nine marathons all over including the Chicago and Boston Marathons.”
She is excited to be in Prosper because she loves the community feel and this will put her closer to her nieces and nephews who live in the Dallas area.
Gegogeine is also very optimistic about the current Prosper Cross Country team of athletes.
The Girls Cross Country team took second in State in 2016 and with only a couple of graduates from last year’s team, Gegogeine has some lofty goals coming in to her first year in Prosper.
“I think our girls can absolutely be the State Champions and I am confident our boys can be true competitors at the State level,” she said.
The first meet of the season will be the legendary Greenhill 6-Mile Relay on August 26, 2017 at Norbuck Park in Dallas. The race, in it’s 33rd year, is one of the longest running cross country events in the State of Texas and features eight different races in four categories with a pair of hay bale obstacles along the course.
