BF XC runner Sawyer Clarkson signs to run for Gonzaga

Clarkson talked about why he chose Gonzaga.  

“Within minutes of stepping on campus, I realized it was the right place for me, it is a beautiful place and I love the Spokane area,” said Clarkson. “I am a big fan of the Pacific Northwest area and you put all that together, along with an amazing team and great coaches, it is everything I could ask for.”

Clarkson said he is leaning towards a career in sports medicine and exercise science.

Gonzaga University is located in Spokane Washington and had 7,295 students in 2021, and is a Private Liberal Arts University affiliated with the Roman Catholic faith and was established in 1887.  Pat Tyson, is recognized as one of the most successful cross country coaches in the United States, and is entering his 14th season as director of cross Ccountry.

“When I met Coach Tyson, I really felt like I fit in right away, and then I watched their 13th place finish at the NCAA championship, I knew it was the place for me, and I really hope that I can contribute to that in the next four years,” said Clarkson.

Jeremy Elsom, Belle Fourche cross country oach talked about Sawyer.  

“I first met Sawyer as a fourth or fifth grader running those community 5K’s and you could just see the spark in his eyes and the dedication to the sport. You could really see him blossom when he got to the seventh and eighth grade moving up to varsity and he just proved himself at the state level and just continued to get better and better every year,” said Elsom.

The state championship team trophy was sitting on the table beside Sawyer and he commented what it meant to him.  “That team championship trophy means a lot more than an individual title, when we started the year we knew we had the capabilities to do it and we just needed everything to go right that day, and it did, and that was one of the better moments that I had in my high school cross country career was winning state as a team, it was a proud moment for me.”

Clarkson also visited Tulsa, and said the coach and team was great, but not a fit for him due to location, and then he visited Tennessee, and he said that he liked every place he visited but narrowed it down taking into consideration, location, team, coach, and atmosphere, and Gonzaga was his best                                                                                                  fit.

Clarkson talked about when he started his running career.

“When I was 8 years old, I did my first community 5K down at Hermann Park, and I saw that I was pretty good at it, and then Chris Riley talked me into going out for cross country my sixth-grade year and I really enjoyed that, and then in seventh and eighth grade I started to get a name around South Dakota and here I am now.”

Sawyer was asked what is next, following his long list of accomplishments as a top runner in the cross country field in South Dakota.  

“I really want to make the All American list in college, I will likely red shirt my first year, but Ihad hoped by my Junior or senior year I can be an All American cross country runner.”

His hobbies and interests outside of running and school includes anything outdoors, mountain biking, skiing, photography, and learning to play the electric guitar.

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