Nicol Starkes, who is entering her fourth year with the Scarlet Knights, previously served as an assistant coach for the cross country team and distance runners. Before joining Rutgers, she spent five years at NYU, where she played a key role in the distance and middle-distance events for both the men’s and women’s teams.
“I’m grateful to Coach Farrell for this opportunity to take on a larger role with the distance teams,” Starkes said. “There’s a lot of potential within these squads, and I’m excited to see them compete with the upcoming conference expansion.”
Farrell expressed confidence in Starkes’ new role, stating, “I’m sure Coach Traynor will excel in leading the cross country and distance teams. Since joining us, she’s consistently exceeded expectations, built strong relationships with the athletes, and helped recruit some of our best classes ever. I’m certain she will continue to work hard for their development.”
Under Starkes’ guidance, the Rutgers distance program has shown significant improvement, setting multiple indoor and outdoor school records, including in the 800, 1,500, mile, 3,000 meters, and the distance medley relay. The women’s cross country team achieved the top two team finishes in its history in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Alex Carlson earned two NCAA All-Mid Atlantic Region honors with top-20 finishes, marking the first all-region selection for a Scarlet Knight since 2015, and her 10th-place finish in 2023 was the best individual result since 2003.
At NYU, Starkes helped guide numerous successful outcomes, including NCAA Championship qualifiers, All-Americans, and conference Rookie of the Year awards. Her cross country runners saw notable achievements, such as Siena Moran earning UAA Rookie of the Year and ECAC Metro Runner of the Month honors, while Leah Haley and Dillan Spector also qualified for the NCAA Championship.
Starkes began her coaching career at Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, NJ, where she was an assistant coach for cross country and track & field.
A 2012 graduate of the University of Richmond with a degree in mathematics, Starkes had a distinguished track career with the Spiders. She was a Second Team All-American in the 3,000m steeplechase and qualified for the NCAA Championships three times. She also won six Atlantic 10 titles and was named the conference’s Most Outstanding Track Performer as a senior, along with being a three-time Academic All-Conference selection.
Starkes was part of the 2010 cross country team that will be honored as part of the Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2024. An active runner, she competes with the New Jersey Track Club and recently participated in the 3,000m steeplechase at the 2016 Olympic Trials Qualifier.
A native of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Starkes lives in Montclair with her husband Kevin and their daughter Chloe.
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