# Southern Utah Thunderbirds cross country

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's cross country 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: 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

* Cameron Levins: Summit League XC Champion in 2009 and 2011; 4th in the nation at the 2011 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships; 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).
* Mike Tate: is a notable long-distance runner who was the Canadian XC Champion in 2019 and Canadian 5,000 Meter Champion in 2021.
* 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
### 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 (13)

SUU has won 13 Men's Conference Championships – Big Sky (2) in 2020 and 2015, and the Summit League (11), 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)

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:

### Yearly results

| Year | Coach | NCAA Championships | Mountain Regionals | Conference Championships |
| 2024 | Eric Houle | | 11th | 2nd |
| 2023 | Eric Houle | | 11th | 3rd |
| 2022 | Eric Houle | | 11th | 2nd |
| 2021 | Eric Houle | 24th | 5th | 2nd |
| 2020 | Eric Houle | 9th | | 1st |
| 2019 | Eric Houle | 33rd | 8th | 4th |
| 2018 | Eric Houle | 21st | 5th | 3rd |
| 2017 | Eric Houle | 11th | 6th | 2nd |
| 2016 | Eric Houle | 27th | 6th | 2nd |
| 2015 | Eric Houle | 21st | 4th | 1st |
| 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

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