USU Star Shines in Cross Country Championship

Uniformed Services University student Navy Ensign Elizabeth Sullivan achieved a second-place finish in the Armed Forces Cross Country Championships

Navy Ensign Elizabeth Sullivan took second place at the Armed Forces Cross Country Championships.

(Photo credit: ASTC Bradley Pigage, USCG)

January 29, 2024 by Zachary Willis

Uniformed Services University (USU) Hebert School of Medicine student Navy Ensign Elizabeth Sullivan, class of 2027, grabbed attention as a standout member of the All-Navy Women’s team Jan. 20 at the Armed Forces Cross Country Championships in Mechanicsville, Virginia. 

The Armed Forces Cross Country Championships, a competitive platform for military athletes, is  a division within the USA Track and Field Elite XC (cross country) Nationals, for which half of the participants are professional runners. The Armed Forces Cross Country program is part of the Department of Defense's Sports program, which was established nearly 50 years ago with just three sports. Now, the program boasts 14 team sports.  

Sullivan, a Portsmouth, Rhode Island, native, came to USU from the U.S. Naval Academy where she participated as a member of the academy’s NCAA cross country and track and field teams.  It was a natural transition from there to the All-Navy Sports programs after arriving at USU last summer.  The All-Navy program is open to all Active and Reserve sailors and although many athletes apply, only six women are selected to represent the All-Navy Cross Country team each year.  Coast Guard athletes also compete on the All-Navy team. Team members are assigned throughout the world, so they are responsible for preparation for competition on their own time. 

Navy Ensign Elizabeth Sullivan (left) is a class of 2027 student at the Uniformed Services University's Hebert

School of Medicine. (Photo credit: ASTC Bradley Pigage, USCG)

This year, the Navy women achieved a second-place finish behind Army, with Sullivan leading the team. Sullivan also secured second place individually in the women's 10K category, completing the challenging 6.4-mile course in 37:30 with an average pace of 5:51 miles, which was one of the highest individual female performances in recent history. Her finish placed her 22nd overall among the entire USA Track and Field Elite XC Nationals field, including the professional runners. 

“The race was an awesome experience and I’m grateful that USU helped me to pursue the opportunity while in medical school,” says Sullivan. “I also felt so blessed from all of the support from my classmates. Some helped me to train for the race, and several of them drove two hours and hung out in the freezing cold to cheer me on. For this race I was just looking to have fun and to challenge myself, and while I accomplished those goals, I am eager to continue to improve my times, compete, and see how far I can go in the sport.”