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Sarah Anderson enters her third year with the UC cross-country/track and field programs as an assistant coach, working primarily with the women’s distance runners.
At UC
During the 2024 XC season under Anderson's training, Claire Curtsinger started the season strong, as she notched an individual win at the Sam Bell Invitational. The Bearcats finished 11th at the Big 12 Championships and 15th in the Great Lakes Regional, where Curtsinger finished 13th, the highest individual finish in UC history. The California, Ky., natives time of 19:55.7 is the fastest 6k time in school history.
In the 2024 indoor campaign Anderson helped multiple Bearcats reach new heights. Maddie Walker ran a lifetime PR of 4:50 in the mile at the Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational. At the Vanderbilt Music City Challenge, Claire Curtsinger ran a UC all-time top 10 mark in the 5k and the 3k. Gwen Stare and Carmela Henning also hit top 10 marks in the mile and 3k. At the Indoor Big 12 Championships, Madison Conatser ran a PR of 2:55.40 in the 1k, putting her seventh all-time in program history. At the Wake Forest Invitational in the 2024 outdoor season, Amber Carter ran the fifth fastest time in school history in her steeplechase debut, while Walker ran a 5k school record of 16:18.61. Walker finished 11th in the 5k at the Big 12 Championships, and the women's distance crew recorded seven UC all-time top 10 times during the 2024 season.
The Bearcats opened their 2023 XC season with a runner-up finish at the RedHawk rumble, where Claire Curtsinger finished seventh with over a minute lifetime PR of 17:59. The team performed well at the Bradley Pink Classic, finishing sixth overall. In their Big 12 Championship debut, the Bearcats finished 10th, with Maddie Walker as the highest individual, finishing 34th overall. At the Great Lakes Regional, the team finished 14th, with Curtsinger finishing 32nd.
Anderson led Penn to an undefeated season where she was crowned MVP, and the women’s distance team collected 44 points at the 2023 AAC Conference Championships. Her athletes recorded eight UC all-time top 10 times, including four program records. Penn had a breakout season under the supervision of Anderson. She broke both the UC mile and the 3,000m record while earning AAC Athlete of the Week honors during the season. Penn was named the most valuable performer at the AAC indoor championships after winning three AAC indoor titles (Mile, 3,000m, DMR). She is the first Bearcat to earn the award in program history. Penn’s DMR time also broke the AAC Championship record.
In the 2022 outdoor season, Penn broke both the 1500m and 800m records. The women's distance squad helped the UC women finish third overall at the AAC Championships. Anderson guided Penn through the NCAA East First Round, where she finished fifth overall and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
UC records broken under the guidance of Anderson
Indoor 600m- 1:32.5, Carmen Licht
Indoor Mile- 4:34.4, Rylee Penn
Indoor 3k- 9:12.4, Rylee Penn
Indoor 5k- 16:19, Maddie Walker
Indoor DMR- 11:21, Stare-Thorpe-Licht-Penn **AAC Record**
Outdoor 800m- 2:01.90, Rylee Penn
Outdoor 1500m- 4:10.13, Rylee Penn
Outdoor 5k – 16:18.61, Maddie Walker
Cross-Country 6k – 19:55.7, Claire Curtsinger
At UNC-Charlotte
Anderson comes to UC after spending a year as an assistant cross country and track coach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She found success coaching the men’s and women’s teams to runner-up finishes at the 2021 C-USA Cross Country Championships. Anderson assisted in coaching a male athlete who qualified individually for the 2021 NCAA XC Championships, as well as guiding the men’s team to a conference title at the 2022 C-USA Indoor Track Champions, and the women’s team finished as C-USA runner-up.
Prior to UC
Anderson spent the 2022 spring season as a volunteer Assistant Track Coach at Michigan State University, assisting with the distance/middle distance athlete practices, timing workouts, and
helping with team travel.
A graduate of Western Michigan, Anderson was a team captain and four-time MAC Conference Champion. She still holds the program record in the women's indoor 800m record (2:05.7) and the women's indoor mile record (4:44.3). She also competed for Michigan State University, where she was a Second Team All-American in the 1500-meters with a time of 4:13.3 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
At UC
During the 2024 XC season under Anderson's training, Claire Curtsinger started the season strong, as she notched an individual win at the Sam Bell Invitational. The Bearcats finished 11th at the Big 12 Championships and 15th in the Great Lakes Regional, where Curtsinger finished 13th, the highest individual finish in UC history. The California, Ky., natives time of 19:55.7 is the fastest 6k time in school history.
In the 2024 indoor campaign Anderson helped multiple Bearcats reach new heights. Maddie Walker ran a lifetime PR of 4:50 in the mile at the Clemson Bob Pollock Invitational. At the Vanderbilt Music City Challenge, Claire Curtsinger ran a UC all-time top 10 mark in the 5k and the 3k. Gwen Stare and Carmela Henning also hit top 10 marks in the mile and 3k. At the Indoor Big 12 Championships, Madison Conatser ran a PR of 2:55.40 in the 1k, putting her seventh all-time in program history. At the Wake Forest Invitational in the 2024 outdoor season, Amber Carter ran the fifth fastest time in school history in her steeplechase debut, while Walker ran a 5k school record of 16:18.61. Walker finished 11th in the 5k at the Big 12 Championships, and the women's distance crew recorded seven UC all-time top 10 times during the 2024 season.
The Bearcats opened their 2023 XC season with a runner-up finish at the RedHawk rumble, where Claire Curtsinger finished seventh with over a minute lifetime PR of 17:59. The team performed well at the Bradley Pink Classic, finishing sixth overall. In their Big 12 Championship debut, the Bearcats finished 10th, with Maddie Walker as the highest individual, finishing 34th overall. At the Great Lakes Regional, the team finished 14th, with Curtsinger finishing 32nd.
Anderson led Penn to an undefeated season where she was crowned MVP, and the women’s distance team collected 44 points at the 2023 AAC Conference Championships. Her athletes recorded eight UC all-time top 10 times, including four program records. Penn had a breakout season under the supervision of Anderson. She broke both the UC mile and the 3,000m record while earning AAC Athlete of the Week honors during the season. Penn was named the most valuable performer at the AAC indoor championships after winning three AAC indoor titles (Mile, 3,000m, DMR). She is the first Bearcat to earn the award in program history. Penn’s DMR time also broke the AAC Championship record.
In the 2022 outdoor season, Penn broke both the 1500m and 800m records. The women's distance squad helped the UC women finish third overall at the AAC Championships. Anderson guided Penn through the NCAA East First Round, where she finished fifth overall and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
UC records broken under the guidance of Anderson
Indoor 600m- 1:32.5, Carmen Licht
Indoor Mile- 4:34.4, Rylee Penn
Indoor 3k- 9:12.4, Rylee Penn
Indoor 5k- 16:19, Maddie Walker
Indoor DMR- 11:21, Stare-Thorpe-Licht-Penn **AAC Record**
Outdoor 800m- 2:01.90, Rylee Penn
Outdoor 1500m- 4:10.13, Rylee Penn
Outdoor 5k – 16:18.61, Maddie Walker
Cross-Country 6k – 19:55.7, Claire Curtsinger
At UNC-Charlotte
Anderson comes to UC after spending a year as an assistant cross country and track coach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She found success coaching the men’s and women’s teams to runner-up finishes at the 2021 C-USA Cross Country Championships. Anderson assisted in coaching a male athlete who qualified individually for the 2021 NCAA XC Championships, as well as guiding the men’s team to a conference title at the 2022 C-USA Indoor Track Champions, and the women’s team finished as C-USA runner-up.
Prior to UC
Anderson spent the 2022 spring season as a volunteer Assistant Track Coach at Michigan State University, assisting with the distance/middle distance athlete practices, timing workouts, and
helping with team travel.
A graduate of Western Michigan, Anderson was a team captain and four-time MAC Conference Champion. She still holds the program record in the women's indoor 800m record (2:05.7) and the women's indoor mile record (4:44.3). She also competed for Michigan State University, where she was a Second Team All-American in the 1500-meters with a time of 4:13.3 at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.