Van Arkel Bolsters UW Coaching Staff
July 29, 2026 | Cross Country, Track & Field
SEATTLE – Washington Director of Track & Field Maurica Powell announced today the addition of Sadie Van Arkel to the Husky coaching staff. Van Arkel will assist with the middle and long distance runners, in the fall with cross country and through the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
"We're thrilled to welcome Sadie Van Arkel to the University of Washington," said Powell. "Her ability to mentor, prepare, and connect with student-athletes will make an extraordinary difference to our track & field and cross country programs. We're grateful for the opportunity to provide the men and women on our team with a valuable resource who has immeasurable experience and talent. Welcome, Sadie!!"
Van Arkel, formerly Sadie Baker, comes to Washington from Northern Arizona University, where she spent the past two seasons as an assistant distance coach for both the men's and women's teams. She was also the head of women's distance recruiting. Her coaching career began at Adams State, with six seasons at the perennial D-II powerhouse.
While at NAU in Flagstaff, Van Arkel helped the Lumberjack men's and women's cross country teams to NCAA top-10 finishes both seasons, with the women taking fourth in 2025 and eighth in 2024, and the men finishing fifth in 2025 and eighth in 2024. NAU had eight cross country All-Americans over the past two seasons between the men and women.
On the track, Northern Arizona's women had 16 All-America honors the past two years with Van Arkel on staff, including six NCAA podium finishes. Maggi Congdon was third at NCAAs in the mile and the 1,500-meters in 2025, Elise Stearns was fourth in the 5k and eighth in the 3k at 2025 NCAA Indoors, Agnes McTighe was seventh in the 2025 outdoor 5k, and Hayley Burns placed seventh in the 2026 NCAA Indoor mile final.
"The opportunity to join the University of Washington felt like the right next step in my career," said Van Arkel, a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The chance to work alongside Maurica Powell and the entire staff while contributing to one of the nation's premier women's distance programs is an incredible opportunity. I'm excited to help our student-athletes reach their full potential while continuing to grow as a coach, and I'm honored to be part of the Husky family."
Prior to Northern Arizona, Van Arkel spent six seasons coaching at her alma mater, Adams State, in Alamosa, Colorado. Serving as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and director of operations, she was part of five NCAA Division II Championships for women's indoor track (2023, 2024) and women's cross country (2019, 2021, 2022). She also helped coach the Grizzlies to runner-up finishes in women's cross country (2023), men's indoor track (2023), and men's cross country (2019, 2021). Van Arkel helped coach over 100 student-athletes to All-American status at Adams State.
At Adams State, Van Arkel also managed budgets, coordinated travel, and hosted home cross country and track and field meets. From December of 2020 to August of 2021, Van Arkel served as the athletic department's business manager where she oversaw the business and travel operations for all athletic programs.
As a student-athlete for Adams State, Van Arkel won a team national title for cross country in 2017, finishing second in 2018. She was a three-time NCAA D-II qualifier in the 5,000- and 10,000-meters and part of five cross country conference team championships plus four in indoor track and two in outdoor track. She earned second-team All-Conference honors in both cross country and outdoor track and field while with the Grizzlies.
Sadie married Kirk Van Arkel in 2025. She earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in photography and design in 2019 and her Master of Arts in Business Administration with an emphasis is leadership and management in 2024, both from Adams State.
For news, scores, highlights and more, download the Go Huskies app on your mobile device. Follow @UWTrack on Instagram, X, and Facebook and subscribe to UW Athletics on YouTube for the latest on the Dawgs.
"We're thrilled to welcome Sadie Van Arkel to the University of Washington," said Powell. "Her ability to mentor, prepare, and connect with student-athletes will make an extraordinary difference to our track & field and cross country programs. We're grateful for the opportunity to provide the men and women on our team with a valuable resource who has immeasurable experience and talent. Welcome, Sadie!!"
Van Arkel, formerly Sadie Baker, comes to Washington from Northern Arizona University, where she spent the past two seasons as an assistant distance coach for both the men's and women's teams. She was also the head of women's distance recruiting. Her coaching career began at Adams State, with six seasons at the perennial D-II powerhouse.
While at NAU in Flagstaff, Van Arkel helped the Lumberjack men's and women's cross country teams to NCAA top-10 finishes both seasons, with the women taking fourth in 2025 and eighth in 2024, and the men finishing fifth in 2025 and eighth in 2024. NAU had eight cross country All-Americans over the past two seasons between the men and women.
On the track, Northern Arizona's women had 16 All-America honors the past two years with Van Arkel on staff, including six NCAA podium finishes. Maggi Congdon was third at NCAAs in the mile and the 1,500-meters in 2025, Elise Stearns was fourth in the 5k and eighth in the 3k at 2025 NCAA Indoors, Agnes McTighe was seventh in the 2025 outdoor 5k, and Hayley Burns placed seventh in the 2026 NCAA Indoor mile final.
"The opportunity to join the University of Washington felt like the right next step in my career," said Van Arkel, a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The chance to work alongside Maurica Powell and the entire staff while contributing to one of the nation's premier women's distance programs is an incredible opportunity. I'm excited to help our student-athletes reach their full potential while continuing to grow as a coach, and I'm honored to be part of the Husky family."
Prior to Northern Arizona, Van Arkel spent six seasons coaching at her alma mater, Adams State, in Alamosa, Colorado. Serving as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and director of operations, she was part of five NCAA Division II Championships for women's indoor track (2023, 2024) and women's cross country (2019, 2021, 2022). She also helped coach the Grizzlies to runner-up finishes in women's cross country (2023), men's indoor track (2023), and men's cross country (2019, 2021). Van Arkel helped coach over 100 student-athletes to All-American status at Adams State.
At Adams State, Van Arkel also managed budgets, coordinated travel, and hosted home cross country and track and field meets. From December of 2020 to August of 2021, Van Arkel served as the athletic department's business manager where she oversaw the business and travel operations for all athletic programs.
As a student-athlete for Adams State, Van Arkel won a team national title for cross country in 2017, finishing second in 2018. She was a three-time NCAA D-II qualifier in the 5,000- and 10,000-meters and part of five cross country conference team championships plus four in indoor track and two in outdoor track. She earned second-team All-Conference honors in both cross country and outdoor track and field while with the Grizzlies.
Sadie married Kirk Van Arkel in 2025. She earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in photography and design in 2019 and her Master of Arts in Business Administration with an emphasis is leadership and management in 2024, both from Adams State.
For news, scores, highlights and more, download the Go Huskies app on your mobile device. Follow @UWTrack on Instagram, X, and Facebook and subscribe to UW Athletics on YouTube for the latest on the Dawgs.
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