'Phenomenal' D-I season ends

Joe Callero, the former Seattle University men's basketball head coach, once described his program's progress as hiking up a mountain. He said looking at the whole mountain was daunting, but to look just ahead at the next step and the next push was the attitude and goal his team would have.

The same can be said about Seattle University's transition to Division I.

Critics warned of the historic financial danger of progressing to D-I, drudging up Seattle U's 1980 departure amid low enrollment and other financial problems during former president William Sullivan's, S.J., tenure.

Others questioned the Jesuit identity of entering the world of high profile athletics.

Four of Seattle U's six team sports had winning records this year: women's soccer, men's soccer, women's basketball and men's basketball. Previously a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Redhawks enjoyed many winning programs in Division II, and were expected to compete but not win as frequently as they did.

Bill Hogan, Seattle U athletics director, described the program's overall performance as "phenomenal."

"It went way beyond expectations," he said.

Hogan explained the general assumption toward D-I was there would be "lots of losing records" because of the competition and the wear and tear on student-athletes traveling more than they had previously.

Volleyball struggled in its first year and relied heavily on young talent (six freshmen, five sophomores, two juniors) and veteran leadership by the lone senior, Libby Graff. But volleyball was the anomaly.

All of the team sports' losses came from D-I opponents, except one volleyball loss. Hogan cited the scholarships and athletics budget as a part of the recipe for success.

"Then you had kids, and they measured up," Hogan said. "They elevated their games, worked hard as teams and coaches and I think they performed exceptionally well."

Five Seattle U teams won a D-I tournament championship. Women's soccer won the Idaho Governor's Cup Tournament. Men's soccer won the UC-Irvine College Classic. Volleyball won its hosted tournament, the Dig For The Cure Class. Men's basketball won the Spring Thaw Tournament. Softball finished a sub-.500 season by winning the Division I Independent Tournament.

"We're way ahead of schedule," Hogan said. "A reasonable person might think we'll be in pretty good shape in 12 or 13 years, competing at a high level and winning."

The record 21-8 men's basketball season surprised Hogan. Not only did the Redhawks win the much-hyped game against Loyola Marymount University, but defended home court with a perfect 9-0, excluding a 1-1 split in exhibition games against Point Loma Nazarene and Evergreen State College. Men's basketball also had the hiring coup of the year in Cameron Dollar, considered one of the top coaching prospects in the country, from the University of Washington.

Hurdles still lay ahead of the fledgling D-I Redhawks as they attempt to climb the mountain of D-I prestige. The opponents should technically become more challenging next season, as all sports phase into a complete D-I schedule. Budget cuts loom. More travel will be required of the teams.

Officially, the first Division I season in 29 years at Seattle University concluded Friday, May 8. 259 steps from the first game of the "First Season," track and field ended the Redhawks' first transitional season in D-I at the University of Washington Ken Shannon Invitational.

Amid concern and criticism, D- I pushed on beyond many expectations.