Track & Field 2012-13

ClassFreshman

HometownCincinnati, Ohio

* Six-time All-American *

Career Bests (thru 2016 indoors):

Stanford Record Book:
Outdoors

Indoors

At Stanford:

Broke school record in the 800 while finishing second at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships, matching her finish of 2014.
Has four second-place NCAA finishes, including DMRs in 2014 and 2015.

2016 Season:
Indoors

Advanced to the NCAA Championships as the No. 13 qualifier, at 2:04.43, in the 800.
Placed 15th overall in 2:08.45.
Placed third at the MPSF Championships in the 800, in 2:04.89.
Led off Stanford's distance medley relay to the nation's No. 1 time of 10:54.58, which is the eight-fastest collegiate time ever.
Her split was 3:22.7.
Has been part of the three fastest DMR's in school history.
This year marks the second time Saunders has qualified indoors for NCAA's in the 800.

2015 Season:
Outdoors

Broke school record in the 800 while finishing second at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships, running 2:00.63.
Earned her second outdoor All-America first-team selection.
Matched her 2014 NCAA finish, the highest for a Stanford runner in that event.
Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention
27th in 800 at U.S. Championships
Anchored Stanford to the 4x1500 victory at the Penn Relays, the Cardinal's first victory at the meet since 2006.
Ran the third leg on Stanford's Big Meet 4x400 winning team.
Set a personal best of 2:01.79 at the Payton Jordan, only to break it at NCAA's.
Raced at the Diamond League Areva meeting at the Stade de France, finishing 10th in 2:02.55.
Ran 10 outdoor 800's and 18 races altogether during the season.

Indoors

Ran the 800-meter leg on Stanford's NCAA runner-up DMR team, which ran 10:53.66, the 10th-fastest time in NCAA championship meet history.
Her split was 2:04.87 and ended with Stanford in the lead.
Placed fourth in the 800 at the MPSF Championships (season best 2:06.11).
Ran the third leg on Stanford's MPSF-winning DMR (11:02.98) and anchored the 4x400 to third (3:38.18).
Ran in four meets, racing three times in the 800, three times in the DMR, and twice in the 4x400.

2014 Season:
Outdoors

Finished second in the 800 at the NCAA Championships, earning the highest-ever finish by a Stanford woman in that event.
Moved into second on the final lap behind teammate Amy Weissenbach, and was passed by winner Laura Roesler with 200 to go.
Strong finish to outdistance the rest of the field and finish in 2:02.92 to earn her first individual first-team All-America honor.
Set a personal record of 2:02.68 in the NCAA semifinal to advance.
Was second in her heat in Eugene, Ore.
No. 3 on Stanford's all-time list.
Placed fourth in the Pac-12 Championships in 2:08.89.
Had the 11th-best time (2:07.55) in the NCAA West Prelims and advanced to nationals on place.
Opened outdoor season by winning the third section of the 1,500 at the Stanford Invitational, in a PR of 4:22.70.
Ran first outdoor 800 at the Payton Jordan Invitational, placing fourth in the second section in a then-PR of 2:03.44.
Ran legs on runner-up teams in the 4x1,500 and distance medley relays at the Penn Relays.

Indoors

Earned first-team All-America honors by running the 800 leg on Stanford's second-place distance medley relay team at the NCAA Championships.
Her split was 2:06.18 and she made the exchange in the lead.
Qualified for the NCAA's as an individual in the 800, but chose to focus on the DMR.
Placed second in the 800 at the MPSF Championships, running 2:05.19.
Ran the second-fastest indoor 800 in Stanford history when she clocked 2:05.07 to place fourth in the invite section of the Husky Classic in Feb. 15.
Beat All-America teammates Justine Fedronic and Amy Weissenbach in the race.
Set a personal best in the 600 as well, finishing second in the 600 (1:30.82).
Ran the 800 leg (2:06.9 split) in the school record-setting distance medley relay, which won the Penn State National in 10:54.04.

2013 Season:
Outdoors

Placed second in the USATF junior nationals, running a personal record 2:06.46 in Des Moines, Iowa.
It was the fifth fastest time in Stanford freshmen history.
Showed outstanding improvement and national potential in her first season running the 800.
Placed 17th overall at the NCAA West Prelims in a personal best 2:06.96.
Missed the finals at the Pac-12 Championships by one place.
Was ninth overall at 2:10.01.
Third at the Big Meet in a then-PB of 2:08.60.

Indoors

Earned second-team All-America honors as part of the 11th place distance medley relay team at the NCAA Championships (11:14.77).
Ran the third leg (800) on the MPSF runner-up team in the DMR.
Placed ninth in the 800 at the MPSF Championships in a personal record 2:09.80.
Competed in six meets, running the 800 in five.

International:

Placed sixth at the 2013 Pan Am Junior Championships in the 800 in Medellin, Colombia.

Cross Country:

Stanford's No. 2 runner at the 2015 NCAA Championships, finishing 89th to help Cardinal to 14th place.
Ran in the 2013, including the NCAA Championships as team's No. 6 runner (196th place).

High School:

Outstanding athlete with state championships in cross country and in the 100-meter hurdles in track -- the first in Ohio history to ever accomplish that double.
Had this amazing variety of quality personal records: 100 hurdles, 14.29; 300 hurdles, 42.54; 400, 56.1; 800, 2:22.26; pole vault, 10-0; 5,000, 18:04.50 (cross country).
The 2011 Ohio state Division I champion in cross country.
Competed in three state meets overall in cross country, including top-10 finishes each year.
The 2010 Ohio state champion in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.49.
Ran in four state track meets during her high school career, resulting in 10 all-state recognitions.
Competed in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles at the 2012 state meet along with the 4x200- and 4x400-meter relays.
Helped Princeton to a regional runner-up finish in track in 2012.
Gatorade Ohio Cross Country Runner of the Year ... was eighth at the 2011 Nike Outdoor Nationals in the 400 hurdles (1:00.32).

Personal:

Double major of international relations, and Iberian and Latin American cultures.
Contemplated profession is to work for a multinational organization or the United Nations.
Daughter of Tyler Saunders and Christine Auclair.
A back injury suffered in a practice fall in gymnastics led to her switching to track.
Speaks fluent French.

Career Results:

Claudia Saunders Season 2012-13