YEAR IN REVIEW 2013-14
Men’s Soccer historic NCAA first round win at perennial power Creighton, 2013
CONTENTS // D i r e c t o r ’ s R e c a p // I n d i c a t o r s o f E x c e l l e n c e : A t h l e t i c Pe r f o r m a n c e // I n d i c a t o r s o f E x c e l l e n c e : Academic Achievement // I n d i c a t o r s o f E x c e l l e n c e : Community Engagement
2013-14Athletics
YEAR IN REVIEW
DIRECTOR’S RECAP C o l l e c t i v e l y, t h i s w a s o u r b e s t y e a r y e t i n terms of team and individual performance, academic recognitions and awards and growth of institutional pride and spirit. From Midnight Madness to Homecoming, this was a banner year. The second annual R e d Ti e C e l e b r a t i o n w a s a n o u t s t a n d i n g success, and we have been able to kick off our first ever annual fund for Athletics, the A e r i e C l u b . We h a v e o n l y j u s t b e g u n . G O R E D H AW K S !
A E R I E C LU B
YEAR IN REVIEW
INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE ATHLETIC
PERFORMANCE
2014 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup WA C R a n k i n g ( n a t i o n a l ) 1 . S E AT T L E U ( 1 8 9 t ) 1. Idaho (189t) 3. New Mexico State (208) 4. Bakersfield (249) 5 . U t a h Va l l e y ( 2 5 1 ) Chicago State (NR) Grand Canyon (NR) Kansas City (NR) U T PA ( N R ) NR - not ranked
2014 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup DI-AAA Ranking (national) 1. Denver (43) NR. San Diego (108) 15. Creighton (126) 1 7. Po r t l a n d ( 1 3 0 ) 26t. Gonzaga (165t) 26 t . Pa c i f i c (1 6 5 t) 2 9 . L o y o l a M a r y l a n d ( 1 76) 3 2 t . S E AT T L E U (189 t) 40. San Francisco (203) 42. Santa Clara (204) 60. Xavier (252) 64. LMU (258) Pe e r 1 1 r a n k i n g
JOE KEARNEY AWARD Junior Stephanie Verdoia won the prestigious Western Athletic Conference Joe Kearney Award, which is bestowed annually to the top male and female student-athlete across all sports. Verdoia is the first ever women’s soccer recipient.
WAC CHAMPIONS Women’s Soccer was nearly flawless throughout the conference season, winning 15-straight games and shutting out 11. This was the first conference crown, regular season and tournament, in school history for Women’s Soccer as a member of Division I. Championships
WAC CHAMPIONS Capping off a 12-game winning streak, Men’s Soccer claimed yet another championship; this time it was for WAC supremacy. The Redhawks won both the regular season and tournament titles advancing to the NCAA tournament. Championships
TOURNAMENT TIME Women’s Soccer was the first team at SU to earn a berth to an NCAA Division I tournament since 1969. Men’s Soccer also earned an automatic berth and then captured SU’s first Divison I NCAA Tournament victory in 49 years. Championships
WAC CHAMPION Senior Dylan Burrnett won the Outdoor Track and Field conference javelin title. Burnett advanced to his second consecutive NCAA Championships appearance as the west region’s 13th ranked javelin thrower. Championships
PLAYER OF THE YEAR Senior striker Miguel Gonzalez was named Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Redhawks to an undefeated conference record.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR Standout junior Stephanie Verdoia continued to assert her place in Women’s Soccer history books by claiming the WAC Offensive Player of the Year honor.
SOCCER SUPREMACY Coaching deans Julie Woodward and Pete Fewing swept the conference Coach of the Year awards after leading their teams in outstanding fashion to conference regular season and tournament titles, whereby earning automatic NCAA Tournament berths.
FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR An indicator of things to come, Kyle Bjornethun (men’s soccer), Lindsay Davis (softball), Iris Ivanis (volleyball), Lila Rice (cross country) all burst on the scene and claimed Freshman of the Year honors.
WBCA ALL-REGION As an all-region honoree, senior Kacie Sowell was one of only 52 Division I nominees nationwide for the 2014 WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team. Sowell was also named to the DIAAA Scholar Athlete Team for the second straight year.
EDDIE O’BRIEN AWARD The Student-Athlete of the Year Award has long been the most distingushed Athletics honor at SU, and in 2014 it was renamed to become the Eddie O’Brien Student-Athlete of the Year Award. Seniors Julia Besagno (women’s soccer) and Kevin Lynch (men’s tennis) were this year’s recipients.
3 POINT ALL-TIME LEADER WAC All-Newcomer, Isiah Umipig hit 106 three-pointers during the season, which was good enough to lead the conference and claim top spot in the Seattle University record books. Considering the company, it is quite a feat.
BESTING RANKED TEAMS It happened not once, but twice. Baseball first bested the 5th ranked team in the nation, the Washington Huskies, at Bannerwood Park on April 22. One week later, they did it again. This time they beat the 7th ranked team, also the Huskies, at their new ballpark. For good measure, the Redhawks outlasted perennial Pac-12 power WSU Cougars, winning on a strikeout, to close out the home season.
SPRING POSTSEASON Softball claimed its first ever Division I postseason win during the WAC Tournament hosted at Francis F. Logan Field at SU Park, and Baseball advanced to its first postseason tournament in more than 50 years.
YEAR IN REVIEW
INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS Among the best in the country, women’s soccer standouts Jacqui Wallis, Julia Besagno and Stephanie Verdoia were named Capital One Academic All-Americans. Seattle University was the only Division I women’s soccer program in 2013 to have three student-athletes named Academic All-American.
All-AMERICAN SCHOLAR Graduated senior and former SGSU president Nicole Gaddie has been recognized by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) by being named an All-American Scholar. This is the second time she has received this honor.
GRADUATING 19 OF 19 High-fives to Men’s Basketball. Over the past six years, Redhawks Men’s Basketball is among the elite level of Division I men’s basketball programs, including Duke and Notre Dame, that will graduate 100% of its seniors who complete their eligibility; make it 19 for 19 in the Cameron Dollar Era.
3.35 SPRING CUM. GPA Talk about a great finish. All student-athletes combined delivered a 3.355 cumulative GPA for the spring quarter. Women’s Cross Country led all teams and Men’s Track and Field was the top men’s team. 3.355 is the highest posted student-athlete cumulative GPA on record at Seattle University.
181 NAMED All-ACADEMIC Besting last year’s tally of 175 All-Academic honorees, Redhawks are among the conference leaders for studentathlete achievement on and off the field. Combined with the Learfield Directors’ Cup finish, Redhawks are excelling all-round.
75% EARNED A 3.0+ GPA Our mission, in a few words, is to champion holistic development in the Jesuit tradition, and three-fourths of student-athletes achieving a 3.0 GPA or better is one outstanding measure that affirms that our student-athletes are living out this mission.
25 EARNED A 4.0 GPA Great success is born of intentional planning and tireless effort. Student-athletes often approach sport and studies in the same way, and the results are evident with an average of 25 studentathletes per quarter achieving a 4.0 GPA over the academic year.
THREE-PEAT AWARD Women’s Soccer team was recognized for its performance in the classroom during the 2012-13 academic year, earning the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award. Out of all 593 collegiate soccer programs, this is the third straight year the Redhawks have claimed this national award.
TEAM EXCELLENCE Continuing its academic excellence streak, men’s and women’s swimming qualified for the distinction of Scholar All-America Team by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). This is the highest team academic award in all of collegiate swimming,
YEAR IN REVIEW
INDICATORS OF EXCELLENCE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
MIDNIGHT MADNESS There was smoke, laser lights, spot lights and hundreds of students rockin’ the red to usher in the basketball seasons at the inagural Midnight Madness, which was a collaborative effort with the Division of Student Development.
HOMECOMING Some traditions are born and a few burst on the scene. Homecoming 2014 was SU’s first university-wide Homecoming in more than 40 years, and it was a dandy. From the campus parade, the Cherry Street Rally, the Hall of Fame inductions, the naming of the Royals or the thrilling come from behind win over the Idaho Vandals, Homecoming is back.
REDHAWK INVITATIONAL At the site of the 2015 United States Open Championship, the Seattle University men’s golf team welcomed some of the best teams in the country, including then nationally ranked UCLA and Washington, for the inaugural Redhawk Invitational.
Allstate GOOD WORKS TEAM Among her many accolades, senior Kacie Sowell took time for others. As a result of her service commitment, Sowell was named to the WBCA Allstate Good Works Team for 2014, which is one of the highest national honors for recognizing the service of student-athletes.
2,400 SERVICE HOURS Whether in Costa Rica or right here in Seattle, student-athletes combined for more than 2,400 service hours during the academic year. It is all part of the commitment to a transformative Jesuit education.
REDHAWK PRIDE CUP Claiming the first ever Redhawk Pride Cup, Women’s Rowing cruised to victory by garnering academic, spirit and community service points. Women’s Rowing made a major impact at Dance Marathon raising more than $5,000 for the cause.
CAREER PLANNING In partnerhsip with Career Athletes and Career Placement of Student Development, Athletics hosted the largest career fair for student-athletes held on campus. More than 30 employers participated in the April event.
GoSeattleU.com