Former Oregon star, adidas professional will race at 91st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays before attending NCAA Final Four in San Antonio

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Hannah Cunliffe won’t be running for a championship Saturday, but her professional debut as an adidas athlete will coincide with a sibling pursuing a national title in Texas.

Cunliffe, an NCAA Division 1 individual and team champion during her Oregon track career, will be participating in the 91st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, before traveling Saturday night to San Antonio to watch younger brother Sam and the Kansas men’s basketball team play Villanova in the Final Four at the Alamodome.

Sam Cunliffe is a sophomore guard for the Jayhawks, who are seeking their first national title since 2008. The Arizona State transfer has played in 14 games this season for Kansas, including the NCAA tournament opener March 15 against Penn.

“That would be amazing,” said Hannah Cunliffe, who won the 60-meter crown at the 2017 Division 1 Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas.

“Two national championships in the same family is hard to come by.”

Cunliffe, 22, is scheduled to compete in the invitational 4x100-meter relay at Mike A. Myers Stadium for a USA Red all-star team that has another former Oregon standout, Jasmine Todd, among its entries, along with Kimberlyn Duncan, Jasmine Booker, Aaliyah Brown and Tawanna Meadows.

“The relay is funded by USATF as an opportunity to get athletes together to train for the relay. They look for the best athletes available and invite them to participate,” said Cunliffe, who helped Oregon set the collegiate 4x100 record 42.12 – equaled two weeks later by LSU – at last year’s Mt. San Antonio College Relays in Torrance, Calif.

“As a pro, there are far less opportunities to run relays compared to college, so USATF funds these opportunities in order to stay sharp for when it counts at the Olympics and World Championships.”

Cunliffe decided to pass on her remaining eligibility with the Ducks and turn professional in January. She has been training with her father, Mike Cunliffe, in Washington in preparation for her debut.

“It’s been a good transition,” Cunliffe said. “The pro life is definitely a lot better and you can really focus.”

Cunliffe hasn’t raced since June 23 in the 100-meter dash semifinals at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Sacramento. Following Saturday’s relay, she is next scheduled to compete April 21 in the 100 at the Grenada Invitational.

“I miss it so much,” Cunliffe said. “I’m so anxious and excited to run healthy.”