UW Men’s Track & Field Team secures historic wins, proving that collaboration and dedication can get you across the finish line
Last season, eight members of UW Men’s Track & Field made history when they ran a mile under four minutes in the same race — not once, but twice.
Joe Waskom, Brian Fay, Sam Ellis, Kieran Lumb, Aidan Ryan, Luke Houser, Aaron Ahl and Nathan Green’s remarkable performances at the UW Invitational in Boston led them to clinch the Pac-12 Championship, marking their first outdoor conference title since 1928.
“Our goal was to try to win a conference title and be one of the top-10 national teams,” shares Andy Powell, Head Coach of Track & Field and Cross Country.
Men’s Track & Field certainly followed through with their goal this year. Aside from the overall team’s noteworthy performance at the conference, individual members achieved success as well, surpassing the program record of six individual titles from 1976. Some of those achievements included:
- Fay won in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter races.
- Cass Elliott defended his 400-meter hurdles title.
- Sam Ellis dominated the 800-meters event.
- Nathan Green secured his first Pac-12 1,500-meter title.
- Ed Trippas also won first place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
- Ollie Thorner earned the top spot in the decathlon.
Andy shares their winning strategy. “At the beginning of the year, we set academic and athletic goals,” he shares. “Our training sessions were excellent, with student-athletes continuing to set new personal bests.”
His goal was to cultivate collaboration and alleviate the pressure from individual participants by transforming track from an individual sport to a team endeavor. “Individually and as a team we held each other accountable and focused on maintaining a positive mindset that ‘this is our year,’” he says.
This strategy permeates all of Husky Track & Field / Cross Country thanks to the efforts of Maurica Powell, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. Together, she and her husband, Andy, have created a culture of winning since arriving at Washington in 2018.
As former student-athletes, Andy and Maurica understand the sport is as much a mental pursuit as a physical one. That’s why they put so much importance on creating a great student-athlete experience, one that’s supportive, that focuses on collaboration and working toward a common goal.
“I’ve been part of various winning teams, but this championship is special, and the team is genuinely excited to win,” shares Andy proudly. He credited the team’s success to a fantastic relationship between the student-athletes and coaching staff and generous support from donors and alumni.
The team’s extraordinary display of dedication on the field last season secured them a permanent place in UW athletic history. “When you hear the team being called ‘the first ever’ or ‘the best ever,’ it feels great,” says Andy Powell.
