Ky Robinson, Amy Bunnage Make It An Individual Sweep For Cardinal; Washington Women Win Conference For First Time Since 2009; Stanford Breaks Tie With Oregon With 17th Conference Victory

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

INTEVIEWS

Photos by Phil Yearian

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. -- The most historic distance running conference in the United States staged one final Pac-12 Conference Championship on Friday at Chambers Creek Regional Park in brisk, sunny conditions. 

The Stanford men broke a tie with Oregon for the most Pac-12 titles in men's cross country by winning their 17th behind a winning effort by Ky Robinson and a fourth-place from veteran Cole Sprout. 

The Washington women celebrated their first conference title since 2009 on their home course, edging the Cardinal by two points, 58 to 60. 

But what hung over the entire proceeding was the stark reality that the meet might never happen again. 

Conference realignment and the chase for TV revenue from football games has torn the Pac-12 asunder and by next year most of the schools will be in either the Big 12, the Big Ten or the ACC. 

Robinson, the double outdoor champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, won his first conference cross country championship in 22:40.2 over 8 kilometers. 

"It's pretty special," Robinson said. "Whenever I got look at that Wikipedia page my name will remain and that Stanford team title will be there forever."

Boxloads of Pac-12 Championship T-shirts were passed out to the winning teams and they seemed more like souvenirs than celebratory apparel. 

Robinson was the class of the men's field and the men's field was typically stacked, with several teams in the hunt for the title. Stanford put five in the top 15 and won it with 41 points. Robert DiDonato was ninth for Stanford, freshman Lex Young was 12th and Evan Burke was 15th. 

Washington, led by 1,500-meter standouts Luke Houser and Nathan Green going to 2-3, finished second with 50. 

Oregon competed for the first time in a month and took third with 60 points, edging out Colorado and finishing ahead of the Buffaloes for the first time since they joined the conference in 2011. 

In the women's race, Stanford's talented freshman Amy Bunnage from Australia was able to pull away from the Oregon State duo of Grace Fetherstonhaugh and Kaylee Mitchell to win the 6-kilometer race in 19:09.7. 

Washington got a lift from Sophie O'Sullivan and Chloe Foerster, sixth and seventh, and beat favored Stanford. Julia David-Smith was 10th. 

"It feels good," O'Sullivan said, laughing. "We'll reign forever now."