Southern Utah Thunderbirds cross country

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's cross country[1] team is the men's cross country team that represents Southern Utah University (SUU) in Cedar City, Utah. The school's team currently competes in the Western Athletic Conference from 2022 forward. SUU previously competed in the Big Sky Conference from 2012 to 2021, the Summit League from 2007 to 2011, the Mid-Continent Conference (which became the Summit League) from 1997 to 2006, the American West Conference from 1993 to 1996, Independent from 1987 to 1992, and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference from 1967 to 1986. The Thunderbirds are currently coached by Eric Houle. SUU is one of 319 NCAA Division I cross country teams in the nation.

Southern Utah Thunderbirds
Location
Information
Color(s)    Scarlet & White
Athletics conferenceWAC
NicknameThunderbirds

History of coaches

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Eric Houle:[2] Head Cross Country Coach from 1992–present (2024) (33 years). Led the Thunderbirds to 13 Conference Championships. Houle was named the Mountain Regional Coach of the Year in 1999, and the Big Sky Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2020.

Notable athletes

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  • Cameron Levins: Summit League XC Champion in 2009 and 2011; 4th in the nation at the 2011 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships;[3] NCAA Champion in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters in 2012; The Bowerman award winner in 2012; three-time Canadian XC Champion in 2010, 2011, & 2012; and two-time Olympian in 2012 (London) and 2020 (Tokyo).[4][5][6][7]
  • Mike Tate: is a notable long-distance runner who was the Canadian XC Champion in 2019 and Canadian 5,000 Meter Champion in 2021.[8][9][10]
  • Hayden Hawks: is an American professional trail and ultramarathon runner. He has finished top three (1st place six times) at 9 of the most competitive trail ultramarathons in the world, and he set course records at two of them.

Championship results

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Top 25 in the nation (7)

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SUU has placed in the Top 25 in the nation in 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, and 1999. At the 2020 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, SUU took 9th in the nation.

Mountain region champions (1)

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SUU won the Mountain region championship in 1999.

Conference champions (13)

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SUU has won 13 Men's Conference Championships – Big Sky (2)[11] in 2020 and 2015, and the Summit League (11),[12] which was previously the Mid-Continent Conference from 1997 to 2006, in 2011, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, and 1997.

Second place finishes (8)

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WAC (2) in 2024 and 2022, Big Sky (5) in 2021, 2017, 2016, 2014, and 2013, and the Summit League (1) in 2009.

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association is the governing body for men's cross country in the United States. Below are the final yearly race results:[13]

Yearly results

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Year Coach NCAA Championships Mountain Regionals Conference Championships
2024 Eric Houle 11th[14] 2nd[15]
2023 Eric Houle 11th[16][17] 3rd[18][19]
2022 Eric Houle 11th 2nd
2021 Eric Houle 24th[20] 5th 2nd
2020 Eric Houle 9th[21] 1st[22]
2019 Eric Houle 33rd 8th 4th
2018 Eric Houle 21st[23] 5th 3rd
2017 Eric Houle 11th[24] 6th 2nd
2016 Eric Houle 27th 6th 2nd
2015 Eric Houle 21st[25] 4th 1st[26]
2014 Eric Houle 22nd 2nd
2013 Eric Houle 33rd 7th 2nd
2012 Eric Houle 8th 3rd
2011 Eric Houle 5th 1st
2010 Eric Houle 5th
2009 Eric Houle 11th 2nd
2008 Eric Houle 9th 1st
2007 Eric Houle 12th 1st
2006 Eric Houle 1st
2005 Eric Houle
2004 Eric Houle 1st
2003 Eric Houle 1st
2002 Eric Houle
2001 Eric Houle 1st
2000 Eric Houle 51st 1st
1999 Eric Houle 21st 1st 1st
1998 Eric Houle 1st
1997 Eric Houle 1st
1996 Eric Houle
1995 Eric Houle
1994 Eric Houle
1993 Eric Houle
1992 Eric Houle

Conference awards

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Year Conference 1st Team - Top 10 2nd Team - Top 20
2024 WAC[27] Santiago Gaitan
Jacob Peterson
Travis Feeny
Hayden Harward
Coleman Cragun
2023 WAC[28] Jacob Peterson
Travis Feeny
Coleman Cragun
Noah Jenkins
2022 WAC[29] Isaiah Labra
Travis Feeny
Santiago Gaitan
Hayden Harward
2021 Big Sky[30] Christian Ricketts
Nate Osterstock
Kevin Ramos
Isaiah Labra
2020 Big Sky[31] Stefen Rasmuson
Aiden Reed
Nate Osterstock
Christian Ricketts
Isaiah Labra
Santiago Gaitan
Travis Feeny
2019 Big Sky[32] Sean Newcomb
Christian Ricketts
Nate Osterstock
2018 Big Sky[33] Christian Ricketts
Aiden Reed
Nate Osterstock
2017 Big Sky[34] Mike Tate
Matthew Wright
Josh Collins
Kasey Knevelbaard
George Espino
Aiden Reed
Christian Ricketts
2016 Big Sky[35] Matthew Wright
Josh Collins
Aiden Reed
Kasey Knevelbaard
George Espino
Liam Kennell
2015 Big Sky[36] Hayden Hawks
Mike Tate
Matthew Wright
Josh Collins
Ibrahim Ahmed
Shinano Miyazawa
Istvan Szogi
2014 Big Sky[37] Nate Jewkes
Hayden Hawks
Mike Tate
2013 Big Sky[38] Ryan Barrus
Mike Tate
Dylan Marx
Hayden Hawks
Clinton Rhoton
2012 Big Sky[39] Nate Jewkes
Ryan Barrus
Elijah Rono
Clinton Rhoton
Devan Antczak
2011 Summit Cameron Levins[40]
2010 Summit
2009 Summit Cameron Levins
2008 Summit Cameron Levins
2007 Summit Cameron Levins

References

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  1. ^ "Cross Country Standards". Runcruit.
  2. ^ "Eric Houle – Head Coach". FloTrack.
  3. ^ "Cameron Levins - 2011 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships". Flotrack.
  4. ^ "Cameron Levins". Runners World.
  5. ^ "Cameron Levins - SUU Distance Runner". Salt Lake Tribune.
  6. ^ "Cameron Levins". World Athletics.
  7. ^ "SUU Cross Country Records". MileSplit.
  8. ^ "Mike Tate - Canadian Champion". Running Magazine.
  9. ^ "Mike Tate". World Athletics.
  10. ^ "Mike Tate - Training Advice and Journey to SUU". Medium.
  11. ^ "Big Sky Cross Country Championships ::: USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meet History ::: USTFCCCA".
  12. ^ "2021 #SummitXC Record Book (PDF) – The Summit League" (PDF). thesummitleague.org.
  13. ^ "USTFCCCA National Poll: NCAA DI Men's Cross Country – 2022 FINAL, November 19 ::: USTFCCCA InfoZone: Polls & Rankings Hub ::: USTFCCCA". U.S. Cross Country Coaches Association.
  14. ^ "Results - NCAA DI Mountain Region Championships 2024". Watch Athletics.
  15. ^ "2024 WAC Cross Country Championships". Watch Athletics.
  16. ^ "2023 NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Mountain Region Championship Results". US Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  17. ^ "Results - NCAA DI Mountain Region Championships 2023". Watch Athletics.
  18. ^ "2023 WAC Cross Country Championships". WAC Sports.
  19. ^ "2023 WAC Cross Country Championships Results" (PDF). WAC Sports.
  20. ^ "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2021". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  21. ^ "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2020". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  22. ^ "Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championships 2020". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  23. ^ "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2018". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  24. ^ "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2017". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  25. ^ "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2015". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  26. ^ "Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championships 2015". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  27. ^ "2024 WAC Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  28. ^ "2023 WAC Cross Country Championships Awards". WAC Sports.
  29. ^ "2022 WAC Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  30. ^ "2021 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  31. ^ "2020 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  32. ^ "2019 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  33. ^ "2018 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  34. ^ "2017 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  35. ^ "2016 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  36. ^ "2015 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  37. ^ "2014 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  38. ^ "2013 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  39. ^ "2012 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  40. ^ "Cameron Levins - 2011-12 Cross Country and Track & Field". Southern Utah News.
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