Conference

Loretto, PA -- Donna Ridgeley will join the Saint Francis University men's and women's cross country and track & field staff as an assistant coach.  She brings with her 30 years of coaching experience, including three years as an assistant coach with the Red Flash from 1999-2002.
 
“I'm thrilled to welcome Coach Ridgeley back to the staff here at Saint Francis. In addition to a wealth of track and field experience, she brings a competitive energy that is rare,” said head coach Doug Hoover.  “She embraces the mission of Saint Francis University and will be a huge help to our student-athletes as we move forward within the Northeast Conference.”
 
Ridgeley began her storied coaching career at Clarion Area High School, before taking over the reins as head girl's track and field coach at Central Cambria High School. She mentored numerous PIAA District VI and State Championship individuals and teams while at the helm of the Central Cambria program. Through her career, she has coached every track and field event area.
 
From 1999 through 2002, Ridgeley served as an assistant coach for the Saint Francis University men's and women's track and field teams. During her first tenure in Loretto, she was primarily responsible for coaching the sprints and relays. Under her guidance, the SFU sprinters broke numerous school records and earned multiple Northeast Conference honors. Her charges also helped the men's track and field team win back-to-back NEC indoor and outdoor championships in 2001 and 2002.
 
Ridgeley is a graduate of Clarion State University, where she was a former school record holder in the javelin. She lives in Ebensburg and is a teacher at Central Cambria High School. She is married to long-time Central Cambria boys track and field coach Joe Ridgeley. They have two children. Their daughter, Brooke, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Slippery Rock University. Their son, Ben, is a senior Actuarial Science major at Robert Morris University, where he has played football for the last four years.