Bio

Vanessa Macias-Hannie is in her first year as the assistant coach for the Forester cross country program. 

"I'm thrilled to be back at Huntington and to serve in a program that means so much to me," said Macias-Hannie. "As an alum, it's exciting to come full circle and walk alongside our athletes—not only in their training and competition, but also in their faith journey."

Macias-Hannie brings a strong mix of coaching experience, alumni pride and community connection to her new role. As the head cross country coach at Norwell High School for the past five seasons, she developed a reputation for building a competitive and close-knit team culture.

Under Macias-Hannie's leadership, the program has celebrated a regional championship and two sectional titles. Her athletes have racked up 19 All-Conference honors. During her tenure she's also coached a state Top-20 finisher and two athletes who have gone on to compete at the NCAA Division I level.

No stranger to Forester green and white, Macias-Hannie was a four-year member of HU's cross country and track and field programs, competing under longtime head coach Tom King. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science in 2009.

In addition to her cross country responsibilities, Macias-Hannie currently serves as the Event and Special Projects Coordinator for the Huntington University Advancement Office. She also serves as an assistant for the track program where she will work primarily with the distance runners. Her unique blend of institutional knowledge and athletic experience makes her a natural fit for mentoring current Forester runners.

Macias-Hannie and her husband, Cody, also an HU graduate, reside in Huntington with their three daughters.