COLFAX, Wash. – Ella Donaghu became the first Stanford woman to win an NCAA West Region cross country title in 12 years and the Stanford men and women qualified for the NCAA Championships together for the 26th consecutive year.
Donaghu and Jessica Lawson finished 1-2 and Jordan Oakes was fifth to lead a Stanford victory in the women's race on a dreary Friday at Colfax Golf Club. In a meet in which the top two teams advance automatically to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Indiana, the Cardinal women scored 39 points to 49 for runner-up Washington.
The Cardinal men were second, scoring 78 to Portland's winning 65, to earn an automatic berth. Alex Ostberg (seventh), Thomas Ratcliffe (eighth), and Alek Parsons (10th) earned top-10 finishes for Stanford.
Some facts about the Stanford women's performance:
• First regional team title since 2016.
• First individual champion since Teresa McWalters in 2007.
• First 1-2 Stanford finish since Arianna Lambie and Katy Trotter in 2006.
• Lowest Stanford regional score since 2007.
Donaghu earned her first collegiate cross-country victory by covering the 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) in 19:50.8, with Lawson in 19:54.2, and Oakes in 20:04.8. Stanford, which rested Pac-12 champion Fiona O'Keeffe, had Julia Heymach in 12th and freshman Abi Archer in 19th.
Of Stanford's top five, four placed higher than they ever have in a collegiate cross country race. The only exception was Heymach, who had placed 11th at the 2018 USF Invitational.
The women's race was an exhibition of pack running for the most part. Gradually, the pack dwindled until it became a four-person race among Donaghu, Lawson, Washington's Melany Smart, and San Francisco's Aoibhe Richardson.
With about 600 meters to go, Donaghu and Lawson edged to the front. Finally, Donaghu pushed hard to the finish to gap her teammate.
Donaghu's only other collegiate victory – including indoor and outdoor track – was the steeplechase at the 2018 Big Meet dual against Cal. Donaghu missed last cross country season with injury, but emerged in outdoor track last spring by placing sixth in the NCAA 1,500 final. Donaghu has continued her momentum since, now under first-year coach J.J. Clark, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field.
The Cardinal men were locked into a duel with Portland. Splits had the Cardinal holding a one-point lead through 9 kilometers of the 10K (6.2-mile) race. The Stanford leaders were content to remain in a chase pack after Washington's Andrew Jordan and Portland's Emmanuel Roudolff-Levisse bolted to a huge lead early.
Midway through the race, Stanford had five among the top 10. As it was, Ostberg and Ratcliffe chose to race in control and did not make a bid to close the gap or go for the victory, to preserve themselves for NCAA's.
From left: J.J. Clark, Ella Donaghu, Kristin Fahy, Julia Heymach, Jordan Oakes, Jessica Lawson, Abi Archer, Christina Aragon, Hannah DeBalsi, Ricardo Santos. Photo by Chuck Aragon.
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NCAA West Regional
At Colfax Golf Club
Winners and all Stanford
Men (10K, 6.2 miles)
Team leaders – 1, Portland 65; 2, Stanford 78; 3, Oregon 90; 4, Washington 115; 5, Boise State 133; 6, Gonzaga 148.
Individuals – 1, Andrew Jordan (Washington) 29:43.4; 7, Alex Ostberg (Stanford) 29:58.6; 8, Thomas Ratcliffe (Stanford) 29:58.7; 10, Alek Parsons (Stanford) 30:01.8; 21, Steven Fahy (Stanford) 30:07.7; 32, Clayton Mendez (Stanford) 30:35.5; 45, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau (Stanford) 30:46.3; 75, DJ Principe (Stanford) 31:20.7.
Women (6K, 3.7 miles)
Team leaders – 1, Stanford 39; 2, Washington 49; 3, Boise State 86; 4, Oregon 145; 5, Arizona 188; 6 Portland 245.
Individuals – 1, Ella Donaghu (Stanford) 19:50.8; 2, Jessica Lawson (Stanford) 19:54.2; 5, Jordan Oakes (Stanford) 20:04.8; 12, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 20:13.8; 19, Abi Archer (Stanford) 20:26.2; 52, Christina Aragon (Stanford) 21:01.3; 65, Kristin Fahy (Stanford) 21:11.8.
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Stanford's All-West Region
Men: Steven Fahy, Alex Ostberg, Alek Parsons, Thomas Ratcliffe.
Women: Abi Archer, Ella Donaghu, Julia Heymach, Jessica Lawson, Jordan Oakes.
Stanford, from left: Alex Ostberg, Steven Fahy, Thomas Ratcliffe.