Western Michigan University Athletics

Rebekah Smeltzer was named assistant track & field and cross country coach on Sept. 4, 2014.

Smeltzer, 26, joins the Broncos after two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Michigan State. A native of Monroe, Mich., she also ran track and field and cross country for the Spartans from 2007-12. Smeltzer won a Big Ten Championship with the Spartans in 2010, 2011 and again in 2013 as a graduate assistant. She was a three-time Academic All-Big 10 honoree and also helped the Spartans to a 2010 NCAA Great Lakes Regional championship.

As a graduate assistant Smeltzer handled both coaching duties and meet manager duties, including handling the Spartan Invitational, the largest cross country meet in the state of Michigan. She earned a masters in kinesiology and coaching in 2014 and a bachelors degree in kinesiology in 2012.

Smeltzer’s older sister Carrie ran cross country and track and field at Western Michigan from 2001-05.