Tristan Mannix '07 returns for his sixth season as the assistant coach for the USI men's and women's cross country/track and field teams. Mannix, who rejoined the team in 2015-16 after training in New Mexico for the last three years, assists Head Coach Mike Hillyard in all aspects of the program.
Mannix is no stranger to USI as he had a stellar career with the Screaming Eagles that included numerous awards and a pair of trips to the NCAA II Cross Country Championships.
A native of Crothersville, Indiana, Mannix had his most productive season in a USI uniform in 2007-08.
In the fall, Mannix earned All-GLVC honors when he finished seventh at the GLVC Cross Country Championships. His performance helped the Eagles to their third straight GLVC title.
Mannix not only became one of USI's top distance runners in 2007-08, but he established himself as one of the conference's premier distance runners during the track season when he won the league title in the 3,000 meters and took home first-team All-GLVC honors during the indoor campaign.
During the indoor season, Mannix also posted his first NCAA II provisional qualifying time when he ran the 5,000 meters in 14 minutes, 45.19 seconds at the Indiana Relays. His performance in that race marked one of four individual titles for Mannix during the indoor season.
Mannix carried that success over to the outdoor season where he earned second-team All-GLVC honors after finishing second in the 5,000 meters at the GLVC Outdoor Championships. He also posted an NCAA II provisional qualifying time in the 10,000 meters after narrowly missing a mark in the 5,000 meters earlier in the season.
"Everyone who knows Tristan knows that he is very confident in his abilities," Hillyard said. "He promised when he came to USI that he would eventually become a frontrunner for our program. True to his word, Tristan won the 2008 GLVC indoor 3,000 meter title and cracked the school’s all-time top 10 list at 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, and 10,000 meters.
"He is a true example of what is possible when you hold tight to your dreams, believe in your abilities, and leave no stone unturned in your pursuit of excellence," Hillyard continued. "He is an outstanding mentor for our teams as we continue to chase tradition."
Mannix graduated from USI with a bachelor's degree in sociology and a minor in criminal justice in 2007.
