DeGrio Returns to Orange Staff

Raynee DeGrio, who was previously on the Orange staff for three seasons from 2013-15, has returned to Syracuse to serve as an assistant cross country/track and field coach.

DeGrio will primarily work with the Syracuse women's distance and cross country runners. She was most recently an assistant at Toledo with a stop at Ball State before that.

"I'm incredibly excited to be returning to Syracuse University to be working alongside Coach Bell again to help continue the success of the cross country and track and field programs," DeGrio said. "I want to thank Coach Bell, Kim Keenan-Kirkpatrick, and Coach Hegland for giving me this opportunity to work at one of the premier programs in the ACC and NCAA. Syracuse is truly a special place and I'm so thrilled to be back. I'm ready to get to work and bring back more trophies to Manley Field House."

"My staff and I are excited to welcome Raynee to the program," said head Brien Bell. "Her vast skill set will have tremendous, positive impact on our program. We are eager for her to starting working with our current student athletes."

In her one season at Toledo, DeGrio helped mentor the Rockets' women's cross country program to a runner-up finish at the MAC Championships and saw Athena Welsh represent Toledo with an 85th-place finish at the NCAA Championship. She also coached Petronela Simiuc to qualify for the NCAA East Preliminary round in the 1500-meters.

Prior to Toledo, DeGrio spent three seasons at Ball State as a distance coach for cross country and track and field. During her time at Ball State, DeGrio made an immediate impact. In 2016, she helped lead the cross country program to its first top-10 finish in the Mid-American Conference Championships since 2012. The success carried into the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, with a 23^rd place finish, the programs best since 2007.

Her time with the Cardinals came on the heels of her time on the Syracuse staff that saw the Orange building towards the program's first NCAA title. In her first stint with the Orange, the men's program reached unprecedented heights, with consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships – something that hadn't happened once in 50 years prior. The Orange women's program also reached made a pair of NCAA Championship appearances in her two seasons.

Prior to Syracuse, DeGrio compiled an accomplished college career from 2007-2011 as a track and field and cross country runner at St. Thomas University (Minn). DeGrio was a four-time NCAA Division III National Championship Qualifier, twice in cross country (2007, 2008) and twice in outdoor track (2008,2009). She also helped lead the Tommies to 10 MIAC titles (four in indoor track, four in outdoor track, and two in cross country).

At St. Thomas, DeGrio specialized in middle distance and steeplechase. She earned eight all-league performer honors for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

A native of Grand Rapids, Minn., DeGrio completed her undergraduate degree at St. Thomas University with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in Chemistry and continued to further her education with a Masters of Science in Education, sport pedagogy from Baylor University.

Syracuse University Athletics

Related Videos