MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas University Athletics and Head Men's & Women's Track & Field Coach Tim Servis have announced the hiring of Chelsea Whalen to the position of Assistant Track & Field Coach, effective immediately. Whalen brings a plethora of collegiate experience as both an athlete and as a graduate assistant coach to the Mulerider Men's and Women's Track & Field programs.

"Chelsea is a very accomplished athlete and coach and she will add great depth to our coaching staff," remarked Servis. "I am excited to get to work alongside her and for her to get started working with our athletes."

Whalen comes to Magnolia after spending two seasons as a Graduate Assistant Coach for the Florida State Track & Field programs, where she helped the Seminoles to a second-place finish at the 2017 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships and a third place showing in the conference's 2018 championship meet. In indoor competition, Whalen was a part of the staff that helped lead the FSU Women to the 2018 ACC Indoor Track & Field title and a third place finish at the same meet in 2017.

In her position as a GA at FSU, Whalen assisted in both the recruitment of national and international athletes, the development of schedules and training plans for the programs, organized and processed athlete travel itinerary, and was responsible for ensuring athletes maintained academic standards. Whalen also holds several significant certifications by the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association, including T&FA Track & Field Technical Certification and TF&A Program Management Certification.

To say Whalen is familiar with having success collegiately would be an understatement as the native of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, experienced a decorated career as a member of the Florida State Women's Track & Field program.

During her time as a thrower in Tallahassee, Whalen became a three-time All-American, which included a pair of honors in the javelin and one in the shot put, represented her native Canada five times on a global stage and in the classroom notched six All-ACC Academic honors as well as multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic and CoSIDA Academic All-Region accolades.

Additionally, Whalen, who served as a captain of the FSU Women's Track & Field team, scored in seven of the eight ACC Championships that she competed in, which included capturing the individual shot put title at the 2013 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, and she advanced to the NCAA postseason each year as well.

By the time Whalen finished competing collegiately, she owned the Seminole program record in the shot put (16.45m | 53' 11 41/64") and held the second-longest javelin throw (52.08m | 170' 10 25/64") in school history.

A 2014 graduate of Florida State with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, Whalen went on to earn her Master of Science in Sport Management from FSU in May of 2018. Additionally, Whalen was a member of Florida State's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representing the Track & Field team and participated in several community service events.