SEATTLE - Seattle U cross country and track & field announced the promotion of Jordana LeSavage, increased oversee of Anthony Monroe, as well as the additions of coaches Julian Bardwell and Nathan Durkin to the staff for the 2022-23 season, stated Head Coach Kelly Sullivan on Thursday.
LeSavage spent this past spring with Seattle U as the volunteer coach, assisting with SU's hosting of the 2022 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She was a crucial part of the distance squad's success last season, coaching Gus Harquail to a new school record in the steeplechase, helping Maya McCabe set the second all-time mark in the 800m and leading four women to the 1500m finals at the WAC Championships.
LeSavage joined SU after spending the last two years at Florida State University. The native of Chicago, Ill., arrived in Tallahassee in January of 2020 as a volunteer assistant to Coach Kelly Phillips, who collegiately competed for Coach Sullivan at Auburn University. She was eventually promoted to operations assistant for the cross-country and track & field program. LeSavage familiarized herself with what it takes to be successful, taking part in two top-20 team finishes at the 2021 & 2022 NCAA Cross Country Championships. She also played a role in aiding the team to the 2021 Indoor and Outdoor ACC Team Championship titles along with numerous individual accolades.
LeSavage began her coaching career as head cross country and distance track coach at Ralston Valley High School in Arvada, Colorado. In her first season, she guided the boys' team to the Colorado 5A Cross Country State Championships for the first time since 2006. Her resume includes numerous all-conference accolades along with two individuals and a relay to a podium finish at the CO 5A State Track & Field Championships. She coached Nick Nowlen to the Ralston Valley Track & Field MVP, Ralston Valley Sportsman of the Year, and Athlete of the Year awards.
LeSavage graduated with her Bachelor's in Science in Health and Exercise Science from Winona State University where she competed in cross country and track & field. She was an integral part of aiding the team back to the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in 2013, earning multiple all-conference accolades. A certified IAAF Level 5 / USATF Level 3 Endurance coach, LeSavage was awarded the National Championship Mentorship Grant by USATF in 2019. She was mentored by Coach Danny Mackey of the Brooks Beasts Track Club at the USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.
Anthony Monroe will be increasing his coaching duties for multiple event groups. For the past four years, Monroe has primarily worked with the jumps group, but will now be assisting the sprinters, throws, and multi event groups as well. Before assisting at Seattle, Monroe was apart of the staff at Central Washington University where he coached 20 GNAC champions, 10 NCAA DII National Qualifiers, and seven All-Americans. Monroe also saw success at the high school coaching level, serving as the Head Track Coach at Bishop Manogue Catholic High School in Reno, Nevada. He coached over 40 individual Nevada State Champions with at least one in every track and field event.
Monroe was a high school varsity athlete in three sports, after which he played junior college basketball and competed for the University of Nevada Reno as a track athlete. He was part of Nevada's Big Sky Conference championship team in 1982. After college, Monroe went on to be a graduate assistant for Hall of Fame coach Jack Cook. He assisted Coach Cook with his "Theory of Track and Field" class and in the writing of his book, titled "Run, Jump, Throw." Monroe had a major role in assisting with the concept, organizing, and implementing the first two Nevada-hosted indoor meets known as the "Fabulous Fifties."
One of two new additions to the coaching staff, Julian Bardwell, will be overseeing the jumps and assisting with the sprints, and multis. Bardwell is bringing over 10 years of coaching and competition experience, most recently serving as the Director of Men's & Women's Cross Country/Track at Everett Community College from 2019 to 2022. While at Everett, Bardwell coached 28 NWAC All-Americans and two USA indoor triple jump finalists.
Before his tenure at EVCC, Bardwell coached locally at Garfield High School, where he was the Head Women's Track Coach. He assisted multiple athletes in achieving league, district, and state championships, as well as leading the girl's track team to the 2017 WIAA 3A State title. Bardwell also served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach at the University of Washington under Coach Eric Metcalf, where he coached the sprints, jumps, and relay teams.
Bardwell competed collegiately, in the long (24' 4") and triple jump (49' 0") from 2010 – 2014 as one of their top dual jumpers at UW. In conjunction with experience, Bardwell is also a USTFCCCA Jumps Specialist, and holds USTFCCCA certification in Program Management.
Nathan Durkin is the final addition, joining Seattle U as an assistant coach for distance and will be assisting in other event areas during the track and field season. Durkin has a wide scope of coaching experience, coaching distance, sprints, throws, and strength and conditioning from 2019-2021 at the University of Illinois Laboratory High School in Urbana, Illinois.
Durkin graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.S in Kinesiology. He is currently attending the University of Washington to complete his M.Ed. in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership. His time at Seattle U will fulfill an internship requirement for his program, which allows Durkin to receive hands on experience in collegiate athletics and coaching.
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