Zane Bergen, a Stanford-bound senior at Niwot High in Colorado and the reigning 4A state champion in cross country, as well as the 800 meters, 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss his decision to attend college in Palo Alto, Calif., along with preparing for regional competition Oct. 22 and the state final Oct. 30 at Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs. Bergen, also a member of the Real Training lineup that won the 4xMile Relay at The Outdoor Nationals, presented by Nike, in July in Oregon, is looking to capture back-to-back individual cross country titles, in addition to leading the Cougars to their third consecutive team championship, with a battle of elite national programs looming in the 4A final against Cheyenne Mountain. He explains why Stanford and men's coach Ricardo Santos were good fits for him, and how important the academics and strong team culture were in making his decision. Bergen also expresses gratitude for being able to take an official visit to the Stanford campus and how impactful that was in his choice. He talks about how significant the Niwot legacy has become at Stanford, following student-athletes such as Elise Cranny and former teammate Taylor James, in addition to reconnecting with former Colorado 5A champion from Valor Christian, who earned All-America honors at the Division 1 cross country final in March in Stillwater, Okla. Bergen examines the emotional experience the entire Niwot program had Sept. 24, learning that Nike Cross Nationals was canceled for the second year in a row, just hours before racing at the Desert Twilight Festival in Arizona, the site of the NXR Southwest meet Nov. 20 at The Links Golf Course in San Tan Valley. He revisits how significant it was for both Niwot teams to win the sweepstakes titles and validate their place among the best programs in the country. Bergen shares the momentum the Cougars were able to build Nov. 13 at the Longs Peak League final, and how much they are embracing the challenge of competing against Cheyenne Mountain at the state championship meet to gain experience for more upcoming national opportunities. He also looks ahead to Dec. 4 and Niwot racing against the top teams in the country at the RunningLane Championships in Alabama, in addition to trying to qualify for the Eastbay National Championships individually by participating Nov. 27 at the Midwest Regional in Wisconsin with teammate Joey Hendershott, looking to be among the top eight athletes to advance to compete Dec. 11 in San Diego, Calif.