University of Tulsa Cross Country Runner Scott Beattie Named American Athletic Conference Runner of the Year
HURRICANE PACER: Scott Beattie of Tulsa leads all runners in the American Athletic Conference.
Scott Beattie claimed American Athletic Conference Men’s Runner of the Year honors, capping a fantastic cross-country season, the league announced recently.
Beattie is the second University of Tulsa athlete to earn the award since it was first announced by popular vote in 2017, after Patrick Dever was honored last season.
“We wouldn’t be where we’re at without Scott Beattie,” head coach Steve Gulley said. “He’s been a backbone of our program and has worked so hard. Scott has been a big contributor to our success the past four years, so we’re excited he is getting a bit of the limelight.”
Beattie paced the Golden Hurricane in four of the five meets he competed in this season, taking 11th at the Cowboy Jamboree and 18th at the prestigious Wisconsin Nuttycombe Festival.
Beattie became the fourth different Hurricane runner, fifth overall, to finish as the individual men’s champion at the American Cross Country Championships, navigating the Lakeland, Fla. course in 23:49.2 to claim the gold medal. He had finished runner-up the previous three seasons.
“He’s been a big team runner his whole career,” Gulley said. “There have been times where he’ll ask, ‘What does the team need from me at this meet?’ So now it was nice to sit there and tell him to go and win the race and bring glory to the team. We’re happy he gets to achieve this and even more happy he’s getting the attention he’s deserved. He’s sacrificed for the good of the team in the past.”
The senior from Newcastle, England finished the 2021 campaign with an all-region performance at the NCAA Midwest Regional 10K, logging a third-place finish in 30:23.2. He then helped Tulsa to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships, crossing the line in 58th-place with a 10K time of 29:45.2.
