assistant coach Evelina Slatinska

Assistant Coach Evelina Slatinska enters her third season as an assistant cross country and track & field coach at Central Methodist.

Last season, Slatinska coached four NAIA Championship qualifiers, two All-Academic athletes and numerous runners who earned All-HAAC Conference honors. In addition to coaching current CMU athletes, Slatinska also works with Patrick Stroupe, a former Eagle who was a five-time NAIA National Champion in the race walk. Stroupe recently finished third at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials.

During her running career at Central Methodist, Slatinska earned five individual NAIA National titles and 11 NAIA All-American honors -- the most in school history. She won back-to-back titles in the indoor mile and outdoor 1500-meters in 2003 and 2004. She also won 2003 outdoor 5000 title. In cross country, Slatinska was a three-time runner-up at the NAIA National meet.

Slatinska sits atop CMU's cross country chart with the fastest 5K time in school history. She also holds records in the 1000, mile and 3000 indoors, as well as the 800, 1500 and 5000 outdoors.

A native of Sofia, Bulgaria, Slatinska represented her country in the Balkan Games, European Cup and World Cup. In 1998, she was the 1500 champion at the Balkan Games. Slatinska was also the Bulgarian champion in the 800, 1500 and 3000 from 1996 to 2002.

Slatinska graduated from Central Methodist with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 2006. In December 2008, she will receive her master's of general education from CMU.

Slatinska and her husband Nick live in Fayette with their daughter, Nikol. In her free time, Slatinska enjoys running, reading and spending time with her daughter.