STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State has promoted Erinn Stenman-Fahey to associate head cross country coach, the university announced Thursday. Head coach Chris Woods praised her leadership and the team’s progress under her guidance.
Woods said, “I’m extremely excited to have Erinn be promoted to associate head cross country coach. The team’s performances over the last few years, coupled with Erinn’s unmatched ability to lead the women’s cross country team, are more than enough reason for this promotion. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Erinn and the women’s cross country program.”
Stenman-Fahey joined Mississippi State in fall 2022 as an assistant coach for cross country and distance running. Over her four years on staff, the program has seen significant improvements both on the track and the course.
During the 2025 cross country season, she helped the team finish fourth, its best in nine years. One athlete qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and earned Third Team All-SEC honors, while three others received All-Region honors. Three runners were named SEC Freshman Runner of the Week during the season.
Under her guidance, the program’s records for the 5K and 6K distances have been broken, with her athletes posting the five fastest 6K times in school history. On the track, her athletes have rewritten program record books for the distance events. In the past two seasons, four program records have fallen, and nine entries now appear on the all-time list.
In the 2026 outdoor season, she coached an athlete to the NCAA Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the second year in a row. The athlete also earned bronze at the SEC Outdoor Championships, earning her second Third Team All-SEC honor. Stenman-Fahey and the Bulldogs are preparing for the upcoming cross country season this fall.
