THE GOLD
Seattle Pacific University's crews hit high-water marks in the program's existence on back-to-back days, May 13 and 14. First, the men's crew captured a silver medal at Philadelphia's Dad Vail Regatta -- the recognized small college national championships -- in the lightweight four category. On the following day in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Falcon women's varsity four rowed to the school's first national title at the Champion International Collegiate Regatta (CICR).
Seattle Pacific, which had been runner-up to Bucknell in the morning qualifying heat, parlayed a quick start and a solid finish into an easy, seven-second victory on Mother's Day in Philadelphia. "We just rowed every phase of the race in fantastic fashion," says Jefferson. "This wraps up a very, very positive season for the program."
Jefferson and Assistant Coach Paul Christensen made the 2,500-mile drive from Seattle to the East Coast, toting four boats so that his crew could row in their familiar shells rather than borrow, as in previous years.
In 1999, the Falcon women's four finished third in the women's grand final at CICR. This year's lineup included three members of the bronze medalist crew, with the only newcomer being freshman stroke oar Kristin Gadbois. Completing the lineup were Jesse Pennington, Kendra Cox and Amy LeCount. The coxswain was Christina Lovell.
For the sixth time in the last nine years, a Falcon track and field competitor took home the Athlete of the Year award from Seattle Pacific University's annual awards banquet. On June 1, Laura Widman, who led SPU to a one-sided victory at the Pacific West Conference Championships and later finished second in the NCAA heptathlon, was named by the coaching staff as the year's premier athlete. Laura Widman
The highest career honor, the Falcon Award for Excellence in athletics and academics, was given to five graduating seniors. Josh Adam and Amy LeCount represented crew, while volleyball's Danielle Dettorre, soccer's Barth Riedel, and Heather Wallace, a member of both the track and cross country teams, were also honored. LeCount, Dettorre and Riedel are all national finalists for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships.
A surprise at the banquet was the announcement of Ken Foreman as the U.S. Track Coaches Association National Coach of the Year. Foreman, who first came to coach at Seattle Pacific in 1950, is retiring after more than 40 years of service as a coach, administrator and professor.
When play resumes in the fall, the Falcons figure to return to their lofty perch in men's soccer, women's volleyball and cross country. Cliff McCrath's squad features eight returning starters plus All-America forward Dana Garner, who missed the 1999 campaign due to injury.
Doris Heritage, whose cross country team took sixth in the nation last season, welcomes back five of her top seven scorers, including Rachel Ross, the 1998 PacWest champion. In volleyball, new coach Kellie Radloff is hoping her team, with three starters back, can build on its 24-6 record of last fall.
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