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

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.

History of coaches

Eric Houle:[2] Head Cross Country Coach from 1992–present (2023) (32 years). Led the Thunderbirds to 14 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

Championship results

Top 25 in the nation (7)

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)

SUU won the Mountain region championship in 1999.

Conference champions (14)

SUU has won 14 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 (7)

WAC (1) in 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

Year Coach NCAA Championships Mountain Regionals Conference Championships
2023Eric Houle11th[14][15]3rd[16][17]
2022Eric Houle11th2nd
2021Eric Houle24th[18]5th2nd
2020Eric Houle9th[19]1st[20]
2019Eric Houle33rd8th4th
2018Eric Houle21st[21]5th3rd
2017Eric Houle11th[22]6th2nd
2016Eric Houle27th6th2nd
2015Eric Houle21st[23]4th1st[24]
2014Eric Houle22nd2nd
2013Eric Houle33rd7th2nd
2012Eric Houle8th3rd
2011Eric Houle5th1st
2010Eric Houle5th
2009Eric Houle11th2nd
2008Eric Houle9th1st
2007Eric Houle12th1st
2006Eric Houle1st
2005Eric Houle
2004Eric Houle1st
2003Eric Houle1st
2002Eric Houle
2001Eric Houle1st
2000Eric Houle51st1st
1999Eric Houle21st1st1st
1998Eric Houle1st
1997Eric Houle1st
1996Eric Houle
1995Eric Houle
1994Eric Houle
1993Eric Houle
1992Eric Houle

Conference awards

Year Conference 1st Team - Top 10 2nd Team - Top 20
2023WAC[25]Jacob Peterson
Travis Feeny
Coleman Cragun
Noah Jenkins
2022WAC[26]Isaiah Labra
Travis Feeny
Santiago Gaitan
Hayden Harward
2021Big Sky[27]Christian Ricketts
Nate Osterstock
Kevin Ramos
Isaiah Labra
2020Big Sky[28]Stefen Rasmuson
Aiden Reed
Nate Osterstock
Christian Ricketts
Isaiah Labra
Santiago Gaitan
Travis Feeny
2019Big Sky[29]Sean Newcomb
Christian Ricketts
Nate Osterstock
2018Big Sky[30]Christian Ricketts
Aiden Reed
Nate Osterstock
2017Big Sky[31]Mike Tate
Matthew Wright
Josh Collins
Kasey Knevelbaard
George Espino
Aiden Reed
Christian Ricketts
2016Big Sky[32]Matthew Wright
Josh Collins
Aiden Reed
Kasey Knevelbaard
George Espino
Liam Kennell
2015Big Sky[33]Hayden Hawks
Mike Tate
Matthew Wright
Josh Collins
Ibrahim Ahmed
Shinano Miyazawa
Istvan Szogi
2014Big Sky[34]Nate Jewkes
Hayden Hawks
Mike Tate
2013Big Sky[35]Ryan Barrus
Mike Tate
Dylan Marx
Hayden Hawks
Clinton Rhoton
2012Big Sky[36]Nate Jewkes
Ryan Barrus
Elijah Rono
Clinton Rhoton
Devan Antczak
2011SummitCameron Levins[37]
2010Summit
2009SummitCameron Levins
2008SummitCameron Levins
2007SummitCameron Levins

References

  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. "2023 NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Mountain Region Championship Results". US Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  15. "Results - NCAA DI Mountain Region Championships 2023". Watch Athletics.
  16. "2023 WAC Cross Country Championships". WAC Sports.
  17. "2023 WAC Cross Country Championships Results" (PDF). WAC Sports.
  18. "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2021". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  19. "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2020". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  20. "Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championships 2020". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  21. "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2018". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  22. "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2017". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  23. "NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 2015". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  24. "Big Sky Conference Cross Country Championships 2015". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  25. "2023 WAC Cross Country Championships Awards". WAC Sports.
  26. "2022 WAC Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  27. "2021 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  28. "2020 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  29. "2019 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  30. "2018 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  31. "2017 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  32. "2016 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  33. "2015 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  34. "2014 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  35. "2013 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  36. "2012 Big Sky Cross Country Championships Awards". Track & Field Results Reporting System.
  37. "Cameron Levins - 2011-12 Cross Country and Track & Field". Southern Utah News.
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