SEATTLE – (Aug. 14) The Seattle University men’s and women’s cross country teams have released their 2018 schedule, and Redhawk fans will notice that Seattle U once again hosts the Western Athletic Conference Championships, which last came to Seattle in 2016.
Kicking off the season close to home, Seattle U will compete in the University of Washington’s Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park on Sept. 8. Following that, they will run in Oregon’s Dellinger Invitational in Springfield, Ore. (Sept. 21). This will be the first time in five years that the Redhawks will participate in the event.
The team then travels to the Bay Area to race in the Bronco Invitational in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Oct. 13 before coming back home to host the WAC Championships at Jefferson Park (Oct. 27). NCAA West Regionals kick off on Nov. 9 in Sacramento, Calif., while the NCAA Championships bring the team eastward to Madison, Wis., on Nov. 17.
Second-year Head Coach Kelly Sullivan brings nine new men and five new women to the team, while returning a talented group of athletes aiming to build on their performances from last year. “We are all really excited about the 2018 schedule,” Sullivan enthused. “We have a great mix of returnees and incoming freshman and transfers and we really want them to compete with the best of the best so we are prepared for the championship time of the season. Sundodger, Dellinger and the Bronco Invite are three of the best collegiate meets on the West Coast and offer both of our teams a chance to race in quality fields and build off the experiences.”
Sullivan also expressed his excitement for the conference championships, calling the opportunity to host “really special. It is always great to host a conference championship but it also offers the chance to invite back the alumni, families and friends of our programs. I know as a university, department, team and staff we are very excited to have the championships here in Seattle.”
In 2017, Seattle U finished fourth overall in both the men’s and women’s WAC Championships, with strong outings from returning seniors Eli Boudouris and Olivia Stein. Both are coming off of their best track and field seasons that saw Boudouris setting a new school record in the 3000m steeplechase and Stein winning the WAC 10k title, also placing second in the 5000m.