Another coach’s kid -- and other new blood

We know Neely Spence is fast. Runner-up at cross country nationals in Evansville in 2008, she won the outdoors 5,000 in Charlotte. Her dad, Steve Spence was an Olympian and won bronze in in the 1991 World Champs marathon in Tokyo.
Adams State head coach Damon Martin might also have a fast daughter. The 1988 Olympic Trials qualifier (1,500) may also have his daughter Lauren as his seventh runner, judging from Saturday’s Joe I. Vigil open. (Lauren Martin was listed as “unattached” in that meet.) Any other “coach’s kids” running in D2?
It isn’t always evident how recruits or transfers might impact a team, but here’s a few I noticed:

• Western State gained the services of Southern Indiana’s No. 4 man, David Goodman and Gabe Proctor, ninth at junior college nationals last year for Garden City. They appear to have a few redshirt freshman ready to stop into top seven roles. The women got ex-Colorado Stater Laura Kleppin, who was Western’s top runner at...the Colorado State meet this past weekend (take that, D1!).
• Yes, Adams State does have two Huffner brothers on the squad (including the sub-3:40 performer). But Edwin Cruz was not a finisher at ASC’s first home meet. The women’s team added Middlebury (D3) transfer Sarah Lange.
• Chico State will have expereience in the form of junior college transfers Joseph Rivera and Anthony Costales.

St. Augustine's gets a little cross country help

I nearly put this on the Hot/Not list, but it's not clear how I feel.

The NCAA awarded 18 grants to institutions, paying about 2/3rds of a full-time assistant coach position. The grants represent the best of the NCAA: "to address access, recruitment, selection and long-term success of women, ethnic minorities and other individuals."

It's just too bad that mega-outdoor champ St. Augustine's needs help with their cross country program. (The position also includes track and field duties; Texas A&M-Kingsville got a similar position.) And I'm slightly appalled to know that a hard-working assistant (who must give up most weekends, too) might earn only $24,000 for the job.

But, in the end, Division II is far better off having a robust St. Augustine's in its ranks. Any look at a World Championships or Olympics start sheet is evidence of that.