| Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley | | | | 3000-meter time in the nation. |
| During the changing of the guard for Michigan State | | | | Prior to Michigan State, Arndt-Molis spent two |
| University's cross-country and track & field programs, | | | | seasons as an assistant coach for cross-country and |
| Rita Arndt-Molis was named Associate Head Coach | | | | track with the University of South Florida Bulls, where |
| following Walt Drenth's appointment as director of | | | | she helped develop 43 all-conference athletes, 10 |
| the programs. | | | | all-regional performers and 3 NCAA qualifiers. |
| Arndt-Molis will coach both men and women | | | | The personable and energetic Arndt-Molis coached up |
| middle-distance and distance runners in both | | | | Christa Benton, South Florida's first-ever All-American |
| cross-country and track. She spent her first two | | | | in cross-country, and Andrew Smith, the Bulls' first |
| years as head coach of the women's cross-country | | | | conference men's cross-county champion. In track, |
| team and as an assistant coach in track and field. | | | | the men's 4x800 relay team set a school record. |
| Her impact was immediate. The 2004 cross-country | | | | Arndt-Molis became part of the 2003 Conference |
| team was 14th at the NCAA National Championships, | | | | USA Coaching Staff of the Year. |
| led by All-American Danette Doetzel's 12th place | | | | Like Walt Drenth, Rita Arndt-Molis had tremendous |
| finish. The women were also 3rd at the Great Lakes | | | | coaching success prior to ever arriving on the |
| Regional Championships and tied with Illinois as | | | | Michigan State University campus. |
| runners-up in the Big Ten Championships. | | | | Arndt-Molis ran for the Spartans' cross-country and |
| Arndt-Molis provided the leadership, encouragement | | | | track teams for 2 years before finishing her collegiate |
| and motivation to lead her runners to success in both | | | | career at South Florida, where she became a 6-time |
| competition and in the classroom. Her 2004 | | | | NCAA qualifier, 3-time Academic All-American and |
| cross-country team recorded a team GPA of 3.52 to | | | | helped the Bulls' to their first-ever Conference USA |
| earn Academic All-American recognition. | | | | Championship, and first-ever berth to the NCAA |
| The 2005 track team set a school-record 11:29.69 in | | | | Championships in 1998. |
| the distance medley relay and was runner-up at the | | | | In her 5-year cross-country and track & field |
| Big Ten Indoor Championships. | | | | coaching career, Rita Arndt-Molis has directly helped |
| Arndt-Molis guided the 2005 cross-country team to | | | | create: |
| its 5th consecutive trip to the NCAA National | | | | Sixty All-Conference athletes, 4 individual Conference |
| Championships where the Spartans were 30th. | | | | champions, 1 Conference championship team, 24 |
| Before qualifying for the nationals, the team finished | | | | All-Regional athletes, 4 Academic All-American teams, |
| 5th at the Great Lakes Regional Championships. The | | | | 2 Academic All-American individuals, 2 NCAA |
| team's overall 3.61 GPA earned them Academic | | | | Cross-Country Championship team qualifiers, 11 NCAA |
| All-American recognition. | | | | Regional qualifiers, and 3 All-Americans. |
| The 2006 track team finished 4th at the Great Lakes | | | | You could call Rita Arndt-Molis personable, spunky, |
| Regional Championships with 4 runners-Nicole Bush, | | | | energetic, positive or upbeat, but the best name to |
| Emily Adams, Michelle Rafferty and Aimee | | | | call her is winner. She is a winner first, last and |
| Keenan-qualifying for the NCAA National | | | | always, and Michigan State University and its athletes |
| Championships. Bush was 5th in the 3000-meter run | | | | benefit from it every day she is coaching the green |
| at the nationals in a school-record 10:01.04, and she | | | | and white. |
| became an All-American with the 5th fastest | | | | |