Tacoma-Area Alfonso Twins set to Join GU Men's XC/Track
5/11/2022 1:37:00 PM | Cross Country, Track and Field
SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga Men's Cross Country and Track Head Coach Pat Tyson announced the addition of Jacob and Luke Alfonso to next year's squad, both set to join GU in the fall as true freshmen.
The Tacoma-born twins will be the eighth and ninth runners to join GU's incoming freshman class.
Jacob and Luke Alfonso | Stadium HS | Tacoma, Wash.
In track, Jacob currently holds the Stadium High School records in the 3200 (9:15.53) and 1600 (4:14.68), finishing sixth at the 2022 WIAA 3A Cross Country State championships.
Luke ran cross country all four years of high school and qualified for state every year that state competitions were held. In 2022, as a senior, Luke placed 3rd and had the seventh fastest time on the state course that day across all divisions. At the Nike Cross Country Regionals, he placed 20th among athletes from seven states in the Northwest, with personal bests of 4:16.47 for the 1600m, and 9:20.1 for the 3200m
In 2018, the pair of brothers helped lead Stadium to its first league championships in 65 years and first-ever district championship.
At Gonzaga, Jacob will look to major in Computer Science — "I have always loved working with computers and find myself programming small projects quite often," he said. "I hope to use what I learn at Gonzaga to get a career in the tech industry." Luke will be majoring in mechanical engineering — "I enjoy solving complex problems in math and science," he said.
Jacob Alfonso on Choosing Gonzaga: "Academically, Gonzaga is a great option for Computer Science and has lots of opportunities. During my visit, I thought the campus was gorgeous. Athletically, I really liked how the distance team comprised of a lot of local names. Many of them I raced against in high school or heard about their talent. I am honored to get to not only attend Gonzaga for academics, but also get the chance to further my athletic capabilities on both the cross country and track teams."
Luke Alfonso on choosing Gonzaga: "In addition to academics, I chose Gonzaga because of their nationally recognized name, local student-athletes, and great coaching. In my spare time, I enjoy backpacking, fishing, hiking, and using the knowledge I gained as an Eagle Scout."
Tyson on the Alfonso Twins: "Wow — two legends coming out of Stadium High school! Performance-wise, these twin brothers have rewritten all the distance records in a school that dates to the nineteenth century. Luke and Jacob come in with tremendous academic backgrounds … They will help the Zags as we continue to chase NCAA D-I excellence in both cross country and track & field. Pumped to help these guys reach their potential in our great sport!"
