Dan Helfrick begins his fifth season as an assistant coach with the SU cross country teams. Helfrick is a three-time PSAC Track Champion who contributed to six PSAC team championships in indoor and outdoor track while running with the Raiders.
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During his tenure as an SU assistant coach, Helfrick has been a part of three consecutive PSAC championships with the women’s team (2010-12). In his inaugural coaching season (2010), the SU men’s cross country team won its first-ever conference title.
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As a Raider distance runner, Helfrick was a 10-time PSAC place-winner on the track – with five of those performances resulting in All-PSAC (Top 3) finishes. In cross country, Helfrick posted two Top 40 finishes, including an 11th-place, All-PSAC effort as a junior in 2004.
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At the 2005 PSAC Outdoor Championships, Helfrick won the 5K and 10K against one of the strongest and deepest distance fields in PSAC history. He also won the 5K at the 2006 PSAC Indoor Championships. His personal best times are 14:41(5K) and 30:37 (10K).
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Before returning to Shippensburg, Helfrick spent four years as an assistant coach at Carlisle High School, helping to build one of the most respected distance programs in central Pennsylvania. His knowledge, recent college experience and passion for the sport will prove valuable to the continued success of the SU distance runners.
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A native of Fort Loudon, Helfrick is also the creator of the online running website Huxley Running Company. He is married to SU track alum Amanda Spickler ’10.
