Maraya Slatter enters her fourth season with Columbia Track & Field and Columbia Cross Country, having served as Assistant Coach for Men’s & Women’s Middle Distance and Distance during her time on Morningside.
While at Columbia, Slatter, who joined Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Daniel Ireland's staff in January of 2017, has coached 18 Ivy League Track & Field Champions and has been key to the success of the Women's Cross Country team's three straight Ivy League titles. Along with the success within the league, under Slatter's watch, six Lions qualified for the NCAA Track & Field National Championships and sending three women's teams to the NCAA Cross Country National Championships.
During the 2020 Indoor Track & Field season, Slatter helped Katie Wasserman wrap up her career at Columbia by qualifying for the 2020 NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Wasserman could not compete at the National Championships, but she did earn First Team All-American honors.
The 2019 Cross Country season saw Slatter help the Lion women finish first at the Ivy League Cross Country Heps for the third straight year. During the 2019 indoor season, Wasserman (One-Mile) and Erin Gregoire (3,000m) each took the title at the Ivy League Indoor Heps, while on the men's side Slatter helped Alek Sauer take the 1,000m Ivy League title.
Once again in 2018, Slatter's leadership helped the Lion women take the Ivy League Cross Country Heps title, their second straight.
While in Track & Field, Slatter coached six indoor Ivy League champions, Sarah Hardie (1,000m), the women's Distance Medley Relay team and Sauer's title in the 1,000m. Along with her Ivy League title, Slatter's tutelage helped Hardie set a school record in the 1,000m, while on her way to qualifying for the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track & Field National Championships.
During the 2018 outdoor season, Slatter's coaching led to Hardie (1,500m) and Nell Crosby (3,000m Steeplechase) winning Ivy League Heps titles, along with the men's 4x800m Relay team taking the title. Both Hardie and Crosby would qualify for the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, with Hardie earning First Team All-American honors and Crosby snagging Second Team All-American honors.
Despite having just joined the staff, Slatter assisted Ireland and his staff in sending Natalie Tanner (5,000m;10,000m) and Crosby (3,000m Steeplechase) to the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, where Crosby earned Second Team All-American honors on her way to setting the school record in the same event. At the 2017 Ivy League Outdoor Track & Field Heps, Slatter oversaw three champions, with Hardie (800m), Henna Rustami (5,000m) and Tanner (10,000m) each taking wins.
During the 2017 cross country season, Slatter, during her first season with the team, helped guide the women to their first Ivy League Cross Country Heps title since 2005, kick starting three straight Ivy League Cross Country Heps titles for the Lion women.
Slatter came to Columbia after most recently serving Loyola University Chicago as an assistant coach with the Ramblers. During this past cross country season, Slatter helped Emma Hatch earn All-Missouri Valley Conference accolades at the MVC Cross Country Championships.
Prior to her stint at Loyola, Slatter spent time at the University of North Carolina Greensboro in a similar capacity from 2014-16. Slatter worked with the men’s and women’s distance programs, along with handling operational duties. During her tenure with the Spartans, she coached seven runners that saw top-8 finishes at the Southern Conference Championships, as well as one East Regional qualifier.
A talent on the track during her collegiate career, Slatter became a three-time A-10 Champion in the 800m run, as well as a two-time 4x800m relay winner at the University of Charlotte. Prior to her time with the 49ers, she was a D-II All-American in the 800m run while competing for Queens University in 2009-10. Slatter earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Charlotte in 2014.
On the track in high school, Slatter was successful as well, and she still holds the fourth best 800m time all-time in North Carolina high school history.
