- "I made Virginia Wesleyan my top choice because I love everything about VWC"
- Selected Virginia Wesleyan over Coastal Carolina
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INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
- ODAC All-Academic Team (2017-18)
- 2017 Outdoor All-American - 1,500m
- 2017 Outdoor All-South/Southeast Region - 1,500m
- 2017 Indoor All-American - Mile
- 2017 Indoor All-South/Southeast Region - 800m
- 2017 Indoor All-South/Southeast Region - Mile
- 2017 Indoor All-South/Southeast Region - 3,000m
- 2017 ODAC Indoor Champion - Mile
- 2017 ODAC Indoor Champion - 800m
- 2016-17 ODAC All-Academic Team
- 2016 Outdoor All-South/Southeast Region - 800m
- 2016 Outdoor All-South/Southeast Region - 1,500m
- 2016 Indoor All-American - Mile
- 2016 Indoor All-South/Southeast Region - 800m
- 2016 Indoor All-South/Southeast Region - Mile
- 2015 ODAC Sportsmanship Team
- 2018 ODAC Track Athlete of the Week (Indoor) - Week 2
- 2017 ODAC Track Athlete of the Week (Outdoor) - Week 5
- 2017 ODAC Track Athlete of the Week (Indoor) - Week 5
- 2017 ODAC Track Athlete of the Week (Indoor) - Week 3
- 2016 ODAC Track Athlete of the Week (Indoor) - Week 3
Junior (2016-17): (Indoor) Ran the 800m, mile, and 3,000m in the indoor season… Set the ODAC record in the mile with a time of 4:54.01 at the National Championship to finish second… Became the only two-time indoor All-American in school history… (Outdoor) Competed in the 400m, 800m, 1,500m, and 3,000m… Set the ODAC record in the 1,500m with a time of 4:25.29 in the National Championship to finish second… Became the first female All-American in program history… Set a personal best in the 400m with a 1:01.48 at the Liberty Twilight.
Sophomore (2015-16): (Cross Country) Improved her showing in each of three cross country meets in the fall... Placed 22nd in the South/Southeast Regional, the best finish by a Marlin, running a time of 23:22.8 for all-region honors... (Indoor) Became the first female All-American in Marlins history with a seventh place finish in the mile at the NCAA Division III Championships, breaking the tape in 4:56.45… Also competed in the 800m in the indoor season, running a best of 2:19.70 to finish second at the Ken Taylor Invitational… Won the 800m at the Captains Invitational while claiming mile crowns at the Vince Brown Invitational and Tufts Final Qualifier… (Outdoor) Ran the 800m and 1,500m in the outdoor season… Captured titles in the 800m with a time of 2:14.10 as well as the 4x400m relay at the New Captains Classic.
Freshman (2014-15): (Indoor) One of the top first-year performers… Set the school record in the 800m and the mile with season-best runs… Ran a leg on the winning distance medley relay team at the Captains Invitational & Combined Events in January... (Outdoor) Continued to set school records, posting a 2:16.05 in the 800m at the Duke Twilight and a 4:49.80 in the 1,500m at the Wake Forest Open… Finished third in the 1,500m at the ODAC Outdoor Championships.
Academic Accomplishments: Academic Dean’s scholarship recipient.
Before VWU: Competed in soccer, basketball, softball and track and field… Captain of the soccer team as a junior and senior… Captain of the basketball and track team for one year… Two-time first team all-conference honoree in soccer, first team all-conference honoree in track, second team all-conference in basketball… Selected as Most Valuable Player in soccer as a senior and as the Coaches Award recipient in track… School record holder in the 800 (2:15) and 4x400 relay (4:02)… State runner-up in the 800 (2:15.82) and the 1600 (5:08.68)… Member of the Interact Club and the Environmental Club… Member of Student Council… Selected to the Homecoming court as a senior.
Personal: Daughter of Tracey and David Coombs; parents attended William Paterson University and community college… Has two brothers, Tyler and David, the latter at student at West Virginia University.
Get to Know Marissa
- Enjoys chocolate and listening to the music of Red Hot Chili Peppers
- A fan of U.S. Olympic soccer player Mia Hamm and football's New York Giants
- Favorites include the TV series "Lost"
- Career goal: to become a journalist
- Self-description in 10 words or less: "driven, happy, fun, outgoing, spontaneous, caring, thoughtful, helpful, athletic, smart"
- My favorite aspect of being an athlete is: "competing. I am a very competitive person in every aspect of my life. Athletics allow me to bring out my competitive personality. I love hoe the games challenge me and have taught me how to win and lose. The friendships I have built throughout playing sports will last a lifetime"
- The part of my game I've improved the most is: "becoming more vocal. When I started playing my freshman year I was quiet on the field. I was afraid of coming across as bossy, but I have learned how to communicate with my teammates on the field in a positive, helpful way"
- My personal athletic goal at VWC is: "to improve my 1600 time in track"
- Self-description in 10 words or less: "outgoing, adventurous, friendly, hard worker"
- If I could spend one day with a famous person from any time period it would be: "Bob Marley, to learn how to simply love and be happy with yourself"
- People might be surprised to know: "I danced for 10 years"
- It's the year 2030 and: "I'm traveling the world"
- The most important advice I've received is: "seize the day"
