BRYAN COLLEGE STATION – Head Athletics Coach at Texas A&M Patrick Henry announced Monday that former A&M national champion Olivia Ekponé has joined its staff as an athletic assistant. Ekponé will oversee the program’s operations and also handle recruiting for the team.

“We are very excited to welcome Olivia (Ekponé) to our team,” Henry said. “She won a conference and state championship with our team and has a lot of experience in Aggieland. She comes to us from a similar background and is an excellent reporter on our sport and we are excited to have her back.”

“It is an honor to work with Coach Henry and to work with his coaching and support staff,” Ekponé said. “I have great respect for Coach Henry and am impressed with how he has improved the track and field and cross country programs in Aggieland over the years.”

A four-year honoree and 12-time All-American for the Maroon & White, Ekponé played a key role in securing the women’s team’s fourth NCAA outdoor championship in 2014 and the program’s first SEC outdoor team title in 2013. She also led the women’s 4x100m relay to the national title at the 2014 outdoor meet, winning the final in 42.80 seconds. Her outstanding performances earned her the 2014 SEC Runner of the Year award and helped the team to three more top-three finishes in the program during her time as a student-athlete.

She also etched her name in the Aggies’ history books, as Ekponé continues to hold the school record in the women’s 200m outdoor with a time of 22.23 and is also in the top 10 in the 60m indoor (7.25) and 100m outdoor (11.11).

“Words cannot describe how excited I am to be back in Aggieland and wearing the Maroon & White jerseys,” Ekponé continued. “This is truly a full-circle moment. I was one of Coach Henry’s athletes from 2011-2015 and had success as a student-athlete. This time, I return as an athletic assistant. I look forward to being a part of and working with this talented team.”

After graduating, Ekponé stayed in the athletics world, working in a sports media role for MileSplit and FloTrack, covering young athletes from the junior to professional levels.

To learn more about Texas A&M Track & Field/Cross Country, visit 12thMan.com and follow @aggietfxc.