Photos by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
EUGENE, Ore. – The Stanford women matched their highest finish in program history, placing a close third at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Hayward Field.
In windy and chilly conditions that ranged from drizzle to downpour, Stanford picked up five top-five finishes on the meet's final day, and led through 16 of the 21 events, only to fall two points shy. Stanford scored 51, to finish just behind USC (53) and Georgia (52).
It was the first time in meet history that the top-three placing teams finished within two points of each other.
Valarie Allman
With two events remaining – the 5,000 meters followed by the 4x400 relay – Stanford trailed only Georgia, 50-46, with USC in third with 43. Vanessa Fraser captured fourth in the 5,000 for five points for Stanford, but Georgia nabbed two points for seventh place to stay in front, 52-51, with the Cardinal done for the day.
The meet came down to the relay, but Stanford and Georgia were not in the final, which meant USC had to win to capture the team title, and the Trojans did, by 0.07, dropping the Cardinal to third.
With the women third and the men placing eighth on Friday, Stanford's median place of 5.5 tied the 1998 team (men second, women ninth) as the highest combined finish in program history. Their 79 points were the most combined since 2000, when the Cardinal men won the championship and the teams totaled 80 between them.
Elise Cranny and Christina Aragon.
In the four-day meet, the Stanford men and women combined for four school records, two victories, a second place, five thirds, two fourths, and a fifth. Fifteen individuals contributed to Stanford's scoring. And the 22 athletes competing were the most for Stanford since 2005.
Elise Cranny earned her 11th All-America honor and set a school record by placing third in the 1,500 in 4:09.49, with Christina Aragon a close fourth in 4:09.59. The sophomore Aragon now trails only Cranny, a senior, as the fastest in school history.
Cranny broke her own school record of 4:09.54, set in the 2016 NCAA final on the same track during a runner-up finish.
Olivia Baker
Valarie Allman placed third in the discus at 194-3 (59.20 meters), which led through the fifth of six rounds in a rain-delayed competition before Kansas State's Shadae Lawrence overtook Allman, and Arizona State's Maggie Ewen overtook them both.
Olivia Baker placed fifth in her third consecutive NCAA outdoor 800 final, in 2:06.18.
In the 5,000, Fraser took the lead with 500 to go on the way to running 15:43.77 for fourth, her highest NCAA outdoor finish.
The meet signaled an end of an era. Allman, Baker, Cranny, and Fraser completed their Stanford track careers. They combined for 37 All-America honors and each will go down among the greatest in program history.
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Vanessa Fraser
Saturday's Results
Fourth day of four
NCAA Championships
At Hayward Field
Finals winners and all Stanford competitors
Women
Team scores – 1, USC 53; 2, Georgia 52; 3, Stanford 51; 4, Kentucky 46; 5, Florida 42.
800 – 1, Sammy Watson (Texas A&M) 2:04.21; 5, Olivia Baker (Stanford) 2:06.18.
1,500 – 1, Jessica Hull (Oregon) 4:08.75; 3, Elise Cranny (Stanford) 4:09.49, personal best, school record; 4, Christina Aragon (Stanford) 4:09.59, No. 2 Stanford all-time.
5,000 – 1, Karissa Schweizer (Missouri) 15:41.58; 4, Vanessa Fraser (Stanford) 15:43.77.
Discus – 1, Maggie Ewen (Arizona State) 198-5 (60.48m); 3, Valarie Allman (Stanford) 194-3 (59.20m).
Men (from Friday)
Team scores – 1, Florida 52; 8, Stanford 28.
Elise Cranny and Christina Aragon.
