SEATTLE – Seattle University Athletics has announced a strategic alignment of its sports medicine and athletic performance areas, creating a unified Health and Performance unit dedicated to advancing the care, development, and well-being of Redhawk student athletes.
As part of this alignment, Sarah Pfau has been promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Health and Performance. In her expanded role, Pfau will oversee the combined staff of athletic performance coaches and athletic trainers, leading collaborative efforts to enhance injury prevention, recovery, physical development and overall student athlete health.
“There is a growing recognition of the benefits of an integrated high-performance model in collegiate athletics, and I’m honored and excited to lead both our Performance and Athletic Training departments in building this unified structure, said Pfau. “A high-performance model that integrates performance, strength and medical in collegiate athletics aligns with our holistic approach. By aligning training, recovery and rehab through coordinated communication and shared data, student athletes benefit from safer, more effective development and faster return-to-play.”
In addition to Pfau’s new role, the restructuring includes several key staff moves and additions:
- Blair Doak joins as an Athletic Performance Coach following four years at Duke, working most recently with the Blue Devils’ men’s and women’s basketball programs.
- John Jewell joins as Associate Director of Sports Medicine following stints at Fort Lewis College, Central Washington and Villanova.
- Tessa McEvoy joins as an Athletic Trainer following similar roles at Cal State Fullerton, Central Florida and Long Beach State.
- Bennett Cleveland, previously a graduate assistant on the Seattle U staff, moves into a full-time role as Athletic Performance Coach.
Additionally, Seattle U is in the process of hiring one more athletic performance coach to further bolster the department’s capabilities.
“The streamlined communication and collaboration has always been a part of our student athlete-centered approach, and with this shift we will not only see improved resource efficiency, but also gain a recruiting and retention edge,” said Pfau. “Our shared philosophy, goals and metrics will continue to create an environment of strong trust and a culture of excellence and accountability.”
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