SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Grant Fisher has a chance to become Stanford's first conference men's individual champion since 2010 when he toes the line Friday at the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships at the Springfield Golf Club.
Both the Stanford men's and women's teams will be seeking their first conference titles in seven years and Fisher is the top contender. The junior was the Pac-12 runner-up last season behind the graduated Edward Cheserek, Oregon's four-time winner and seeks to become Stanford's first men's champ since Elliott Heath.
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Meet information:
Pac-12 Championships
Location: Springfield, Ore.
Site: Springfield Golf Club.
Women's start: 11:10 a.m. PT
Men's start: 12:10 p.m. PT
Women's distance: 6K (3.73 miles)
Men's distance: 8K (4.97 miles)
Meet central: Click here.
Live TV: Pac-12 Network (telecast begins at 11 a.m.)
On the call: Jim Watson, Dwight Stones, Lewis Johnson
Live results: Click here.
Twitter: @stanfordxctf, @pac12network
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Stanford in USTFCCA Rankings:
Men: No. 6
Women: No. 14
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Men's preview
Stanford is the top Pac-12 team in the West Region, but trails Colorado in the national rankings, No. 5 to No. 6. Colorado has won six consecutive titles and Stanford has won 12 altogether. Only once has a team other than Stanford, Colorado, and Oregon won in the past 22 years. In fact, Stanford has placed among the top three each year of that same span. This will be Stanford's first meeting with Colorado since beating the Buffaloes in the NCAA's last year, second place to sixth. In that race, Fisher was fifth. No other returning Pac-12 runner finished higher than the 28th of Colorado's Joe Klecker. From last year's Pac-12 race, Colorado's fourth-place Zach Perrin is the highest returning finisher behind Fisher. Stanford has other weapons, including Alex Ostberg, who has established himself as the Cardinal's No. 2. Jack Keelan, a sub-4 miler during the 2017 indoor season, is making his season debut and fellow fifth-year senior Sam Wharton races with the 'A' squad for the first time after making his first appearance in the open race of the Wisconsin Invitational two weeks ago. Former California prep standout Callum Bolger is the only true freshman on the Card squad.
Stanford men's notes:
- Second-highest ranked team in the field, at No. 6.
- Seeking first team title since 2010.
- Grant Fisher was the Pac-12 runner-up last season.
- Four consecutive years with a top-three finisher (2016: Grant Fisher (2nd); 2015: Sean McGorty (2nd); 2014: Joe Rosa (3rd); 2013: Jim Rosa (2nd)).
- 22 consecutive Pac-12 top-three team finishes.
- 12 Pac-10/Pac-12 team titles.
- 29 consecutive Pac-12 victories over Cal.
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Women's preview
No. 14 Stanford races at full strength for the first time this season, with Elise Cranny and Christina Aragon making their season debuts. Stanford is the fourth-highest ranked team in the field, behind No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Colorado, and No. 13 Washington. The Cardinal is searching for its first conference title since 2010. Vanessa Fraser and Fiona O'Keeffe (ninth and 11, respectively) are among a group of expected contenders that also includes defending champ Amy-Eloise Neale of Washington. Stanford has won the individual title three of the past five years. Stanford true freshmen competing are Jessica Lawson and Jordan Oakes.
Stanford women's notes:
- Seeking first team title since 2010.
- Stanford runners have won individual titles three of the past five years (Kathy Kroeger, 2012; Aisling Cuffe, 2013, 2015).
- 20 conference team championships, 15 in the Pac-10/Pac-12.
- 26 consecutive Pac-12 victories over Cal.
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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).
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Stanford's Pac-12 Competitors
- Men: Callum Bolger, Isaac Cortes, Tai Dinger, Grant Fisher, Steven Fahy, Blair Hurlock, Jack Keelan, Alex Ostberg, Alek Parsons, Sam Wharton.
- Women: Christina Aragon, Maddy Berkson, Elise Cranny, Ella Donaghu, Vanessa Fraser, Jessica Lawson, Abbie McNulty, Fiona O'Keeffe, Jordan Oakes, Catherine Pagano.