UW alum now heads Northwest University track program

By Athletic Communications on December 9, 2009 2:21 PM | No Comments

One of the best success stories in the past decade for Washington track and cross country was Mark Mandi, a walk-on who evenutally became a two-time All-Pac-10 First Team selection in cross country and led the men's cross country team to NCAA's in 2003 and 2005. Mandi earned a degree in engineering in 2006, but when Northwest University was seeking a head coach for track and cross country, he chose to stick with his passion. Only 26, Mandi is now heading the NAIA track program. Larry Hendry of the Everett Herald profiles the great response Mandi has received and the great experience he can impart on his student-athletes.

Here's one excerpt from one of Mandi's current runners, Tyler Hart.

"He's awesome," Hart said. "In college, he put in the work to accomplish things that didn't seem possible. Here, we're having people improve just because Mark believes in them. He sees himself in a lot of our shoes because he was a back-of-the-pack runner at one time."

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