UNIVERSITY PARK, Wash. – In the final Pac-12 Cross Country Championships, Stanford swept the individual titles, captured their record-setting 17th men's title, and the women were second.
Stanford got victories from men's senior Ky Robinson and women's freshman Amy Bunnage – each from Australia -- at Chambers Creek Regional Park on Friday.
With the 55th edition of this meet concluding the Pac-12's rich history in the sport, Stanford leaves with the greatest men's and women's cross country programs in conference history. The men were tied with Oregon in victories going into the meet and the women, with 17 titles, already led by a substantial margin.
Robinson covered the 8-kilometer (4.97-mile) course in 22:40.2 and was hardly threatened while doing so. It was the first Pac-12 title in either track or cross country for the senior who is the reigning NCAA outdoor track champion at 5,000 and 10,000 meters.
Ky Robinson. Photo by Howard Lao.
Stanford has struggled this season and dropped to No. 25 in the national rankings, but coach Ricardo Santos challenged his men and they responded with three among the top nine. It was the performance of Robert DiDonato in ninth that may have been the difference in the victory. He had been Stanford's No. 8 runner in the two major invitationals, at Virginia and Wisconsin.
Cole Sprout matched his third place of last year to help Stanford score 41 points, to 50 for runner-up Washington. Following double victories by Grant Fisher and Charles Hicks, Robinson gave Stanford its fifth individual title in seven years, and 12th overall.
Bunnage clocked 19:09.7 over the 6K (3.73-mile) women's course to win by five seconds. She became Stanford's first winner since Fiona O'Keeffe led a 1-2-3 Stanford sweep in 2019.
Amy Bunnage. Photo by Howard Lao.
The team race came down to the wire. Stanford led at each stage of the race except at the finish. Washington edged the Cardinal, 58-60, preventing Stanford from a sweep of every team and individual victory.
The race quickly separated with Bunnage part of a four-runner leading pack. Oregon State's Grace Fetherstonhaugh made a move with two kilometers to go, but Bunnage responded to stay on her heels. Then it was Bunnage's turn, moving decisively into the lead and maintaining her advantage over the final 800 meters.
No. 5 Stanford placed seven among the top 26 and its five scorers among the top 19. Lucy Jenks produced a strong fifth-place and Riley Stewart in 17th, led a Stanford pack to the finish.
Next for the Cardinal is the NCAA West Regionals in Sacramento on November 10.
Lucy Jenks, Grace Connolly, Riley Stewart. Photo by Howard Lao.
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Pac-12 Championships
At Chambers Creek Regional Park
Winners and all Stanford
Men (8K, 4.97 miles)
Team – 1, Stanford 41; 2, Washington 50; 3, Oregon 60; 4, Colorado 81; 5, California 132; 6, Washington State 168; 7, Arizona 195; 8, UCLA 241; 9, Arizona State 281.
Individuals – 1, Ky Robinson (Stanford) 22:40.2; 3, Cole Sprout (Stanford) 22:56.5; 9, Robert DiDonato (Stanford) 23:10.5; 12, Lex Young (Stanford) 23:17.5; 15, Evan Burke (Stanford) 23:20.5; 40, Zane Bergen (Stanford) 24:08.1; 41, Milo Skapinsky (Stanford) 24:08.2; 45, Callum Sherry (Stanford) 24:20.4; 52, Liam Anderson (Stanford) 24:30.8; 63, John Lester (Stanford) 25:18.0.
Women (6K, 3.73 miles)
Team – 1, Washington 58; 2, Stanford 60; 3, Colorado 87; 4, Oregon 88; 5, Utah 103; 6, Oregon State 105; 7, UCLA 195; 8, California 256; 9, Washington State 258; 10, Arizona 296; 11, USC 335; 12, Arizona State 351.
Individuals – 1, Amy Bunnage (Stanford) 19:09.7; 5, Lucy Jenks (Stanford) 19:30.0; 17, Riley Stewart (Stanford) 19:53.6; 18, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 19:54.2; 19, Zofia Dudek (Stanford) 19:55.4; 23, Sophia Kennedy (Stanford) 19:59.5; 26, Abi Archer (Stanford) 20:07.3; 32, Ava Parekh (Stanford) 20:21.4; 37, Nicola Hogg (Stanford) 20:28.5; 50, Caroline Wells (Stanford) 20:51.5.