Brian Sugden, the new coach of the women’s and men’s cross country team, attended Cabrini and graduated in 2013 with a degree in communication. This interview focused on the time coach Sugden spent here at Cabrini as a student, what positions he took and the reasons behind this decision.
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Q. You graduated in 2013 and started assisting the Cavaliers’ Athletics Communication department where you were the assistant sports information director. Did you take on that position immediately after graduation? How did your degree in communication lead to being the assistant sports information director?
“Along with my time as a student-athlete at Cabrini, I also worked at the front desk at the Dixon Center and was a member of the Cavaliers’ game day staff. It was there that I met my mentor, David Howell, the university’s sports information director. I began assisting Howell with game day statistics, which led to an internship in sports information and eventually my role as the assistant SID.”
Q. Now that you look at Cabrini has a lot changed over the years?
“I don’t think the environment has changed much, as it still has a small town vibe here at Cabrini but there’s been serious upgrades to some of the buildings around campus.”
Q. How did you get from the assistant sports information director to now being women’s and men’s cross country coach? Was it your passion when you were a member of the blue and white cross country team?
“My passion for sports, along with my degree in communication, led me to a career path in sports information. While I loved working in sports information and plan to continue my path in athletics, I knew I had to go for it when the door opened to the coaching world.”
Q. When you were a member of the blue and white cross country team, did you imagine or see yourself becoming the coach of the cross country team?
“I ran under former head cross country coach Tom O’Hora and that’s where my passion for the sport started to gain momentum. I found myself not only becoming a better runner but also a better student and person.”
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Coach Sugden concluded the interview and said, “I’ve been at the helm for about two months now and I’m excited for the future, as we’ve got two great teams full of potential!”
