After winning the women’s three-mile race at last Saturday’s Viking Cross Country Classic and leading the Seattle University women’s cross country squad to a team victory, senior Sophie Curatilo (Honolulu, Hawaii) has been named the Western Athletic Conference Female Cross Country Runner of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office.
In addition, Curatilo has also been named the Featured Student-Athlete of the Week on GoSeattleU.com for her continued excellence both in competition and in the classroom.
Curatilo won the Viking Cross Country Classic by almost seven full seconds with a time of 16:48.40, over 30 seconds faster than her previous best mark in a three-mile cross country event. She helped the Redhawks win the team title at the meet, defeating host school Portland State as well as Oregon State and Portland.
“Sophie has approached this season with more focus and preparation than ever before. It’s great to see her hard work and competitiveness acknowledged, in part, by these honors. She is ready to have a very special season, as I believe this is just the start of what’s to come,” Seattle U head coach Trisha Steidl said.
This is the second time this season that Curatilo has crossed the finish line as Seattle U’s top runner, previously finishing 17th overall at the Sundodger Invitational Sept. 20 at Lincoln Park in West Seattle. Last year, she earned Second Team All-WAC honors in cross country by finishing ninth at the WAC Cross Country Championships at Jefferson Park with a five-kilometer time of 18:27.60.
Curatilo becomes the second Seattle U female to earn WAC Runner of the Week honors so far in 2014, as Lila Rice (Redmond, Wash.) picked up the weekly award Sept. 2 after her performance at the SU/UW Open. Gus Arroyo (Portland, Ore.) is a two-time honoree so far this season, receiving the conference’s weekly award on Sept. 2 and Sept. 23.
Curatilo is also a strong student, compiling a 3.4 grade point average as a nursing major. She has earned multiple Academic All-WAC awards thanks to her participation throughout the year in cross country and track and field. She is now a two-time Featured Student-Athlete of the Week on GoSeattleU.com, previously earning the recognition March 25, 2014, after breaking a six-year-old school record in the 3000 meter run during the outdoor track and field season.
The Seattle University cross country program is gearing up for its annual home meet, as the Emerald City Open will take place Saturday, Oct. 18, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Lower Woodland Park. It is also the team’s Pink Meet, raising awareness about the need for breast cancer detection and treatment.
The Seattle University athletics department names a Featured Student-Athlete each Tuesday based on performances in the classroom and in competition.