SAN FRANCISCO – Stanford opened its cross-country season on Friday at the USF Invitational with the Cardinal women winning and the men placing sixth in the fog at Golden Gate Park.
Sophomore Riley Stewart repeated as women's winner, covering the 6-kilometer (3.73-mile) course in 20:33.3. No. 8 Stanford placed three among the top four and four in the top eight on the way to scoring 22 points. Boise State, ranked No. 6 in the West Region to Stanford's No. 1, was next with 45.
The Cardinal men, ranked No. 4 nationally and No. 1 in the West, competed with six runners, with five running as a group. Stanford scored 160 points, with Boise State, No. 8 in the West Region, scoring 21 on the 8K (4.97-mile) course.
This meet typically opens Stanford's season. The Cardinal opened practice on Tuesday and leaves Sunday for a two-week training camp in the Boulder, Colorado, area. Stanford resumes its meet schedule on September 23 at the Virginia Invitational on this year's NCAA championship course in Charlottesville.
The Stanford women controlled their race from the outset, holding the top three places through the first two-kilometer loop, and five among the top nine through 4K.
Stewart, the 2022 Pac-12 Cross Country Freshman of the Year, won going away, swinging off the final hill and on to the grass at Hellman Hollow and across the finish line with a 7.5-second advantage. Just behind her was Sophie Kennedy making her collegiate debut. The standout from Indianapolis clocked 20:40.8 while moving up from ninth place at 2K. Grace Connolly was fourth (20:44.6), and Caroline Wells (20:58.8) and Abi Archer (21:03.2) were seventh and eighth.
Also making their debuts for Stanford were freshmen middle-distance specialists Amelia Everett, who was 31st in 22:13.3, and Madison Shults, 44th in 22:33.7.
The top five Stanford men – Zane Bergen, Gavin Sherry, Callum Sherry, Liam Anderson, and Evan Burke – placed 44th through 48th and all were clocked within one 0.1 of 25:25.7.
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USF Invitational
At Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Men (8K, 4.97 miles)
Team leaders – 1, Boise State 21; 2, California 49; 3, San Francisco 98; 4, Nevada 122; 5, Stanislaus State 124; 6, Stanford 160.
Winner and all Stanford – 1, Ned Potter (Boise St.) 24:09.1; 44, Zane Bergen (Stanford) 25:25.7; 45, Gavin Sherry (Stanford) 25:25.7; 46, Callum Sherry (Stanford) 25:25.7; 47, Liam Anderson (Stanford) 25:25.7; 48, Evan Burke (Stanford) 25:25.8; 142, Galen Topper (Stanford) 28:44.4.
Women (6K, 3.73 miles)
Team leaders – 1, Stanford 22; 2, Boise State 45; 3, California 111; 4, Santa Clara 122; 5, San Francisco 148; 6, Saint Mary's 175.
Winner and all Stanford – 1, Riley Stewart (Stanford) 20:33.3; 2, Sophia Kennedy (Stanford) 20:40.8; 4, Grace Connolly (Stanford) 20:44.6; 7, Caroline Wells (Stanford) 20:58.8; 8, Abi Archer (Stanford) 21:03.2; 12, Audrey DaDamio (Stanford) 21:09.6; 16, Ava Parekh (Stanford) 21:21.2; 22, Nicola Hogg (Stanford) 21:41.6; 31, Amelia Everett (Stanford) 22:13.3; 42, Imogen Gardiner (Stanford) 22:31.2; 44, Madison Shults (Stanford) 22:33.7.
