UC Berkeley

Hudson attended college at the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned a bachelor's degree in architecture in 1990. She was also recruited by Stanford University, but chose Cal because of its reputation for liberal ideas and social and political activism.

College Track & Field career

Hudson competed for the Cal track and field team from 1986 to 1990. While at Cal, Hudson was a nine-time All-American and earned six NCAA Division I National Championships – four in the triple jump and two in the long Jump. She holds school records in the triple jump (46-0.75) and long jump (22-1). Hudson was voted Cal's Pac-10 Athlete of the Decade for track and field (1986–96).

Career at UC Berkeley

^[2]

Olympic women’s triple jump advocacy

Hudson spent many years as one of the primary athletes advocating for the inclusion of the women's triple jump in the Olympics. After years of lobbying, the International Olympic Committee added the event to the 1996 Olympic Games. Hudson placed 10th for the United States in the inaugural women's triple jump competition in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

National and international competition

In U.S. Championship competition, Hudson is a four-time USA Outdoor triple jump champion (1989, ’90, ’94 and ’95) and a five-time USA Indoor triple jump champion (1990, ’93, ’94, ’95 and ’96). Hudson held the Indoor American triple jump record (46-8.25) for twenty-three years, relinquishing the record in 2017. Sheila set and broke her own Outdoor American triple jump record numerous times between 1987 and 1995, holding the Outdoor American record for seventeen years until it was broken in 2004. Internationally, Hudson won the silver medal at the 1994 IAAF World Cup, won the bronze medal at the 1993 Goodwill Games, finished eighth at the 1995 World Indoor Championships, tenth at the 1996 Olympic Games and fifth at the 1998 IAAF World Cup.

USA National Championships

Honors and awards

• Pac-12 All-Century Team for track and field (2016)
• Pac-10 Athlete of the Decade for track and field (1986–96)
• Honda Sports Award nominee (1989–90)
• Pac-12 Silver Anniversary Team for track and field (2006)
• UC Berkeley Hall of Fame inductee (1999)
• CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame inductee (2014)
• Inaugural Rio Linda High School Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (2022)

Sports journalism career

At the close of her professional track and field career, Hudson began working in her hometown for the Sacramento Bee newspaper, beginning with an Olympic hopeful diary. She later focused on feature articles as a staff writer in The Bee's sports department from 2000-02.

Coaching career

Hudson served as an assistant track and field coach at her alma mater, UC Berkeley, from 1992-94. She later served as an assistant track coach at California State University, Los Angeles, from 2002-08. Hudson's tutelage contributed to the following achievements among Cal State LA's jumpers:

• 1 NCAA Division II individual National Champion (triple jump)
• 4 NCAA Division II National Championship Runners Up (triple jump, long jump, high jump)
• 18 NCAA Division II All-Americans
• 12 CCAA individual Conference Champions
• 36 CCAA individual All-Conference Honorees

Athletics administration career

In 2008, while at Cal State LA, Hudson fully transitioned from collegiate coaching to athletics administration. She served as Cal State LA's Compliance Coordinator and Senior Woman Administrator for two years before being promoted to Associate Athletics Director in 2008. Hudson earned a promotion to Senior Associate Director of Athletics in January 2016 and concurrently served as a campus Deputy Title IX Coordinator. Hudson departed Cal State LA in 2017.