SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Stanford women placed third and the men fourth at the NCAA West Regional Cross Country Championships on Friday at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex.
The top two teams in each of the nation's nine regions advanced automatically to the NCAA Championships. Both Stanford teams are expected to receive at-large berths for the Nov. 19 meet in Madison, Wisconsin.
Elise Cranny and Fiona O'Keeffe placed fourth and fifth to lead the Stanford women, who scored 76 points, placing behind Boise State (45) and Oregon (62). Cranny was timed in 19:26.2 and O'Keeffe in 19:27.0 over the 6-kilometer (3.73-mile) flat course. Sophomore Jessica Lawson earned her first All-Region distinction with a 24th-place finish.
The Stanford men placed their five scorers among the top 36, with four earning All-Region honors by placing among the top 25 and finishing within 13 seconds of each other. All-Americas Alex Ostberg (29:51.0) and Grant Fisher (29:51.0) ran conservatively in placing 15th and 16th, respectively, over the 10K (6.21-mile) course. Alek Parsons was 23rd and Tai Dinger was 25th, with both earning All-Region distinction.
Though Sacramento is fewer than 100 miles from Paradise and the Camp Fire, the wind shifted smoke largely away from the race region and air quality was not a factor.
Alex Ostberg and Grant Fisher.
The 31-team NCAA fields, including 13 at-large team selections for each race, will be announced by 2 p.m. PT on Saturday, on ncaa.com.
The primary factor in at-large selection is how teams did against teams that qualified automatically. The Stanford women have beaten two: Furman and Wisconsin. The Stanford men have beaten four: North Carolina State, Ole Miss, Washington, and Wisconsin. Because Boise State placed third ahead of Stanford, the Broncos must be selected before or along with Stanford.
As each at-large team is selected into the championships, the win totals of all teams under consideration are adjusted to reflect any victories over all the teams selected to the championships (e.g., the 18 automatic qualifiers and any at-large selections). This process continues until all the at-large teams are selected.
The Stanford men have beaten other third- and fourth-place regional finishers Belmont, Colorado, Colorado State, Furman, and Michigan. And the Card women have beaten other at-large contenders Notre Dame, Southern Utah, Wake Fortest, Washington, and Yale. All those results boost Stanford's chances to advance both teams to the NCAA Championships for the 25th consecutive year.
In the remote chance that the Stanford women somehow do not get selected as a team, Cranny and O'Keeffe have secured spots as individuals by being among the top four individuals not on qualifying teams.
All photos by Spencer Allen/SportsImageWire.com.
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NCAA West Regionals
At Haggin Oaks Golf Complex
Qualifying teams, winners, and complete Stanford results
Men (10K, 6.21 miles)
Team – 1, Portland 77; 2, Washington 82; 4, Stanford 110.
Individuals – 1, Nick Hauger (Portland) 29:42.4; 15, Alex Ostberg (Stanford) 29:51.0; 16, Grant Fisher (Stanford) 29:51.0; 23, Alek Parsons (Stanford) 29:59.1; 25, Tai Dinger (Stanford) 30:03.1; 36, DJ Principe (Stanford) 30:17.4; 47, Michael Vernau (Stanford) 30:35.1; Callum Bolger (Stanford) DNF.
Women (6K, 3.73 miles)
Team – 1, Oregon 44; 2, Boise State 49; 3, Stanford 95.
Individuals – 1, Allie Ostrander (Boise State) 19:09.0; 4, Elise Cranny (Stanford) 19:26.2; 5, Fiona O'Keeffe (Stanford) 19:27.0; 24, Jessica Lawson (Stanford) 20:21.5; 31, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 20:33.9; 36, Jordan Oakes (Stanford) 20:42.2; 59, Rebecca Story (Stanford) 21:08.2; 82, Catherine Pagano (Stanford) 21:24.4.
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Stanford's All-Region honorees
Men: Grant Fisher, Alex Ostberg, Alek Parsons, Tai Dinger.
Women: Elise Cranny, Jessica Lawson, Fiona O'Keeffe.
Michael Vernau.