Huskies and Redhawks open cross country season Saturday at Sundodger Invitational...
The new era of track & field and cross country at the University of Washington swings into action Saturday morning at Lincoln Park, as Maurica and Andy Powell take command of the Husky program in its first competitive effort of the school year by hosting the annual Sundodger Invitational cross country meet at Lincoln Park in West Seattle.
Besides the host Huskies, teams from Seattle University, Boise State, Oregon State (women), and Trinity Western from Langley, BC will run.
The meet begins at 11 am with the women’s 6k, followed by the men’s 8k at 11:35 am.
Washington has only been together as a team since Tuesday, so Saturday’s race will be a "workout-type effort in a fun setting," according to Director of Track & Field Maurica Powell. "We have only had a few days with the student-athletes, so who runs on Saturday will be based on the best long term decisions for the season. The plan is to run in groups at a determined pace,” while holding most of the team out for the Battle in Beantown (men) on September 21st in Boston, and the Stanford Invitational (women) on September 29th.
SeattleU coach Kelly Sullivan will run predominantly freshmen and transfers Saturday, while the rest of the team prepares for the Bill Dellinger Invitational in two weeks in Springfield, Oregon.
Dawgs who may run on Saturday on the women's side include senior Emily Hamlin (left/photo by Paul Merca), junior Nikki Zielinski, sophomores Allie Schadler and Kiera Marshall, redshirt freshman Sarah Carter, freshmen Madison Heisterman and Olivia O'Keeffe, and new transfers Katie Rainsberger from Oregon and Nicole Geocke from Oregon State.
The Husky men who may line up include juniors Julius Diehr and Andrew Snyder, sophomores Nate Beamer, Nick Laccinole, and Tibebu Proctor, and redshirt freshman Chase Equall.
SeattleU’s entries in the women’s race include Shannan Higgins, Rachel Kastama, Marie Chahrouri, Adahra Poasa, Ellie Postma, and Abby Smith.
The Redhawks’ entries in the men’s race include Cal Davidson-Turner and Kyle Kennedy along with freshmen Javon Arnone, Stephen Crocker, Alex Franklin, and Ansel Pendley-Griffin, plus redshirt sophomore transfer Nathan Pixler and graduate transfer Evan Talan.
Both Boise State teams enter the Sundodger Invitational ranked in the USTFCCCA national top 30 in its pre-season poll, with the women checking in at number 5 and the men at number 26, while the Huskies are ranked #18 on the women’s side, and the men are at #27.
The Boise State women are scheduled to run full teams in both races, with the women led by NCAA steeplechase champ Allie Ostrander, along with Emily Venteres, Clare O’Brien, Alexis Fuller & Gracie Tostenson, who were on the team that finished sixth at last year’s NCAA cross country championships.
The Broncos will run cross country All-Americans Addison Dehaven (2017), Miler Haller (2017) and Yusuke Uchikoshi (2016) Saturday along with 017 Mountain West Freshman of the Year Ahmed Muhumed. Elijah Armstrong, the team's top runner at the 2015 NCAA Championships (70th), returns from a 2-year church mission. Edmonds native Miler Haller is also expected to run.
Oregon State will have eleven women entered, led by Juliana Mount who was 25th at NCAA West Regionals last year.
The Beavers won the Portland State Rust Buster,led by sophomores Lexi Reed & Sara Christianson, who went 1-2. Former Seattle Pacific standout Alyssa Foote adds depth to Beavers.
Trinity Western’s women’s team is led by Jouen Chang who was 39th in the U Sports XC championships, and Mikaela Smart, who was 42nd. Chang was 3rd in the steeplechase at the Canadian U20 championships.
For the Spartan men’s team, its top returning runners are Caleb deJong, who was 24th at U Sports and ninth in the steeple at Canadian nationals, and Nick Colyn, who was fifth in the Canadian national championships in the steeple.
Washington’s release is available here, while SeattleU’s release is available here.
The start list for the Sundodger Invitational is available below.
NOTE: The sports information office of the University of Washington, Boise State, Oregon State and Seattle University contributed to this report.
Besides the host Huskies, teams from Seattle University, Boise State, Oregon State (women), and Trinity Western from Langley, BC will run.
The meet begins at 11 am with the women’s 6k, followed by the men’s 8k at 11:35 am.
SeattleU coach Kelly Sullivan will run predominantly freshmen and transfers Saturday, while the rest of the team prepares for the Bill Dellinger Invitational in two weeks in Springfield, Oregon.
Dawgs who may run on Saturday on the women's side include senior Emily Hamlin (left/photo by Paul Merca), junior Nikki Zielinski, sophomores Allie Schadler and Kiera Marshall, redshirt freshman Sarah Carter, freshmen Madison Heisterman and Olivia O'Keeffe, and new transfers Katie Rainsberger from Oregon and Nicole Geocke from Oregon State.
The Husky men who may line up include juniors Julius Diehr and Andrew Snyder, sophomores Nate Beamer, Nick Laccinole, and Tibebu Proctor, and redshirt freshman Chase Equall.
SeattleU’s entries in the women’s race include Shannan Higgins, Rachel Kastama, Marie Chahrouri, Adahra Poasa, Ellie Postma, and Abby Smith.
The Redhawks’ entries in the men’s race include Cal Davidson-Turner and Kyle Kennedy along with freshmen Javon Arnone, Stephen Crocker, Alex Franklin, and Ansel Pendley-Griffin, plus redshirt sophomore transfer Nathan Pixler and graduate transfer Evan Talan.
Both Boise State teams enter the Sundodger Invitational ranked in the USTFCCCA national top 30 in its pre-season poll, with the women checking in at number 5 and the men at number 26, while the Huskies are ranked #18 on the women’s side, and the men are at #27.
The Boise State women are scheduled to run full teams in both races, with the women led by NCAA steeplechase champ Allie Ostrander, along with Emily Venteres, Clare O’Brien, Alexis Fuller & Gracie Tostenson, who were on the team that finished sixth at last year’s NCAA cross country championships.
The Broncos will run cross country All-Americans Addison Dehaven (2017), Miler Haller (2017) and Yusuke Uchikoshi (2016) Saturday along with 017 Mountain West Freshman of the Year Ahmed Muhumed. Elijah Armstrong, the team's top runner at the 2015 NCAA Championships (70th), returns from a 2-year church mission. Edmonds native Miler Haller is also expected to run.
Oregon State will have eleven women entered, led by Juliana Mount who was 25th at NCAA West Regionals last year.
The Beavers won the Portland State Rust Buster,led by sophomores Lexi Reed & Sara Christianson, who went 1-2. Former Seattle Pacific standout Alyssa Foote adds depth to Beavers.
Trinity Western’s women’s team is led by Jouen Chang who was 39th in the U Sports XC championships, and Mikaela Smart, who was 42nd. Chang was 3rd in the steeplechase at the Canadian U20 championships.
For the Spartan men’s team, its top returning runners are Caleb deJong, who was 24th at U Sports and ninth in the steeple at Canadian nationals, and Nick Colyn, who was fifth in the Canadian national championships in the steeple.
Washington’s release is available here, while SeattleU’s release is available here.
The start list for the Sundodger Invitational is available below.
Sundodger entries by paulmerca70601 on Scribd
NOTE: The sports information office of the University of Washington, Boise State, Oregon State and Seattle University contributed to this report.
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