Bulldog Track & Field Student-Athlete Keren Lee Selected to Represent Team USA at the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel

Bulldog Track & Field Student-Athlete Keren Lee Selected to Represent Team USA at the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel
Posted: Jun 28, 2017

The Maccabiah USA Track & Field Committee has recently announced the Open Track & Field Team for the 20th World Maccabiah Games, which take place July 4-18 in Israel. The elite roster includes University of Redlands hurdler, freshman Keren Lee (Poway, CA) as one of 27 athletes who will represent Team USA Track & Field at this incredible event.

The Maccabiah Games are often referred to as the "Jewish Olympics". Much like the Olympics, the Maccabiah Games are held every four years, with the last one being in 2013. Maccabiah USA will bring a team of more than 1,100 athletes who will join the 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries that will participate in 43 different sports.

Since 1932, over 62,000 athletes have participated in the Maccabiah Games in a celebration of Jewish strength and solidarity. Team USA's success is not only measured by the medals won, but by the impact that the Maccabiah experience had on their lives as well as the friendships they formed.

"Attending the Maccabiah Games is an amazing and unique experience for me because it combines two things that make me who I am: Judaism and track," Lee commented.  "I'm deeply honored to represent the USA."

As a Bulldog, Lee had a solid first outing in the indoor track & field season at Northern Arizona's Mountain T Invitational. She ran a 9.84 in the 60 Hurdles for a seventh-place finish. Lee's fastest time and best finish of the season in the 100 Hurdles came at the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Multi-Duals No. 1, where she snagged fifth place by crossing the finish line in 16.27 seconds.

"I am very excited to see Keren represent her country and the University of Redlands at the Maccabiah Games.  She worked really hard last season and made some tremendous improvements," commented Head Coach Mike Schmidt.  "I can't wait to see how she does!"

Lee is joined by Occidental College's sophomore sprinter Emma Yudelevitch (Tarzana, CA) at the upcoming Maccabiah Games.

For more information about this exciting endeavor, please visit the Maccabiah website.