HU Announces Vanessa Macias-Hannie as Assistant Cross Country Coach

HUNTINGTON, Ind. – Huntington University is pleased to announce the addition of Vanessa Macias-Hannie as the new 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 coaching responsibilities, Macias-Hannie currently serves as the Event and Special Projects Coordinator for the Huntington University Advancement Office. Her unique blend of institutional knowledge and athletic experience makes her a natural fit for mentoring current Forester runners.

"We are excited to welcome Vanessa back to HU and to our cross country program," said HU athletic director Lori Culler. "As an alum, she understands the culture and traditions of Forester athletics, and as a coach, she brings proven experience in building strong teams. Most importantly, she leads with her faith and has a genuine heart for investing in student-athletes, both on and off the course."

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

The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 181 NAIA All-America honors and 631 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest.