Stanford University is the home to an outstanding cross-country and track & field program, one that has consistently been among the elites in the Division I ranks.
In about five more months it will also be the home to four of New England’s finest middle/long-distance runners. Connecticut’s Claire Howett of Westhill, Rhode Island’s Maddy Berkson of Classical and the Massachusetts’ duo of Dracut’s Karina Shepard and Bishop Feehan’s Abby McNulty have all officially decided to run for the Cardinals the next four years.
Add in New Jersey’s Olivia Baker of Columbia and you have five from the northeast making the cross-country trek.
“I just totally felt that’s where I can improve academically and athletically,” Shepard said. “I totally thought the coach was amazing. I feel the program can help develop me into an amazing athlete. I think the other girls saw that, too.”
In conversations with the other three NE runners this season, Shepard’s words appeared to be the overall consensus on why a school that’s located more the 3,000-miles away from their comfort zone seemed like the perfect fit. The gifted group will join a squad that currently has four other national-caliber athletes from the northeast region, including former Cornwell Central (NY) star and 2010 Foot Locker National cross-country champion Aisling Cuffe.
Howett, who currently ranks No. 3 in the country for 3,000 meters (9:43.37) and fourth for the 3,200 (10:28.56), is looking forward to her new surroundings. She’s also thrilled about training with her future teammates at Stanford like McNulty, the multiple state champion from Feehan, who excels in the longer distances and has an indoor best of 10:34.68 for 3,200 (US #9) this season.
“It’s great. I am super excited. I raced against (McNulty) once. She’s a fantastic runner, really good in cross country,” Howett said. “I don’t really have people to train with here. I’m the only distance girl really on my team. Training with a whole group of people will be such a great adjustment. It’s a huge jump but it will be really fun.”
Of the soon-to-be Cardinal runners, only McNulty decided to skip this past Saturday’s New England Championship to get some additional rest for the upcoming New Balance Nationals the weekend of March 14-16.
In the 1,000, Berkson won her third straight title at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center, breaking her own meet record with a time of 2:49.29 (US #4). She also was seventh in the two mile (11:03.87) and anchored the Purple’s ninth-place 4x400 squad (4:02.94). Howett finished third in the mile at 4:57.93 and Shepard anchored her school’s 4x800 relay squad (fifth, 9:26.46), just a week after winning the state title in the 1K with a nation No. 2 of 2:48.70.
Even though they were in the same building, Howett has never met her future New England teammates at Stanford. But she feels Berkson and Shepard are already part of her team and will aid in her progression to the next level.
“Oh definitely,” she said. “I saw Karina in the 4x800 and I was cheering for her. I was warming up during the 1,000 so I didn’t see Maddy run. I am definitely rooting for them. It’s exciting for me. Those two girls are more middle distance and have real strong speed. I am trying to work on my speed. I am more of a distance runner. I am better in the two mile and cross country. I am doing the mile and trying to work on my speed so it’s exciting that I will have teammates that have that strength to help me out.”
Shepard, who burst onto the national scene last year by winning the outdoor state meet with her first sub 2:10 effort of her career, has enjoyed her quick rise to the top. It also hasn’t sunk in that she’ll soon be competing on a team that has achieved much success at the collegiate level. In its history, Stanford has won nine NCAA cross-country titles (men and women) since 1996 and has been among the top three track & field squads at the NCAA meet (indoor and outdoor) 18 times, winning four team crowns, the last coming in 2000.
“Since I came into the national scene I never imagined going to a place like that,” Shepard said. “It’s a big dream of mine going down there. I knew Abby McNulty already had committed before me and it made my decision easier. But I really wasn’t too serious about anywhere else.”
The future Stanford contingent are all scheduled to compete in the New Balance Nationals at The Armory in New York City where fast times are sure to happen on the banked oval. For Berkson and Shepard, an individual title in the 800 is not too far-fetched.
New England’s loss come June graduations will certainly be Stanford’s gain by the fall.
MileSplit Athlete Profiles: