Stanford Rated Among Elite

STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford has been rated among the elite overall programs in the nation as determined by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Taking into account NCAA team finishes in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field, the Stanford men ranked No. 3 in the John McDonnell Program of the Year Award standings and the women No. 5 in the Terry Crawford Award standings.

Stanford was one of nine schools to rank among the top 15 among both men and women, among five in both top 10s, and among three in both top 5s. By counting the points together from their NCAA finishes in each meet (lowest score wins), Stanford ranks No. 3 among combined programs.

The Stanford men were third in cross country, eighth in indoor track and 13th outdoors. Individually, Sean McGorty was second in the NCAA Outdoor 5,000 and Indoor 3,000, anchored the distance medley relay team to fourth indoors, and was seventh in NCAA cross country. Harrison Williams was fourth in the NCAA Indoor heptathlon and fourth in the Outdoor decathlon.

The Cardinal women were 14th in cross country, 16th indoors, and seventh outdoors. Individually, Olivia Baker was second in the NCAA Outdoor 800 and third indoors. Elise Cranny was the NCAA Outdoor 1,500 runner-up and contributed to the NCAA Indoor third-place distance medley relay team. Valarie Allman placed third in the NCAA discus, and Claudia Saunders was fourth in the NCAA Outdoor 800.

Men’s standings
1. Oregon
2. Arkansas
3. Stanford
4. Washington
5. Virginia

Women’s standings
1. Oregon
2. Arkansas
3. Oklahoma State
4. Michigan
5. Stanford

Combined standings (unofficial)
1. Oregon
2. Arkansas
3. Stanford
4. Oklahoma State
5. Michigan

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Card in Olympic Trials

So far, five current Stanford athletes have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials June 30-July 10 in Eugene, Oregon, and more could join them.

Stanford qualifiers are Valarie Allman (women’s discus), Olivia Baker (women’s 800), Mackenzie Little (women’s javelin), Sean McGorty (men’s 5,000), and Harrison Williams (decathlon).

Incoming freshman Christina Aragon also has qualified, in the women’s 1,500.

The surprise is Little, an Australian. She didn’t realize until recently that she was a dual citizen, having been born in the United States, but spending nearly her entire life in Sydney. Little won gold for Australia at the 2013 World Youth Championships, but never has represented the country at the senior international level. Australia already has chosen its javelin throwers for the Rio Games.

McGorty also qualified in the 1,500, but will stick to the 5,000. He was second at the NCAA Championships in that event and has already reached the Olympic standard.

Elise Cranny has not reached the Olympic Trials standard of 4:09.50, but she came within 0.04 while finishing a narrow second in the NCAA Championships 1,500. Cranny will not chase a time to reach the qualifying standard. Rather, she is expected to be included when the field is filled out to 30.

Grant Fisher probably will get in the 5,000. He ran 13:30.13 to finish sixth at the NCAA’s, just outside the 13:28.00 cut-off, but it should be enough. However, he will make an attempt to get to the Trials in the 1,500 by running for the qualifying time of 3:38.00 at the Stumptown Twilight meet in Gresham, Oregon, on June 23.

Fisher’s focus this summer will be on the Trials, said Chris Miltenberg, Stanford’s Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field. If he doesn’t make the Trials, Fisher may run at the U.S. Junior Championships June 24-26 in Clovis, California. However, Fisher will not run in the World Junior Championships, even if he qualifies out of the U.S. juniors.

Pole vaulter Dylan Duvio is on the bubble for Trials inclusion. His best during the qualifying window is 18-2 ½, though the standard is 18-6 ½.

Claudia Saunders, a Cincinnati native, has reached the standard in the women’s 800, but has chosen to try to represent France, the homeland of her mother, rather than the United States. The French Federation has its own Olympic standard, 2:00.00, which is tougher than the IAAF standard of 2:01.50.

Saunders will give it a shot at the Brooks PR Invitational on Saturday in Renton, Washington, and then leaves Sunday for France. She will run at the French Championships and, perhaps, at the European Championships in Amsterdam, July 6-10.

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Other upcoming events

Several other Stanford athletes will be competing. Aisling Cuffe (5,000) and Rebecca Mehra (1,500) will run at the Stumptown meet.

Missy Mongiovi (women’s 400), Alex Ostberg (men’s 5,000), and Brian Smith (men’s 800) will run at the U.S. juniors.

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All-America Honors

These Stanford athletes earned All-America honors for outdoor track and field.

First team
Men: Grant Fisher (5,000), Sean McGorty (5,000), Harrison Williams (decathlon).
Women: Valarie Allman (discus), Olivia Baker(800), Elise Cranny (800), Mackenzie Little (javelin), Claudia Saunders (800).

Second team
Men: Dylan Duvio (pole vault).
Women: Valarie Allman (hammer), Aisling Cuffe (5,000), Vanessa Fraser (5,000).

Honorable mention
Women: Olivia Baker (4x400), Michaela Crunkleton Wilson (4x400), Gaby Gayles (4x400), Molly McNamara (1,500),  Kristyn Williams (4x400).

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High school highlights

Billings (Mont.) Senior High star Christina Aragon ran a scorching 4:09.27 to win the second section of the Portland Track Festival on Sunday. Not only did it win the race and earn her a spot in the Olympic Trials, but it made her the third-fastest high school runner of all-time at that distance, trailing only Mary Cain and Alexa Efraimson, and the fourth-fastest American junior (19 and under) ever.

Fourth in the same section was another incoming freshman, Ella Donaghu of Portland’s Grant High. Donaghu ran a lifetime best 4:14.11, placing her No. 5 on the all-time high school performers’ list.

Thomas Ratcliffe, who will join the Cardinal this fall, ran a 4:01.50 mile to break the Massachusetts and New England high school records on his home track of Concord-Carlisle High, at the Adrian Martinez Classic. Ratcliffe was cheered on by hundreds of hometown fans on June 2.

The California state meet was highlighted by incoming Stanford freshmen Isaac Cortes of Great Oak High in Temecula and Fiona O’Keefe of Davis.

Cortes pulled off a rare 800-1,600 double at the state meet. He won the 800 in 1:50.75 and the 1,600 in 4:04.62. O’Keeffe won the girls’ 3,200 in 10:12.02 and was third in the 1,600 at 4:48.66, in Clovis. And Erika Malaspina of Pacific Collegiate School in Santa Cruz tied for second in the girls’ pole vault at 13-8.