As the Ithaca College women’s cross country team prepares for its racing debut, there are some familiar faces behind the scenes helping the coaches lead their athletes to success. Graduate students Paloma De Monte and Julia Tomanovich have returned to the program as student assistant coaches for the 2023 season. 

Head coach Erin Dinan explained that student assistant coaches are meant to be a liaison between the coaching staff and the athletes. Rather than bearing all of the weight herself, having the extra assistance allows Dinan to distribute tasks regarding workout plans, traveling to competitions and supporting the athletes.

Dinan said she feels confident that both women have the knowledge and experience to not only help the coaching staff, but also to help this year’s younger roster. 

“I think the fact that they have an understanding of what it feels like to be on the team at every stage, as a first-year to a senior, will be valuable in supporting the younger girls through new challenges,” Dinan said. 

Student assistant coaches are especially important considering the size of a collegiate sport roster which, depending on the sport, can range anywhere from 10 or fewer to 50 or more athletes. Coordinating the athletes around a singular head coach has the potential to lead to miscommunication, confusion and disorganization, which is where the student assistants can help divide the athletes into smaller workout groups while taking some stress off the coaching staff. 

Because De Monte and Tomanovich have been on the team before, they are familiar faces that athletes can reach out to when Dinan may be busy with another athlete. 

“I think [us being there] this year will help make a cohesive team, a team of girls that Paloma and I already know, which helps because there are already relationships,” Tomanovich said.

Both Tomanovich and De Monte said their time spent as Bombers played a significant role in their decision to return to the team after graduating. Although they will not be participating in workouts or competing at meets, both women said they knew they were not ready to say goodbye to the program. 

“The team bond we have as a group is really what made me want to stay,” said Tomanovich. “To be part of this experience is really amazing and I’m so excited for this season.” 

During their time as athletes from 2018–2022, both women capped off their careers with impressive performances. Last year at the Regional Championship, De Monte placed 27th overall while Tomanovich placed 39th. Both women were awarded Liberty League honorable mentions, contributed greatly to the team’s placement in competition and were consistently able to improve their race times as their athletic careers progressed. 

The talent and successes these women have displayed may make some wonder why they chose to return as coaches instead of athletes. For De Monte, Dinan explained that she had already used all of her years of eligibility. Collegiate athletes are eligible for a maximum of 10 semesters of participation in any sport — because De Monte used her last two semesters of eligibility, she opted to return again as an assistant coach. 

“I’m happy I used my last year of eligibility because, though running is a unique sport you can continue after college, the team camaraderie is harder to come by,” De Monte said. “I’m happy to have made the most of my time on the team.” 

For Tomanovich, her decision was much different. Despite having a year of eligibility left, Tomanovich told us that she had been running her whole life and the years of dedication have been taxing to her body and mind. 

“I feel like [coaching] is the best of both worlds because I am definitely not ready to let go of the team and girls, while not having to put my body through something it’s no longer cut out to do,” Tomanovich said. 

Dinan said she respects both of the athletes’ decisions and is thankful that the young women have had an experience with the Bombers that makes them want to return to the program. 

“While I’ll miss both of them on the courses, they will be equally impactful as student coaches,” Dinan said. 

De Monte also brings helpful knowledge as she goes into her second year of mental performance classes after graduating with a degree in exercise science. Not only is De Monte someone who understands how the body works, but she said she also will provide an important bridge between the mental and physical aspects the sport demands on the athletes. 

“The mind-body connection is amazing and a massive component of successful performance, which is something I hope that I can impart even a fraction of onto others,” De Monte said. 

Being a college athlete, especially in a mentally and physically demanding sport like cross country, it is easy to experience setbacks both on and off the track. Dinan highlighted that these women have not only experienced the hardships of practice and competition, but also the expected struggles that student-athletes face at every stage of college. 

“I can count on [De Monte and Tomanovich] to also help new and returning athletes with the other challenges they may face along the way — balancing academics with being on a team, the stress of competing at a high level, managing expectations and more,” Dinan said. 

This season is bringing a significant number of new athletes to the team — including four first-year students and a sophomore athlete — which De Monte said adds a layer of unpredictability to the dynamic. 

“There is going to be a lot of young talent,” De Monte said. “I think they can accomplish anything that they put their minds to. Everyone just has to get on the same page.”