Justina Cassavell enters her first season as the Assistant Coach of Distance. She is also the Head Coach of the Women's and Men's Cross Country teams. Cassavell brings a wealth of experience to the college after serving as the Head Coach of the Girls Cross Country/Track & Field Team at Voorhees High School since 1997.
"I am very pleased that Justina Cassavell agreed to accept our head men's and women's cross country coaching position. She is an extremely knowledgeable and talented coach. I know our distance runners are eager to begin working with her, and I am excited for the future of our teams," says Athletic Director Chuck Gordon.
Cassavell has led the Voorhees Girls to three New Jersey State Meet of Champions Titles in 2007, 2008, and 2012. She has seen nine New Jersey State Group Championship Titles, and 13 New Jersey Sectional Championship Titles in her tenure with the program. In her 16 years with the Vikings, Cassavell won nine Skyland Conference Championship Titles, while the team qualified for the Meet of Champions every season, producing 14 top ten finishers, nine top five finishers, and six top three finishers. She led the team to a NXN Northeast Championship in 2010, while earning second place at the same championship in both 2007 and 2012. The Vikings also qualified three times for the Nike Team Nationals in 2007, 2010, and 2012, placing 13th overall in '07.
Cassavell was honored by the Newark Star Ledger as Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2012. She also is an eight-time recipient (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012) of the Easton Express Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year Award, while earning NFHS Coaches Association Sectionals Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2007.
"I am very excited about being named the Ramapo College Men's and Woman's Cross Country Coach. I look forward to building on the success Coach Jackson has already brought to the college and I am grateful to be given the opportunity to work with the athletes here at Ramapo. There is a lot of positive energy amongst the athletes and the athletic department and I feel confident we can make the Roadrunners a top contender," Cassavell said.
Besides her coaching the Voorhees Girls, Cassavell started a non-profit track and field club, Hunterdon Hawks Youth Track & Field Club, where she serves as President. She also serves as the camp director for Voorhees Summer Track and Field Camp.
She is a 1992 graduate of Rutgers University where she earned a degree in economics. She was a member of the Scarlet Knight cross country and track and field teams for four years. Cassavell was a NCAA provisional qualifier in 1991 for indoor track and field in the 800-meter run, with a time of 2:09.86. She received track and field All-East honors in 1989, 1990, and 1991, while earning a championship crown at the indoor Metropolitan Championships in the 800-meter in '91. She was named Rutgers Most Improved Runner in track and field in 1990.
Director of Cross Country and Track & Field, Mike Jackson, "We are extremely excited to have Coach Cassavell lead our cross country program. Our student athletes are looking forward to this upcoming season and the days ahead. Having her as a part of our program shows a major commitment to winning championships."
2013-2014 Season
