Inside the Championship Mindset: A Q&A with FSCJ Head Coach Jody Hale
As the Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) Manta Rays prepare to toe the line at the NJCAA Cross Country National Championship, we caught up with Head Coach Jody Hale, the architect behind one of the fastest squads in program history. Hale, who's guided the team through a season of personal bests and record-breaking runs, opened up about what it takes to compete on the biggest stage in JUCO cross country.
Q: You've raced in some tough fields this season. How does Nationals stack up against everything you've faced so far?
Hale: We've gone head-to-head with Division I programs at NCAA meets and battled all the JUCO Region 8 teams at Regionals—but nothing compares to Nationals. It's the pinnacle. Everything builds toward this.
Q: What do you see as your team's biggest strengths heading into Fort Dodge?
Hale: The men's squad is running faster than any group in FSCJ history. Our average time just broke the program record, putting us solidly in the national top 20. We've got three guys—Ben Hale, Cole Fleming, and Noah
Looney—all inside our all-time Top 10 list. Ben just set a new school record at 26:54 for 8K, with Cole and Noah less than 30 seconds behind. The USTFCCCA rankings have us at No. 24, but honestly, I think we're better than that.
On the women's side, Mei Chiang, a Fleming Island standout, is the heartbeat of our team. She holds the eighth-fastest time in the country—and the top eight are separated by less than 30 seconds. That's going to make her race one of the most thrilling of the day. Ellie Cardozo and Leilani Ortega Sandoval have also been clutch, each hitting big personal records at key meets this season.
Q: Any particular runners or matchups you'll be watching closely?
Hale: Absolutely. We always go into a race with a tactical plan—target teams, target individuals. We don't rely on luck. Every move out there is part of a strategy we've prepared for. Nationals are no different.
Q: You've raced this course before. What can you tell us about it?
Hale: We've been here in 2017 and again in 2020. Let's just say they picked the hilliest spot in Iowa and decided to build a golf course on it. It's got some rolling hills, but it finishes with a long downhill that really lets runners open up. It's fair—but tough.
Q: Florida's not exactly known for its hills. How do your athletes adjust?
Hale: (Laughs) True. We get creative. We train on bridges, overpasses, and anywhere with a decent incline. We also schedule meets on hilly courses throughout the season so Nationals don't feel like a surprise. When you've done your homework, the hills aren't as intimidating.
Q: The forecast looks brutal—cold rain, wind gusts, temperatures in the 40s. How does that play into your race plan?
Hale: That's cross country, right? But honestly, our athletes handle it well. When you train all year in 90-degree heat and 90% humidity, cold and rain almost feel refreshing. Our past teams have always performed strong in those conditions.
Q: What does competing on this stage mean for FSCJ and your program?
Hale: It's everything. Nationals are our benchmark—how we measure progress, growth, and the success of our season. For these athletes, it's proof that their hard work has paid off. For our program, it's another step forward in showing that FSCJ can compete with the best in the nation.
Show your support for FSCJ Cross Country
- Follow @fscjmantarays on X for Updates
- Join the FSCJ Cross Country Facebook Group
- Follow @fscjmantarays on Instagram
- Donate to support FSCJ Cross Country
