”I am thrilled to have Nicole join our staff,” Columbia Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Willy Wood said. “She will bring such an amazing level of competitive experience to our women’s distance program. We are all very much looking forward to her arrival here and are confident that her impact will be immense.”

Blood will work primarily with Columbia’s women’s distance runners. She will replace departing assistant coach Zach Richard, who helped guide the women’s distance program back to the top of the Ivy League over the last four years.