| Title: | Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach |
| Email: | rhefty@sjcme.edu |
| Year: | 1st Year |
Rebecca Hefty was added as an assistant coach for the men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field teams prior to the start of the 2023-24 academic year and will also assist Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Jameson Collins in the fitness center.
A longtime track & field coach at Edward Little High School, Hefty joined the coaching staff in advance of the 2023-2024 season and will work with the long & triple jump athletes.
"I am so excited to be joining a great group of coaches and athletes," adds Hefty. "It has been a dream of mine to coach at the college level. I have all the experience in the world as a high school coach, but now it's time to get my feet wet at the next level. I am most excited to be an assistant coach and focus on my events. I am grateful for the opportunity to not only work with college athletes, but the coaches as well."
A Wisconsin native, Hefty moved to Maine in 2000 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 1999 with a degree in physical education and concentration in adapted physical education. She earned her masters in physical education from Canisius College in 2012 and will be starting her 23rd year of teaching at Edward Little this fall.
A three-year varsity hurdler and sprinter at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Hefty became the head coach of the Edward Little girls teams in 2002 and continued in that role until 2010. In 2015, she took the reins for both the boys and girls teams. With the main focus of creating unity among her teams, Hefty led the Red Eddies to 15 total conference titles as well as Maine State Championships for the girls and boys teams in 2009 and 2023, respectively.
Coach Hefty also led Edward Little to six total State Championship runner-up finishes, with five for the girls and one for the boys, while mentoring 23 individual state champions. For her efforts, she was named as the 2009 Maine State Coach of the Year and chosen as the Conference Coach of the Year on 10 occasions.
"We are thrilled to have Rebecca on staff for both the indoor and outdoor seasons," says Coach Burleson. "She brings expertise and experience that is going to elevate our program. She has coached some of the best high school jumpers in Maine over the last 20 years and I am excited to see her working with Saint Joseph's athletes in the pits this winter and spring!"
Hefty resides in Lewiston Maine with her girlfriend Katie, her daughter Emma (20), and her son Brooks (17).