AMERICUS - The Georgia Southwestern Athletic Department has named Brittney Skiles head women's cross country coach. Skiles comes to GSW from Columbus State where she was a former student athlete for the Cougars and served as a student assistant coach for the 2011-12 school year. She replaces Stephen Cox who left the program in the spring to become the head men's basketball coach at Thomas University.

During her storied career with Columbus State, Skiles became the first two-time PBC woman runner of the year since the award went to a voting system in 2008. She was also a two-time first team all-conference selection as she helped extend the Cougars PBC championship winning streak to six.

"I'm excited about becoming head cross country coach at Georgia Southwestern," said Skiles. "I'm looking forward to reaching goals the cross country team has never accomplished before."

During her one year as an assistant, she helped the Cougars to a fifth place PBC finish and a USTFCCA All-Academic team award.