Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown: #2 Oregon Women
Saucony Flo50 XC Countdown: #2 Oregon Women
Probable Top Five:
SR Waverly Neer (15:37 5K; 33:26 10K; 5th NCAA 10K ’15; 40th NCAA XC ’11; 62nd NCAA XC ’14)
SR Molly Grabill (15:47 5K; 33:26 10K; 4th NCAA 10K ’15; 77th NCAA XC ’14)
SO Frida Berge (10:09 3K Steeple; 16:17 5K; 6th Pac-12 XC ’14; 79th NCAA XC ’14)
SO Alli Cash (4:16 1500; 10:25 3K Steeple; 59th NCAA XC ’14)
FR Sarah Baxter (10:06 3200; 16:40 5K)
SR Molly Grabill (15:47 5K; 33:26 10K; 4th NCAA 10K ’15; 77th NCAA XC ’14)
SO Frida Berge (10:09 3K Steeple; 16:17 5K; 6th Pac-12 XC ’14; 79th NCAA XC ’14)
SO Alli Cash (4:16 1500; 10:25 3K Steeple; 59th NCAA XC ’14)
FR Sarah Baxter (10:06 3200; 16:40 5K)
Impact Freshmen/Transfers:
Jessica Hull via Australia (4:20 1500; 9:08 3K; 7th World Jr. 3K ’14; 69th World XC ’15)
Monique Stander via South Africa (2:02 800; 4:16 1500)
Brooke Feldmeier via Ole Miss (2:03 800; 1st SEC Outdoor 800 ’15)
Monique Stander via South Africa (2:02 800; 4:16 1500)
Brooke Feldmeier via Ole Miss (2:03 800; 1st SEC Outdoor 800 ’15)
Analysis:
Ah yes. The Oregon Ducks. It was back in 2012 when they captured the NCAA title the last time the race was held in Louisville, Kentucky. This is a very different team from 2012. There’s no magical Jordan Hasay and Alexi Pappas duo to rely on and their best finisher in 2014 was only 59th in Terre Haute. So what makes them our No. 2 pick?
Check out how their seasons have played out throughout the years:
12th in 2010
5th in 2011
1st in 2012
14th in 2013
6th in 2014
... in 2015?
Last season the Ducks took over the Pac-12 Championships and very difficult West Region using their close pack of five, going 6-10-11-12-15 and 11-13-18-22-24 to secure victories. Many thought they were a shoe-in for a podium spot in Terre Haute. What they lacked was a frontrunner, however. That Hasay and Pappas effect may not exist on this team, but they could have something similar brewing in Eugene.
Last spring Molly Grabill and Waverly Neer finished fourth and fifth in the NCAA 10,000m race, shocking many, perhaps even themselves and their teammates, and giving the Ducks 9 precious points toward their team championship. Neer proved that she was adjusted at Oregon after transferring from Columbia and falling short of our expectations during last fall’s XC campaign, while Grabill had her best season in an Oregon uniform by running 15:47 and 33:26 in 2015. Though these two only finished 62nd (Neer) and 77th (Grabill) in Terre Haute last fall, the momentum from the track season should carry their confidence levels into bigger leadership roles for the Ducks when they need it. And to be the No. 2 team in the NCAA, they’ll need to be All American performers in Louisville.
Redshirt sophomores Frida Berge and Alli Cash have the credentials to be reliable third and fourth runners for the Ducks. Berge was the team’s top finisher at the Pac-12 Championship last fall and Cash was the top NCAA finisher in Terre Haute. Still, you may be wondering, “She was 59th. How is this team going to finish second in the NCAA when their top returner placed 59th last fall?” Perhaps we’re really confident in the fact that Neer and Grabill will be worlds better this season, and because their top five spread was so close (59-62-64-77-79), despite being farther down the finish line.
What remains is a mystery is how well Sarah Baxter can run in the NCAA. After a nearly flawless high school campaign in California, she redshirted last year after suffering an injury in the spring of her senior season. She raced a few times unattached in the spring, including a new 5K personal best of 16:40. If healthy, there’s no reason we wouldn’t think of her as their No. 5. However, the much improved Ashley Maton and middle distance stud Annie Leblanc could step into that coveted position if Baxter doesn’t pan out.
The Ducks boast some shiny new recruits that are published on their TFRRS roster, including Australian stand-out Jessica Hull. Hull was seventh in the World Jr. 3K when Mary Cain won gold and already has World Cross Country experience. If they throw a Duck uniform on her, she could be right alongside Neer and Grabill, making this team look even more convincing at No. 2.
Check out how their seasons have played out throughout the years:
12th in 2010
5th in 2011
1st in 2012
14th in 2013
6th in 2014
... in 2015?
Last season the Ducks took over the Pac-12 Championships and very difficult West Region using their close pack of five, going 6-10-11-12-15 and 11-13-18-22-24 to secure victories. Many thought they were a shoe-in for a podium spot in Terre Haute. What they lacked was a frontrunner, however. That Hasay and Pappas effect may not exist on this team, but they could have something similar brewing in Eugene.
Last spring Molly Grabill and Waverly Neer finished fourth and fifth in the NCAA 10,000m race, shocking many, perhaps even themselves and their teammates, and giving the Ducks 9 precious points toward their team championship. Neer proved that she was adjusted at Oregon after transferring from Columbia and falling short of our expectations during last fall’s XC campaign, while Grabill had her best season in an Oregon uniform by running 15:47 and 33:26 in 2015. Though these two only finished 62nd (Neer) and 77th (Grabill) in Terre Haute last fall, the momentum from the track season should carry their confidence levels into bigger leadership roles for the Ducks when they need it. And to be the No. 2 team in the NCAA, they’ll need to be All American performers in Louisville.
Redshirt sophomores Frida Berge and Alli Cash have the credentials to be reliable third and fourth runners for the Ducks. Berge was the team’s top finisher at the Pac-12 Championship last fall and Cash was the top NCAA finisher in Terre Haute. Still, you may be wondering, “She was 59th. How is this team going to finish second in the NCAA when their top returner placed 59th last fall?” Perhaps we’re really confident in the fact that Neer and Grabill will be worlds better this season, and because their top five spread was so close (59-62-64-77-79), despite being farther down the finish line.
What remains is a mystery is how well Sarah Baxter can run in the NCAA. After a nearly flawless high school campaign in California, she redshirted last year after suffering an injury in the spring of her senior season. She raced a few times unattached in the spring, including a new 5K personal best of 16:40. If healthy, there’s no reason we wouldn’t think of her as their No. 5. However, the much improved Ashley Maton and middle distance stud Annie Leblanc could step into that coveted position if Baxter doesn’t pan out.
The Ducks boast some shiny new recruits that are published on their TFRRS roster, including Australian stand-out Jessica Hull. Hull was seventh in the World Jr. 3K when Mary Cain won gold and already has World Cross Country experience. If they throw a Duck uniform on her, she could be right alongside Neer and Grabill, making this team look even more convincing at No. 2.