SEATTLE – For the past 21 years, Stanford has advanced both its men’s and women’s teams to the NCAA Cross Country Championships and will attempt to extend that streak on Friday at the NCAA West Regionals.
The top two teams in each race advance. Others must hope for at-large bids, which are determined by a point system that reflects each team’s season success against those who have already gained entrance.
Both teams appear in good shape. The Stanford men are ranked No. 1 in the West and No. 4 in the country, and the Cardinal women, who will run without Pac-12 champ Aisling Cuffe, are No. 3 in the West and No. 11 in the country. In all, 18 teams around the country in each division receive automatic bids and 13 more arrive via at-large. In addition, the top four individuals not on qualifying teams (as long as they place in the top 25) will earn passage to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. Finally, two individuals from around the country (with top-25 finishes) will receive at-large.
There is some strategy involved for regional coaches. Because the regional and national meets are only eight days apart and the men’s race distance is now increased from 8-kilometers (4.97 miles) to 10K (6.2 miles), there may be some questions on who should or shouldn't run, to be fully rested and prepared for nationals.
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Some details and links concerning Friday’s meet:
What: NCAA West Regionals
Where: Jefferson Park Golf Course
Women’s start: Noon
Women’s distance: 6K (3.73 miles)
Men’s start: 1 p.m.
Men’s distance: 10K (6.2 miles)
Automatic team qualifying for NCAA’s: Top two
Automatic individual qualifying: Top four not on those teams, finishing in top 25.
Follow the meet:
Meet Central: Click here
Live results, live splits, and entries: Click here.
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Stanford’s Entries
Men
Tom Coyle
Steven Fahy
Sean McGorty
Jim Rosa
Joe Rosa
Garrett Sweatt
Sam Wharton
Women
Sophie Chase
Vanessa Fraser
Danielle Katz
Hannah Long
Julia Maxwell
Molly McNamara
Claudia Saunders
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Stanford Men’s Overview: Stanford will hold out two runners expected to be in its NCAA lineup – freshman Grant Fisher and junior Jack Keelan. Stanford has had a roller-coaster of a season, as reflected by going from No. 4 to No. 23 and back to No. 4 in consecutive USTFCCCA rankings. Because of ailments and the desire to bring freshman Fisher along slowly, coach Chris Miltenberg hasn’t had the luxury of posting consistent lineups. However, when the Cardinal got its ‘A’ team together for the first time, Stanford finished second to No. 1 Colorado at the Pac-12 Championships by only 11 points – the closest the Cardinal has come to the Buffaloes since 2012. Colorado is in the Mountain Region, so Oregon, at No. 7 nationally, is the other top contender. Oregon beat Stanford at the Washington Invitational, but Stanford countered by nudging the Ducks to third at Pac-12’s. The next-highest ranked West teams are Washington and UCLA, at Nos. 17 and 20 nationally.
Edward Cheserek, a junior aiming for his third NCAA cross country title next week, is the top individual. Cheserek and Stanford’s Sean McGorty were 1-2 at Pac-12’s and face each other again. The region features five top-30 ranked teams, tied for the most of any region with the Southeast, Midwest, and Mountain.
The Stanford men, who have won 14 NCAA West titles including three straight from 2011-13, are seeking their 22nd consecutive NCAA berth.
Stanford Women’s Overview: Two-time Pac-12 champion Aisling Cuffe will not compete, as an injury precaution heading into the NCAA Championships next week. Stanford is in a bit of a precarious situation. A top-three finish should get the Cardinal to nationals and a top-four finish may be enough as well. But anything lower probably won't. Stanford will need a big race to unseat Oregon or Boise State for one of the top two spots. In one key matchup, Washington beat Stanford at the Washington Invitational by one point, but Stanford rebounded by beating the Huskies at Pac-12s during a third-place run.
Stanford has won 14 NCAA West titles, but none since 2007, which capped a run of nine consecutive victories, and it probably won’t happen this year with No. 4 Oregon, the Pac-12 runner-up and the top-ranked team in the region, the team to beat. Boise State is ranked No. 9, and Stanford and Washington at Nos. 11 and 12, respectively. The only other West team ranked nationally is No. 30 Gonzaga. A victory over either Boise State or Washington would almost guarantee Stanford an NCAA berth. Even a fourth-place finish could be enough to get Stanford in, but there would be no guarantees.
Stanford hasn’t won an individual title since Teresa McWalters in 2007. Vanessa Fraser is expected to lead Stanford. The top individual competition should come from Mountain West Conference champion Allie Ostrander, a freshman from Boise State who is featured prominently in the excellent documentary “3,022 ft” about Alaska’s annual Mt. Marathon race, Washington’s Maddie Meyers (third in Pac-12), and Oregon’s Waverly Neer (fifth in Pac-12).
The Stanford women, who have won 14 NCAA West titles, are seeking their 23rd consecutive NCAA berth.
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Stanford Team Honors:
Men
NCAA Men’s Titles: 4 (1996, 1997, 2002, 2003).
NCAA West Regional Titles: 14 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013).
Individual Regional Titles: 8, Jonathon Riley (2000), Donald Sage (2001-02), Ian Dobson (2003), Ryan Hall (2004), Neftalem Araia (2006), Chris Derrick (2009), Maksim Korolev (2014).
Women
NCAA Titles: 5 (1996, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007).
NCAA West Regional Titles: 14 (1982, 1984, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007).
Individual Regional Titles: 9, Ceci Hopp (1982), Louise Watson (1992), Julia Stamps (1999), Alicia Craig (2002-04), Arianna Lambie (2005-06), Teresa McWalters (2007).
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USTFCCCA Rankings
Men
National: 4, Stanford; 7, Oregon; 17, Washington; 20, UCLA; 24, Boise State.
West Region: 1, Stanford; 2, Oregon; 3, Washington; 4, UCLA; 5, Boise State; 6, Washington State; 7, California; 8, Portland; 9, UC Santa Barbara; 10, Gonzaga; 11, Cal Poly; 12, San Francisco; 13, Arizona State; 14, Saint Mary’s; 15, UC Davis.
Women
National: 4, Oregon; 9, Boise State; 11, Stanford; 12, Washington; 30, Gonzaga.
West Region: 1, Oregon; 2, Boise State; 3, Stanford; 4, Washington; 5, Gonzaga; 6, Eastern Washington; 7, Cal Poly; 8, Arizona State; 9, California; 10, San Francisco; 11, Loyola Marymount; 12, UC Santa Barbara; 13, Portland; 14, Arizona; 15, UCLA.
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Stanford's West Region Competitors
Men
Tom Coyle, jr. (Lansdale, Pa./La Salle College HS)
• Ran 3:59.32 mile indoors in 2015.
• 2015 2nd team indoor All-America (DMR)
• 60th at Pac-12’s; No. 8 on team.
• Management science and engineering major
Steven Fahy, so. (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon HS)
• 2nd at 2015 U.S. junior national steeplechase.
• 66th at Pac-12’s; No. 9 on team.
• Freshman in cross country eligibility.
Sean McGorty, jr. (Fairfax, Va./Chantilly HS)
• Three-time All-American.
• 20th at the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
• 2nd at Pac-12’s; No. 1 on team.
• Third at 2015 Wisconsin Invitational.
• 2014 U.S. junior and NACAC cross country champion.
• Best 5,000 is 13:37.64.
• Management science and engineering major.
Jim Rosa, 5th sr. (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro North HS)
• Two-time All-America.
• 20th at Pac-12’s; No. 5 on team.
• Fifth at 2013 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
• Second at 2013 Pac-12 Championships.
• 10K best of 28:57.51.
• Management science and engineering major.
Joe Rosa, 5th sr. (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro North HS)
• Three-time All-American.
• Eighth at Pac-12’s; No. 2 on team.
• Third at 2014 Pac-12 Cross Country Championships.
• 2014 Pac-12 10,000 champion.
• Has a 10K best of 29:16.71.
• Management science and engineering major.
Garrett Sweatt, sr. (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville HS)
• 16th at Pac-12’s; No. 4 on team.
• Has a 10K best of 28:51.56.
• Two-time Pac-12 All-Academic cross country team.
• Stanford’s No. 2 at Wisconsin Invitational, 25th overall.
• Biology major.
Sam Wharton, jr. (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe HS)
• 2014 Cross Country All-American, placing 39th at NCAA’s.
• 43rd at Pac-12’s; No. 7 on team.
• 2012 Nike Cross Nationals high school champion.
• Management science and engineering major.
Women
Sophie Chase, jr. (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock HS)
• 23rd at Pac-12’s; No. 4 on team.
• 2014 All-West Region in cross country.
• 2014 Pac-12 All-Academic cross country first team.
• Majoring in history.
Vanessa Fraser, jr. (Scotts Valley, Calif./Scotts Valley HS)
• 12th at Pac-12’s; No. 2 on team.
• 13th in 2015 NCAA outdoor 5,000.
• Came to Stanford as a walk-on and is now on scholarship.
• Stanford’s No. 1 at Pre-Nationals (26th overall)
• Best 5,000 is 15:54.12.
• Symbolic systems major.
Danielle Katz, jr. (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos HS)
• 30th at Pac-12’s; No. 6 on team.
• Stanford No. 2 at Stanford Invitational (eighth overall)
• No. 8 on school steeplechase list (10:23.32)
• Majoring in product design.
Hannah Long, fr. (Pacific, Mo./Eureka HS)
• 32nd at Pac-12’s; No. 7 on team.
• Stanford’s No. 3 runner in first two races.
• Missouri state high school record holder in 1,600 (4:40.15).
• 49th at Pre-Nationals.
Julia Maxwell, so. (Ross, Calif./The Branson School)
• 19th at Pac-12’s; No. 3 on team.
• Team’s biggest surprise this season.
• Has run in Stanford’s top five in every collegiate race.
• 79th at Pre-Nationals.
• Three-time California Division V high school cross country champ.
Molly McNamara, 5th sr. (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Catholic HS)
• 35th at Pac-12’s; No. 8 on team.
• 2014 All-West Region in cross country.
• Stanford’s Donald Kennedy Award winner for commitment to community service.
• Started Cardinal RHED, a mental health resource organization for student-athletes.
Abbie McNulty, so. (Cumberland, R.I./Bishop Feehan HS)
• Competed on Stanford’s team at the 2014 NCAA Championships.
• No. 7 on Cardinal’s 2014 Pac-12 team.
Rebecca Mehra, sr. (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Palos Verdes HS)
• 2014 All-America in the outdoor 1,500.
• Has a 1,500 best of 4:17.67.
• Making season cross country debut.
• International relations major.
Claudia Saunders, sr. (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton HS)
• Five-time All-America.
• Two-time NCAA outdoor 800 runner-up.
• Stanford record holder in the 800 (2:00.63).
• 25th at Pac-12’s; No. 5 on team.
• International relations major.
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Head Coach
Chris Miltenberg (Georgetown ’03)
Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field
• Fourth season as men’s and women’s head coach for track and cross country.
• His runners have won three of the past four Pac-12 women’s individual XC titles.
• Stanford has never failed to qualify a men's or women's team for the NCAA XC Championships under Miltenberg.
• Coached Georgetown women to the 2011 NCAA cross country title.
• Named 2013 USTFCCCA West Region Cross Country Coach of the Year.
• Seven of his current runners have broken 14:00 in the 5,000.
• Six of his distance runners were NCAA outdoor finalists in 2015, with two top-three finishes.
• Seven were finalists at the 2014 NCAA outdoors, including two runners-up.
• Coached Stanford men to NCAA West Region titles in his first two seasons.
• Coached Kathy Kroeger (2012) and Aisling Cuffe (2013, 2015) to Pac-12 XC victories.
• Coached Claudia Saunders to back-to-back NCAA outdoor 800 runner-up finishes and a Stanford school record.
• One of his Stanford runners, Miles Unterreiner, was named a Rhodes Scholar.
• Coached the Cardinal men to the 2014 NCAA indoor distance medley relay title.
• Two-time All-America distance runner at Georgetown.
