The Redhawks finished with a bang.
Saturday, the Seattle University track and field team completed the final day of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships in Nampa, Idaho.
“The team did a great job this weekend,” head coach Trisha Steidl said. “Everyone competed hard and gave their all.”
In his two events, Shaddye Melu definitely gave it his all.
Melu added to his gold medal collection, claiming first place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 48.16.
With two gold medals in two days – he defended his high jump title on Friday – Melu will go back to Seattle happy, with many happy for him and his accomplishment, too.
Melu defended his high jump champion title, and after not even qualifying for the 400 meter dash finals in the Championship last year, he became a champion in two events.
“His effort and focus was key to his success,” assistant coach Chad Pharis said. “He set goals at the start of the year, and is following his plan.”
Also bringing home not one, but two medals is Lila Rice, who won gold in the women’s one mile run. On Friday, she was on the distance medley relay team who won bronze.
Steidl had said Friday after the preliminary mile race that she was excited to see what Rice would bring to the finals.
And Rice brought it.
Rice’s time of 5:05.10 not only gave her a first-place finish in the mile, but it was also a new indoor personal record for her in the event.
“Desire and determination,” Steidl said, describing what Rice brought to the event. “She ran a strong, smart race and gave everything she had at the end to clinch the win.”
Kyla Danforth, finishing in fifth place in the mile, set a new personal record with a time of 5:09.85, just one day after setting a personal record in the same event.
Joe Charbonneau also set a new indoor personal record, bringing home the silver medal in the 800 meter run with a time of 1:54.63.
“It’s fantastic, and, at the same time, wasn’t a surprise,” Steidl said. “He ran a great race and it was awesome to see him earn that silver medal.”
The Redhawk distance runners continued to add to their medal collection.
In the 3,000 meter run, Moira O’Connor Lenth took third place with a time of 10:12.81.
O’Connor Lenth’s performance impressed her head coach.
“She really stepped up,” Steidl said. “She put herself in a great position and took full advantage of it. I’d say that’s probably the best race I’ve seen from her so far, and there’s more where that came from.”
After taking second place in the 5,000 meter run on Friday, Elena Smith made another podium finish in the 3,000 meter run, finishing in fourth place with a time of 10:15.42.
In just three days, Seattle U student-athletes became WAC Champions many times over. With four gold medals, two silver medals, and three bronze medals, the Redhawks will make their way back to Seattle highly decorated.
On top of the new jewelry, the team will boast 20 new indoor personal records, including six broken indoor school records.
The Redhawks came to compete. And it paid off.
“I’m very proud of the effort and execution the team showed this year,” Pharis said. “Everyone pushed each other, and the results show their determination.”