Probable Top Five:

SO Elise Cranny (4:10 1500; 4th World Jr. 1500 ’14; 8:58 3K; 12th NCAA XC ’14)

SR Aisling Cuffe (15:11 5K; 2nd NCAA 5K ’14; 4th NCAA XC ’13)

JR Vanessa Fraser (15:54 5K; 13th NCAA 5K ’15)

SR Molly McNamara (4:20 1500; 10th West Region XC ’14; 14th Pac-12 XC ’14)

SO Emma Fisher (10:26 3200; 16th West Region XC ’14; 75th NCAA XC ’14)

 

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

Hannah Long via Pacific, MO (2:05 800; 4:40 1600; 10:20 3200; 19th FL ’14)

Catherine Pagano via Allendale, NJ (4:48 1600; 10:34 3200)

Claire Smith via Canada (4:23 1500; 9:37 3K; 16:31 5K)

 

Analysis:

The Stanford team is getting a huge boost this fall with key athlete comebacks and zero graduating seniors, making for a potentially dangerous Cardinal squad come November. 

 

Last year, Stanford was led by an unprecedented freshman campaign from Elise Cranny, who claimed 12th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute. The performance was the highest placing by any freshman at the meet. Prior to NCAAs, she was second at the Pac-12 Championships and third at the NCAA West Region meet, leading as the Cardinal’s No. 1 runner all season long. 

 

This year, Cranny should have some relief from her leader duties as All American Aisling Cuffe returns for her final season of eligibility. Cuffe redshirted all of the 2014-15 season due to injury, but boasts some of the best marks in NCAA history. At the 2014 Payton Jordan Invitational, Cuffe stunned the crowd with a 15:11 5K, which stands as the No. 3 fastest mark run by a collegian all-time. Prior to the 2014 track season, Cuffe claimed the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships title, and placed fourth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. If she returns to full form, Cuffe should make an immediate impact on the Stanford team this fall. 

 

Stanford also saw a number of ladies step up this track season whose performances could translate well into cross country. Former walk-on Vanessa Fraser had a breakout spring that included second team All American honors in the 5K at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Fraser also clocked personal bests of 15:54 in the 5K, 9:16 in the 3K, and 34:07 in the 10K. Redshirt senior Molly McNamara should also utilize her final season of cross country eligibility after clocking a personal best of 4:20 in the 1500m and advancing to the NCAA West Preliminaries. McNamara was a key contributor to the Cardinal squad in the 2014 season, which was highlighted by a 10th-place finish at the NCAA West Region Championships. 

 

Sophomore Emma Fisher as well as incoming freshmen Hannah Long, Catherine Pagano and Claire Smith should also step up as young contributors. Fisher had a stellar freshman year representing the Cardinal, which included a 16th-place finish at the NCAA West Region meet and a 75th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Long comes to the team with a 19th-place Footlocker finish, and impressive track performances. She was eighth at both the Brooks PR mile and Adidas Grand Prix mile. Pagano holds personal bests of 4:48 in the 1600m and 10:34 in the 3200m and competed at the Footlocker Northeast Region Championships. 18-year-old Canadian standout Smith comes to Stanford with impressive track stats that include a 4:23 1500 and 16:31 5K. She also finished seventh at the 2014 Canadian cross country championships in the U20 race. 

 

With a strong arsenal of talent in returners and comeback athletes, the Stanford women will be a formidable opponent on the cross country course this fall.