Sonoma State University Athletics

Head cross country and track & field coach David Lawrence Jr. returns for his fifth year leading both programs here at Sonoma State. Lawrence Jr. joined the Seawolves staff in the fall of 2019 for the cross country season and then the 2020 track & field season before COVID-19. Since taking over both programs, Lawrence Jr. has made historic strides leading both programs to record finishes at the CCAA Championships.

Cross Country:

Lawrence Jr. has led Sonoma State to back-to-back top-10 team finishes at the conference championships, recording the program's first top-10 finishes since 2014. In 2022, SSU recorded 3 top-10 finishes in their 6 events prior to the conference championships. Their best team finish would come at the Paul Short Invite where Lawrence Jr. and his squad placed 5th in the white division out of 42 teams. Freshman Gianna Bomarito also made history by becoming the first runner to win an individual title in program history as she placed 1st out of over 300 runners in the Paul Short Invite. 

Track & Field:   

In 2023, Lawrence Jr. would lead Sonoma State to the program's best finish at the conference championships as the Seawolves saw three podium finishes and placed 8th out of the 11 competing teams. Freshman Gianna Bomarito would smash the conference record in the 10k and become SSU's first individual champion since 2002. She would go on to place third in the 5k event and be named the CCAA Freshman of the Meet, the first award winner at the conference championships for Sonoma State in program history. 

In the spring of 2022, David Lawrence Jr. competed in his first conference championship after the prior seasons were canceled due to COVID-19. He would lead his team to a 10th place finish, the program's first ever top-10 finish at the CCAA Championships since 2007. Lawrence Jr. has led multiple athletes into the record books with runners cracking the top-10 in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters and even the 4x100 meter relay. He will compete in his 3rd CCAA track & field season in 2023.