PURCHASE, N.Y. – Purchase College, SUNY, Director of Athletics Ernie Palmieri announced that Daniela Georgieva, a former Olympic runner, has been named the school's head men’s and women’s cross country coach.

Georgieva brings a wealth of experience to her new coaching position. Most recently, she was a top assistant at Division II Dowling College. Prior to that, she enjoyed stints at Farmingdale State and Central Methodist University as well as Division I Missouri.

The Bulgarian native has excelled at teaching the art of running, building on her own success as an Olympian. She previous held her country’s records in the indoor (51.74) and outdoor (50.25) 400-meter dash from performances in the 1995 World Championships. A 2000 Olympian in the event, Georgieva won bronze at the IAAF World Indoor in Barcelona, Spain. She is also a three-time European Cup Champion.

She earned her Bachelor of Sports from the National Sport Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1996. In 2001, Georgieva came to the United States and continued to train while obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Methodist University. She graduated in 2005. While at CMU, she was a five-time NAIA All-American.

Georgieva, who resides in Kings Park, N.Y., with her husband and son, is fluent in four languages, including Bulgarian, German, Russian and English.