Marcia Mansur-Wentworth knows about excellence. During her tenure at UCF, the Golden Knights have collected 208 all-conference honors and her athletes hold all 50 UCF records in cross country and track and field events.
In the fall of 2006, Mansur-Wenworth coached the UCF men[apos]s cross country team to a fourth place finish at the Conference USA Championship, while the women took fifth. Both junior Dustin Hicks and freshman Jenny Clausen earned third-team all-conference recognition for their individual performances on race day and Daniel Conn and Elizabeth Miller were named to the inaugural C-USA All-Academic Teams.
As the Golden Knights[apos] celebrated their inaugural season in C-USA last year, Mansur-Wentworth coached rookie Chris Mullaney to third-team all-conference honors and a school record-breaking performance in the 8K during cross country. The men finished fourth at the conference meet, while the women placed ninth. In track, UCF placed seventh at the C-USA Indoor Championship and ninth in the outdoor championship. The Golden Knights earned a combined eight all-conference honors in the two meets and four athletes qualified for the NCAA East Regional.
Prior to the team[apos]s move to C-USA, Mansur-Wentworth guided the Golden Knights track and field and cross country teams to 10 Atlantic Sun titles and earned 10 conference coach of the year awards. She has coached 42 women and two men to conference championships. The track team won eight of the 10 conference championships, including six consecutive titles from 2000-05. UCF also earned back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998. The women[apos]s cross country team claimed the Atlantic Sun crown in 1995 and 1999 - the same year that Sonja Shedden won the first of her back-to-back individual championships.
During the team[apos]s final year in the Atlantic Sun, the Golden Knights enjoyed success in both the fall and spring seasons. Seven athletes won individual titles and 13 earned all-conference honors as UCF claimed its sixth consecutive Atlantic Sun title in women[apos]s track and field. The Golden Knights earned eight NCAA East Regional qualifications, matching the program high of the year before.
In the fall of 2004, two runners - Jake Wilke and Astrid Claessens - were named to the all-conference cross country teams. The men finished third, while the women were fourth.
In 2003-04, the Golden Knights track team earned 14 all-conference honors. Three athletes won individual conference titles and eight qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships.
In 2002, the track and field team won the Atlantic Sun Championship with the highest point total (204) and margin of victory (107) in conference history, a mark set by the Golden Knights the previous year. That same season, UCF[apos]s shuttle hurdle relay team posted a season-best time of 56.72 and finished the season ranked sixth in the country by Track and Field News.
In the fall of 2000, Mansur-Wentworth coached cross country runner Sonja Shedden to the NCAA finals, while LesSundra Ford became the second athlete to reach an NCAA final, qualifying in the high jump in 2004.
With the passion that Mansur-Wentworth has for the sport, there should be no surprise that both she and her athletes are so successful. She was a member of the Board of Directors for the Florida division of USA Track and Field (USATF/FL) and served as the women[apos]s track and field chairperson through 1999. She was also the editor of the USATF/FL magazine from 1989-98. She directed international, televised meets for the USATF/FL and also served as the assistant to the director of the elite Olympic track club, Mazda T.C.
In addition to her work with USATF/FL, she was the executive director of Florida[apos]s Athletics Congress from 1989-92.
Prior to her tenure at UCF, Mansur-Wentworth served as an assistant coach at the University of South Florida from 1992-95. Under her tutelage, the women[apos]s cross country squad finished the season ranked 25th in the nation in 1994 while the 4x1500 relay team was ranked in the top 10 by Track and Field News in 1992. She also assisted with the men[apos]s team that included Jon Dennis, a two-time NCAA champion in the 5,000m.
Growing up the eldest of five children in Colts Neck, N.J., she was an eight-sport athlete at Marlboro High School competing in tennis, golf, basketball, softball, field hockey, volleyball, horseback riding and, of course, cross country and track. The first female to run for the MHS cross country team, she was inducted into the school[apos]s hall of fame in the summer of 2005.
Mansur-Wentworth matriculated at the University of South Carolina and played one year of volleyball for the Gamecocks before she returned to running. Because there were no women[apos]s track and field or cross country teams at South Carolina until 1988, Mansur-Wentworth opted to join the Carolina Track Club and represented the club for three years. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science and philosophy from USC in 1982.
After graduation, Mansur-Wentworth continued to enjoy success as an athlete representing Team Adidas from 1985-89 and Reebok Racing Club from 1990-95 as a distance runner. The Road Runners[apos] Club of America named her Runner of the Year in 1987.
Mansur-Wentworth[apos]s husband Jeff is also involved in athletics as the director of Walt Disney[apos]s Wide World of Sports. A former cross country and track runner at NC State, he is a five-time USA Track and Field national qualifier and a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the steeplechase, an event in which he boasts a personal best of 8:36. He also qualified in the marathon at the 1982 Olympic Trials with a time of 2:16.58. Wentworth has volunteered his expertise to the UCF program in the past.
Away from the track, Mansur-Wentworth raises show dogs. Her extended family includes three championship Borzoi dogs - Ozzie, Picasso and Prince - and a Scottish Deerhound, Ardie.
12/4/06