When transferring from one university to another before the 2023-24 cross country season, then-senior Olivia Howell reconnected with a familiar face: her former coach at the University of Illinois, Sarah Smith, who became an assistant distance coach for women’s cross country at UT the same year.
For three seasons under Smith’s coaching, Howell was dominant at Illinois, receiving five All-American awards as one of the Big Ten’s best distance runners. But the relationship between Howell and Smith goes way beyond the typical athlete-to-coach dynamic.
“I instantly had a connection when I first met her, and she’s been such a motherly figure in my life,” Howell said. “My mom passed when I was a junior in high school, and she’s met her. She’s just been such an important person in my life — in every part of my life.”
At the time of her decision, Howell thought she had only one season left of eligibility and chose to leave Champaign for Austin anyway. Rejoining Smith at Texas made sense to Howell based on what she meant to her.
“It wasn’t a hard decision to follow her a second time, I trust her training,” Howell said. “I get to be with her one more year.”
During her first season with the Longhorns, Howell was a Texas outdoor 1500-meter record holder and a first-team All-American for the 800 meters.
Due to sickness last cross-country season, Howell will compete in her final year of eligibility this fall. It is one more chance to not only run for the Longhorns but also one more season coached by Smith alongside the rest of the cross-country team.
“People don’t know how much we lean on each other as teammates, but I’m just excited to work with a special group of girls,” Howell said. “I get to see my coach rebuild a program that she did at her previous school.”
Howell understands Smith’s coaching and trusts the process to result in great success. The Longhorns joining the SEC marks a year of new beginnings for all as they compete this season.
“It’s my third conference, so I think it just sets the tone to my expectations for not only myself but for what the team can do,” Howell said. “And being in a new conference, we’re all in a different one.”
Already, Howell has shown it will be hard to slow her down as she enters her final season. During the season opener on August 30 at the Stormy Seas Opener, Howell won the 5k and earned SEC Women’s Runner of the Week. This was her first career weekly honor since coming to Austin.
The Texas women’s cross country team heads to Arkansas on Saturday, September 28 to compete in the Chile Pepper Festival. Howell hopes to continue making strides throughout her last year of eligibility and the Longhorns to set the tone in a new conference.
