Lane looks to join elite Foot Locker group as repeat champion

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

SAN DIEGO -- For the first time since 2007, the reigning girls national champion returns in pursuit of a second title at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, and Malibu CA junior Claudia Lane might be one of the most significant favorites in meet history.

LIVE WEBCAST INFO

Lane is looking to become the sixth female athlete to win multiple Foot Locker national titles and the fourth to repeat as champion. Erin Sullivan of Mount Mansfield VT was the last back-to-back winner in 1997-98.

Jordan Hasay of Mission Prep CA has since won two titles in 2005 and 2008, along with Anna Rohrer of Mishawaka IN in 2012 and 2014.

Lane covered the 5-kilometer course at Balboa Park's Morley Field last year in 17 minutes, 4.8 seconds to become the fifth sophomore to win the championship. She is targeting the course record of 16:39.2 set in 1990 by two-time champion Melody Fairchild of Boulder, Colo.

Along with Lane, nine other girls finalists return from last season, including three additional All-Americans.

Rebecca Story of Christian Academy of Knoxville TN, a Stanford signee, finished third last year, leading the South roster to an impressive victory. Story captured the South Regional championship and produced her second sub-10 effort in the 3,200 meters Nov. 18 by running 9:59.8 at a HOKA ONE ONE Postal National event in her home state.

Olivia Theis of Lansing Catholic MI placed 14th last season and the Michigan commit is primed for a big improvement after winning the Midwest Regional title.

Sophomore Marlee Starliper of Northern PA won the Northeast Regional title, improving from 30th last year. Along with Exeter NH senior Jacqueline Gaughan, who finished 11th last year, Starliper has strong All-America potential.

Bailey Hertenstein of Newsome FL, Abigail Green of Walter Johnson MD, Heather Holt of George C. Marshall VA, Page Lester of National Cathedral in Washington D.C., Katie Thronson of Lewis and Clark WA and Taryn Parks of Greencastle Antrim PA all return from last year's final. Hertenstein finished 20th last year competing for Riverview FL.

Four athletes, two each from Illinois and Minnesota, who competed Dec. 2 at Nike Cross Nationals will double up and race at Foot Locker.

Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West IL, fourth at NXN, and Sarah Schmitt, whose eighth-place individual finish led Naperville North IL to a runner-up team effort in Portland, Ore., are looking to secure All-America honors at both finals.

Naperville North graduate and Oregon sophomore Judy Pendergast boasts the best combined results from both national finals after placing eighth at NXN and fourth at Foot Locker in 2015.

Tierney Wolfgram of Math and Science Academy MN, one of two freshmen competing in this year's final along with Heidi Nielson of Cinco Ranch TX, looks to improve on her 27th-place finish at NXN. Emily Covert of Minneapolis Washburn MN hopes to rebound after illness contributed to a 77th-place NXN result.