Gonzaga's Jake Stewart resigns to take Cal Poly job...
SAN LUIS OBISPO, California--Cal Poly/San Luis Obispo officially announced the hiring of Gonzaga women's head track and cross country coach Jake Stewart (Paul Merca file photo) Monday as its new director of track and cross country, contingent on the successful completion of all background checks.
Stewart's hiring and his resignation from Gonzaga was the hot topic of conversation among coaches and media attending the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, with the rumor mill spinning Friday.
His resignation and subsequent hiring was confirmed Friday by several independent sources in the industry attending the meet, but weren't authorized to speak until the press release from both schools.
Stewart served as the head coach of the women’s track and cross country teams at Gonzaga since 2018, helping the Bulldogs build an elite distance program in the West. While at Gonzaga, Stewart oversaw six All-Americans between track and cross country, 27 NCAA West Preliminary qualifiers on the track, and 15 All-West Coast Conference honorees, 10 USTFCCCA All-West Region performances and three NCAA individual qualifiers in cross country.
With Pat Tyson retiring at the end of the 2026-27 season, Stewart was named as the Zags' director of track and cross country in waiting, with the expectation that he would head both the men's and women's programs.
During his time leading the Gonzaga women’s cross country program, Stewart guided the Bulldogs to some of their most successful seasons in program history and allowed them to earn a national ranking for five consecutive seasons from 2021-25.
During that span, the Zags finished fourth or better at the West Coast Conference Championships every year, including three second-place finishes (2021, 2023, 2025) and a conference title two years ago. Gonzaga qualified for the NCAA Championships as a team in 2024 for just the second time in program history, placing 25th, and captured its third ever West Coast Conference title and first in nine years.
The Zags matched a program-record with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA West Regional to earn an at-large bid to nationals, and the team achieved its highest national ranking ever in the USTFCCCA poll, climbing as high as number 16 that season.
Prior to Gonzaga, Stewart spent six seasons (2012-18) leading the men’s distance program at Illinois back into the national spotlight, serving as the men’s cross country head coach from 2012-17 before being named the first head men’s and women’s cross country coach in the history of the program in the fall of 2017.
Stewart, a native of Kelso, replaces Ryan Vanhoy, who was named head coach at Arizona State.
Gonzaga meanwhile immediately named McKenna Hansen as interim head cross country coach, while the school conducts a national search for Stewart's successor.
Hansen served as the Zags' graduate assistant during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, helping guide Gonzaga through a historic 2024 campaign that included six meet titles, the program's third conference championship, its first NCAA Championship appearance since 2015 and a program-best number 16 national ranking.
Hansen earned a bachelor's degree in strategic business management with a minor in family studies from BYU before completing a master's degree in organizational leadership at Gonzaga.
One of Hansen's immediate challenges, especially as the school enters the Pac-12 Conference, is to keep the athletes on her squad from transferring. The transfer portal opens for Gonzaga athletes five days after the school's official announcement. Athletes get a 15-day window once the portal opens to enter, if they so choose.
WEEKEND WRAPUP...
Here's the stuff we missed over the weekend while at the World Athletics Under 20 Championships...
Sunday in Twickenham, just outside of London at the British Milers Club Grand Prix Meet, Washington alum Sophie O'Sullivan (Paul Merca photo), who is tuning up for the European Championships that began Monday in Birmingham, set a personal best in the 800.
O'Sullivan, who will represent Ireland in the 1500 meters, made a late charge over the last 150 meters to win the race in 1:59.65.
O'Sullivan swung wide coming off the turn to beat out Great Britain's Lucy Armitage, who ran 2:00.59, and Australia's Georgia Griffith, who finished in 2:00.68.
Courtesy of Irish Athletics, here is video of the race:
In a separate section of the women's 800, Washington alum Carley Thomas, competing in only her third race all season, finished second, running 2:02.63, just behind Oregon alum Mia Barnett of Sweden's 2:01.89.
Washington alum Cass Elliott fell along with two other runners in the top section of the men's 800 with just over 100 meters to go and didn't finish.
In the second section of the men's 800, Sam Whitmarsh of the Brooks Beasts was sixth in 1:47.37.
The top section of the men's 1500 saw Washington's Tyler Bilyard place ninth in 3:38.15. Henry McLuckie of Great Britain won inbound 3:36.41.
KAYLEY DE LAY SETS HUGE PERSONAL BEST IN MILE AT SIR WALTER MILER...
Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina, Washington alum Kayley DeLay of the Brooks Beasts ran a big personal best in finishing second in the elite pro section of the Sir Walter Miler held at Meredith College.
DeLay was part of a large group over the first half of the race, as American mile record holder Sinclaire Johnson and Heather MacLean went with the pacer.
After the pacer went off the track at the half mile, the pace slowed slightly, allowing the pack to close the gap between the two front runners.
The lead changed hands several times in the final lap before Margot Appleton charged to the front down the final straightaway for the victory in 4:23.45, while DeLay's late charge fell just short, clocking a big personal best of 4:23.77, breaking 4:30 for the first time in her career.
Paris Olympian at 800 meters Juliette Whittaker of the Beasts was eleventh in a personal best 4:28.99, while teammate Teagan Schein-Becker was 13th in 4:35.23.
In the men's elite section, Washington alum Aidan Ryan was fourth in 3:54.08, while fellow Husky alum and Atlanta TC teammate Luke Houser was twelfth in 4:02.18.
Paris Olympian Hobbs Kessler won the race in 3:51.86.
Courtesy of media partner RunnerSpace.com, here is video of the women's elite mile.
NOTE: The sports information offices of Cal Poly/San Luis Obispo, Gonzaga, World Athletics, and the Sir Walter Miler contributed to this report.
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