On Dec. 10, at Balboa Park in San Diego, Drew Thompson will join 39 of some of the best runners in the nation at the Foot Locker Nationals. The Fairfield Prep junior earned his berth last week by placing tenth overall at the Northeast Regionals at Van Corlandt Park. This Saturday, Staples High will be among the top teams in the nation at the Nike Cross Nationals at Glendoveer Golf Course in Portland, Oregon. The Wreckers earned their spot by finishing second at the Northeast Regionals on Nov. 26 at Bowdoin Park.
How have some of Connecticut's best fared in the nationals over the years? We looked all the way back to 1979 and the Kinney Nationals, now the Foot Locker Nationals. The Nutmeg State did produce a national champion when former Waterford great Liz Mueller won it all in 1991 with a time of 17 minutes, 21 seconds. Connecticut had one other runner in the race with Erin St. John of Bethel placing 25th overall in 19:03. Mueller would finish seventh as a sophomore in 1989 with a time of 17:50.
Here's how the rest have done in the last 37 years at the X-C Nationals, beginning with Foot Locker.