Photo of Stanford men at Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational by Aaron Shepley.
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Stanford men's and women's cross country teams compete at the Pac-12 Championships, which begin at 9:30 on Friday morning.
Pac-12 Championships
Location: Tucson, Ariz.
Site: Randolph North Golf Course
Women's start: 9:30 a.m. PT
Men's start: 10:30 a.m. PT
Women's distance: 6K (3.73 miles)
Men's distance: 8K (4.97 miles)
Meet central: Click here
TV: Pac-12 Network (tape delayed, Oct. 31, 6 p.m.)
Live results: Click here
Twitter: @stanfordxctf, @pac12network
* * *
Men's preview
The No. 2 Stanford men's team enters the Pac-12 cross country championships as the favorite, based on rankings, with Oregon at No. 3 and defending champ Colorado No. 7. This is the strongest team Stanford has fielded this year, with the debut of freshman Thomas Ratcliffe, who won the Stanford Invitational in his first cross country race since middle school, while running unattached to preserve a possible redshirt season. Stanford also welcomes redshirt freshman Alex Ostberg, a 14:08 5,000 runner who has raced only once this year, in a low-key season-opener. This will be the second race for the one-two punch of All-Americans Sean McGorty and Grant Fisher. Fisher was fourth and McGorty sixth at the Wisconsin Invitational, while leading the Cardinal to second. McGorty has finished second to Oregon's Edward Cheserek in three major competitions – 2015 Pac-12 cross country, 2016 NCAA indoor 3,000, and 2016 NCAA outdoor 5,000, losing by only 0.51 in the latter.
Stanford men's notes:
- Highest ranked team in the field, at No. 2.
- Seeking first team title since 2010.
- Sean McGorty was the Pac-12 runner-up last season.
- Three consecutive years with a top-three individual finisher (Jim Rosa, 2nd, 2013; Joe Rosa, 3rd, 2014; McGorty, 2nd, 2015).
- 21 consecutive Pac-12 top-three team finishes.
- 12 Pac-10/Pac-12 team titles.
- Freshman Thomas Ratcliffe, the 2016 Stanford Invitational winner while running unattached, makes his collegiate debut.
* * *
Women's preview
The No. 11 Stanford women will be without 2014 Pac-12 runner-up Elise Cranny, who otherwise would have been considered a favorite. She is out with an injury, but is hoping to return for the NCAA Championships. However, Stanford welcomes the addition of freshman Fiona O'Keeffe, who will make her collegiate debut. She set the U.S. junior championships 5,000 record last spring. She is among a vaunted freshman class that also includes Christina Aragon and Ella Donaghu – two of the seven fastest high school 1,500 runners of all-time – and 9:55 two-miler Hannah DeBalsi. Vanessa Fraser, a four-time All-America and Stanford's top runner at the 2015 NCAA Championships, should lead the Cardinal. Sophie Chase, an All-West Region selection last season, also makes her season debut.
Stanford women's notes:
- Seeking first team title since 2010.
- Stanford runners have won individual titles three of the past four years (Kathy Kroeger, 2012; Aisling Cuffe (pronounced: Ash-ling Cuff), 2013, 2015).
- 20 conference team championships, 15 in the Pac-10/Pac-12.
- 2014 Pac-12 runner-up Elise Cranny will not run because of a foot injury. She hopes to run at the NCAA Championships Nov. 19.
- Stanford will race four freshmen (Christina Aragon, Ella Donaghu, Hannah DeBalsi, Fiona O'Keeffe).
- Fiona O'Keeffe, the 2016 U.S. junior 5,000-meter champ in meet record time (15:56.84), makes her collegiate debut.
* * *
Conference titles:
Men
Team: 12
Pac-12: 0
Pac-10: 12 (1985, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010).
Individual: 7
Pac-12: 0
Pac-10: 7, Marc Olesen (1985), Jonathon Riley (2000), Grant Robison (2001, 2002), Ian Dobson (2003), Chris Derrick (2009), Elliott Heath (2010).
Women
Team: 20
Pac-12: 0.
Pac-10: 15 (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010).
Pac-West: 1 (1985).
WCAA: 4 (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984).
Individual: 14
Pac-12: 3, Kathy Kroeger (2012), Aisling Cuffe (2013, 2015).
Pac-10: 7, Erin Sullivan (1999), Lauren Fleshman (2001), Sara Bei (2002, 2003), Arianna Lambie (2005, 2006, 2007).
Pac-West: 1, Regina Jacobs (1985).
WCAA: 3, Ceci Hopp (1982), Regina Jacobs (1983, 1984).
* * *
2015 Postseason results:
Men
Pac-12 (Colfax, Wash.): 2nd, 57 pts. (Top Stanford runner and top returner: 2, Sean McGorty, 23:13.7).
NCAA Championships (Louisville, Ky.): 3rd, 151 pts. (Top Stanford runner: 6, Jim Rosa, 29:52.7; Top Stanford returner: 7, Sean McGorty 29:53.4).
Women
Pac-12 (Colfax, Wash.): 3rd, 80 pts. (Top Stanford runner: 1, Aisling Cuffe, 19:53.1; Top Stanford Pac-12 returner: 12, Vanessa Fraser, 20:23.5).
NCAA Championships (Louisville, Ky.): 14th, 379 pts. (Top Stanford runner and top returner: 40, Vanessa Fraser, 20:27.7.).
* * *
Stanford's Pac-12 Competitors
Men: Steven Fahy, Grant Fisher, Blair Hurlock, Jack Keelan, Will Lauer, Sean McGorty, Alex Ostberg, Thomas Ratcliffe, Garrett Sweatt, Sam Wharton.
Women: Christina Aragon, Sophie Chase, Hannah DeBalsi, Ella Donaghu, Vanessa Fraser, Danielle Katz, Julia Maxwell, Abbie McNulty, Fiona O'Keeffe,
Catherine Pagano.