McGuinness welcomes Demeo back as assistant coach
NEWPORT, R.I. (October 2, 2019) -- As the women's cross country team gathered for an early workout at Brenton Point State Park during pre-season in August, the harriers couldn't help but notice a familiar face in the crowd.
Alex Demeo '19 is no stranger to leading the pack at Brenton Point or any of the other spots where the team trains. She was Salve Regina's No. 1 or No. 2 runner for the last two years, and a regular varsity contributor for the last four.
But this workout was different. Demeo was no longer a captain, nor a teammate, but a coach. Her focus, as the group completed 1,000-meter loops of the park, was not on hitting her own goal paces, but on helping some of her former teammates reach theirs.
Demeo has been appointed as an assistant coach while she completes work on a master's degree in applied behavior analysis, joining head coach Rob McGuinness and associate head coach Kacie Gallo '08 on the staff.
The coaching appointment is a fitting final chapter for one of the most accomplished long distance runners in the recent history of the cross country and track programs at Salve Regina.
Demeo is a multiple-time All-Commonwealth Coast Conference honoree and holds or shares program records on the trails and the track.
"Alex was an outstanding team leader and training partner as an undergraduate, and we are thrilled to welcome her back for another year with the team," McGuinness said. "She always brought out the best in her teammates. I have no doubt that she will continue to do that as a coach."
Demeo served two seasons as captain of the cross country and track and field teams, and earned numerous academic and athletic honors over the course of her college career. Here are five of her most memorable performances as a Seahawk:
Neither wind, nor rain can deny a second All-CCC bid
October 27, 2018
Demeo, battling illness and a forecast that included heavy rain and gale-force winds, still finished inside the top 10 at the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship. It was the second time that she earned a spot on the All-CCC Cross Country Team, and she helped the team to a second-place finish in the meet.
An indelible impression at 5,000 meters
April 14, 2018
Demeo took an early lead in the 5,000 meters and distanced herself from the field of 24 at the inaugural running of the Penmen Relays. She cruised to victory – more than 10 seconds ahead of her next closest competitor – with a time of 18:45.38. The performance set a facility record at Penmen Stadium and a new personal best. It also marked the third-fastest 5,000-meter run in program history.
An 'A' for effort, and a new personal best at 6K
November 11, 2017
Demeo teed up a new personal best for 6,000 meters on the course at Gorham Country Club, crossing the finish line at 23:21.9. The placement qualified her for an All-Academic Individual award from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Demeo was only the third Seahawk in program history to earn individual recognition from the USTFCCCA, joining Aubrey Palmquist '16 and Victoria Varone '17 as honorees.
One for the record books
November 12, 2016
Demeo was the No. 4 runner in a lineup that set a program record for aggregate time at 6,000 meters. She crossed the finish line at Stanley Park at 23:48.02, contributing to a combined team time of 1 hour, 57 minutes, 15.32 seconds. The record still stands.
Going the distance in Williamstown
May 5, 2017
This 25-lap race was the crowning achievement of Demeo's collegiate racing career. She started with the leaders and settled in to a three-person chase pack – alongside two runners from MIT – after the first mile. Her pacing and poise were perfect on this rainy night in Williamstown. Demeo dropped one opponent after the fourth mile and held off a late charge from the other, crossing the finish line at 38 minutes, 20.73 seconds. She broke her own program record at 10,000 meters and earned All-New England honors for her fourth-place finish.