Foot Locker Cross Country Championships Explained

The Eastbay-Foot Locker Cross Country Championships are a series of annual cross country running races held in various regions of the United States to determine the premier cross country runner in various age groups, but mainly serves to find the best prep (high school) cross country athlete in the country. The event began in 1979 by the F. W. Woolworth Company, which initially branded it as the Kinney Cross Country Championships, (for the Kinney Shoes division) at the Morley Field Sports Complex in Balboa Park, San Diego, California before Woolworth rebranded the event in 1993 to the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships for Woolworth's sporting goods company. For most people associated with the sport, the name was just shortened to Foot Locker or even abbreviated in agate results as FL (the ticker symbol of the company today). In 2021 the event was rebranded again as the Eastbay Cross Country Championships after the Foot Locker owned company. The event is the longest-running national cross country race for high school students.[1]

Regional championships

Annually there are a total of four regional championship races (usually in late November), that lead up to the national championship in San Diego in December.

Northeast Regional

The Northeast Region comprises most of the states in New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont) plus Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia.[2] After being held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York for its first 30 years, in 2009 it moved to Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park, Long Island, before moving back to Van Cortlandt Park in 2012.

Midwest Regional

The Midwest Region comprises the heartland states and is by far the largest region in the FLCCC series, which has states including: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Michigan. This event is held at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside yearly.

South Regional

The South Region is made up of states in the southern and southeastern United States including: Florida, Texas, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Louisiana. The South Region event is held annually at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, North Carolina.

West Regional

The West Region is considered by many to be the most potent region with the most runners appearing in the national championship. States included in the west: California, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Wyoming, and Overseas Military. This regional race is generally conducted at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California and is generally a week later than the other three regional races.

National Championship

The Foot Locker National Cross Country Championship is held annually in San Diego's Balboa Park (though it has been held in Orlando, Florida on seven occasions), just as it started in 1979. A total of 40 elite cross country runners race 5km (03miles), for superiority in both individual and regional standings. The top ten runners from each region are invited to the national championship in San Diego, with each region also sending two alternates. From 1981–2004, the race had 32 runners, with each region sending eight. In 1979–1980, there were 35 runners from five regions.

Race divisions

The number of divisions vastly differs on the region, however there are races set aside for specific age groups and one or two open events sponsored by Nike for athletes not in high school (parents, fans, supporters) to compete in.

Common regional divisions

Additional regional divisions

The West Regional contains the following additional divisions:

The South Regional contains the following additional divisions:

Courses

The Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, then referred to as the Kinney Cross Country Championships started off as a small event in San Diego, California in 1979. The races moved to Orlando for the 1981 and 1982 national championships, but quickly was moved back to Balboa Park in San Diego in 1983. Additional races run in Orlando were held in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001.

Orlando, Florida

The Orlando course was extremely flat, but deceivingly slow in terms of runners' times. Patches of grass and sand were scattered throughout the flat, 5,000m course.

All-Time Orlando Kinney/FL Cross Country Championships Record—Boys: Dathan Ritzenhein, 14:29, 1999

All-Time Orlando Kinney/FL Cross Country Championships Record—Girls: Amber Trotter, 16:24, 2001

San Diego, California

Balboa Park in San Diego has served as the most frequent venue for the national championships. The course is winded in a figure-8 fashion through the Morley Field portion of the nearly park. There is no shortage of hills and mounds, which makes this course the definitive cross country course. (Although the San Diego venue has always been Balboa Park, the Championships in 1979 and 1980 were run on a course other than Morley Field—a course on the western edge of Balboa Park.)

All-Time Balboa Park San Diego/CA Cross Country Championships Record—Boys: Reuben Reina, 14:36, 1985

All-Time Balboa Park San Diego/CA Cross Country Championships Record—Girls: Melody Fairchild, 16:39, 1990

Past results

In addition to a national champion being crowned in each gender division, the top 15 finishers in each gender division receive All-American honors and an overall team champion is declared based on which region had won the meet.

Footlocker National Champions
BoysGirls
YearAthleteTimeGradeRegionStateVideoAthleteTimeGradeRegionStateVideoCourse
2023Drew Griffith15:06.912NortheastPAElizabeth Leachman16:50.710SouthTXSan Diego
2022Kole Mathison14:56.612MidwestINKarrie Baloga16:49.212NortheastNYSan Diego
2021Riley Hough15:11.412MidwestMINatalie Cook17:15.012SouthTXSan Diego
2019Josh Methner15:08.812MidwestILZofia Dudek16:45.012MidwestMISan Diego
2018Cole Hocker15:13.712MidwestINSydney Masciarelli17:00.310NortheastCTSan Diego
2017Dylan Jacobs[3] 15:1912MidwestILClaudia Lane[4] 17:0311WestCASan Diego
2016Reed Brown[5] 15:0112SouthTXClaudia Lane[6] 17:0410WestCASan Diego
2015Andrew Hunter[7] 14:5512SouthVAWeini Kelati[8] 17:0911SouthVASan Diego
2014Grant Fisher[9] 15:0312MidwestMIAnna Rohrer[10] 17:1312MidwestINSan Diego
2013Grant Fisher[11] 15:07 11MidwestMITessa Barrett[12] 17:1612NortheastPASan Diego
2012Edward Cheserek[13] 14:5912NortheastNJAnna Rohrer[14] 17:2510MidwestINSan Diego
2011Edward Cheserek[15] 14:5211NortheastNJMolly Seidel[16] 17:2212MidwestWISan Diego
2010Lukas Verzbicas[17] 14:5912MidwestILAisling Cuffe[18] 16:5312NortheastNYSan Diego
2009Lukas Verzbicas[19] 15:0811MidwestILHighlights Megan Goethals[20] 17:0712MidwestMISan Diego
2008Solomon Haile[21] 15:1512NortheastMDJordan Hasay[22] 17:2212WestCASan Diego
2007Michael Fout[23] 14:5012MidwestINAshley Brasovan[24] 17:2011SouthFLSan Diego
2006Chad Hall[25] 15:2012WestCAKathy Kroeger[26] 17:2910SouthTNSan Diego
2005AJ Acosta[27] 15:0212WestCAJordan Hasay[28] 17:059WestCASan Diego
2004Kenneth Cormier[29] 15:2212WestAZAislinn Ryan[30] 17:3111NortheastNYSan Diego
2003Matthew Withrow14:5512MidwestILKatelyn Kaltenbach17:2411MidwestCOSan Diego
2002Chris Solinsky[31] 14:4112MidwestWIZoe Nelson[32] 17:3010WestMTSan Diego
2001Timothy Moore[33] 14:5012MidwestMIAmber Trotter[34] 16:2412WestCAOrlando
2000Dathan Ritzenhein[35] 14:3512MidwestMISara Bei[36] 16:5512WestCAOrlando
1999Dathan Ritzenhein14:2911MidwestMIVictoria Chang17:0512WestHIOrlando
1998Jorge Torres15:1712MidwestILErin Sullivan17:3512NortheastVTOrlando
1997Abdirizak Mohamud15:2212NortheastMAErin Sullivan17:2211NortheastVTOrlando
1996Abdirizak Mohamud15:2111NortheastMAKristen Gordon17:3412WestCASan Diego
1995Abdul Alzindani15:1112MidwestMIKim Mortensen17:1212WestCASan Diego
1994Matt Downin14:5812NortheastNHJulia Stamps16:4110WestCASan Diego
1993Adam Goucher14:4112MidwestCOErin Davis17:119NortheastNYSan Diego
1992Brendan Heffernan15:1312NortheastNJAmanda White17:3412NortheastMDSan Diego
1991Corey Ihmels15:0312MidwestNDLiz Mueller17:2111NortheastCTSan Diego
1990Louie Quintana15:0712WestCAMelody Fairchild16:3912MidwestCOSan Diego
1989Bryan Dameworth14:4912WestCAMelody Fairchild17:0511MidwestCOSan Diego
1988Brian Grosso15:0312MidwestMICeleste Susnis17:1411MidwestINSan Diego
1987Bob Kennedy14:5912MidwestOHKira Jorgensen17:0811WestCASan Diego
1986Marc Davis14:3812WestCAErin Keogh16:5512SouthVASan Diego
1985Reuben Reina14:3612SouthTXErin Keogh16:4311SouthVASan Diego
1984Scott Fry14:5012MidwestOHCathy Schiro16:4812NortheastNHSan Diego
1983Matt Giusto14:5412WestCAJanet Smith16:4312NortheastNJSan Diego
1982Eric Reynolds14:3512WestCAChristine Curtin16:5811NortheastNYOrlando
1981Charles Alexander14:5112SouthVAConnie Robinson16:4012MidwestOHOrlando
1980Jay Marden14:5312WestCACeci Hopp17:1212NortheastCTSan Diego
1979Brent Steiner15:0512MidwestKSEllen Lyons17:2812WestIDSan Diego

Repeat national champions

There have only been a total of six girls and five boys who have repeated as Foot Locker national champions. None have been national champions three times at the Kinney/FL Cross Country Championships.

Boys with two national championships

Girls with two national championships

Foot Locker Champions to win NCAA titles

There have been a total of sixteen Foot Locker Champions to win NCAA Titles in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Field, or Outdoor Track and Field, including eleven men and five women.

Footlocker National Champions and NCAA Champions
NCAA OutdoorNCAA Indoor
AthleteFootlockerNCAA XC150030005000100003000SCMile30005000University
Cole Hocker2018202120212021Oregon
Dylan Jacobs201720222023Notre Dame / Tennessee
Weini Kelati201520192019New Mexico
Grant Fisher2013, 20142017Stanford
Molly Seidel20112015201520162016Notre Dame[37]
Edward Cheserek2011, 20122013, 2014, 201520152014, 201520152014,20162014, 2016Oregon
Jordan Hasay2005, 200820112011Oregon
Chris Solinsky20022006-072005-062007Wisconsin
Dathan Ritzenhein1999, 20002003Colorado
Jorge Torres19982002Colorado
Adam Goucher1993199819981997-98Colorado
Melody Fairchild1989,19901996Oregon
Bob Kennedy19871988, 199219901991Indiana
Marc Davis198619891992Arizona
Reuben Reina19851990-91Arkansas
Matt Giusto19831988Arizona
Ceci Hopp19801982Stanford

Alumni

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Foot Locker and ASICS Continue Running Support. October 18, 2012. Herald Online. 3 November 2012.
  2. http://www.footlockercc.com/northeast/ Foot Locker Northeast Region
  3. http://footlockercc.com/2017/results/nationals/boys-splits.html
  4. http://footlockercc.com/2017/results/nationals/girls-splits.html
  5. http://footlockercc.com/2016/results/nationals/BoysChampionship.pdf
  6. http://footlockercc.com/2016/results/nationals/GirlsChampionship.pdf
  7. http://footlockercc.com/2015/results/nationals/BoysChampionship.pdf
  8. http://footlockercc.com/2015/results/nationals/GirlsChampionship.pdf
  9. http://www.footlockercc.com/2014/results/Nationals/BoysChampionship.pdf 2014 Boys Results
  10. http://www.footlockercc.com/2014/results/Nationals/GirlsChampionship.pdf 2014 Girls Results
  11. Web site: xc.com/2013/results/boyschampionship.pdf 2013 Boys Results . 2019-12-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130724050429/http://footlocker/ . 2013-07-24 . dead .
  12. http://www.footlockercc.com/2013/results/girlschampionship.pdf 2013 Girls Results
  13. http://www.footlockercc.com/2012/results/2012championshipboys.pdf 2012 Boys Results
  14. http://www.footlockercc.com/2012/results/2012championshipgirls.pdf 2012 Girls Results
  15. http://www.footlockercc.com/2011/results/2011championshipboys.pdf 2011 Boys Results
  16. http://www.footlockercc.com/2011/results/2011championshipgirls.pdf 2011 Girls Results
  17. http://www.footlockercc.com/2010/2010boysfinalresults.html 2010 Boys Results
  18. http://www.footlockercc.com/2010/2010girlsfinalresults.html 2010 Girls Results
  19. http://www.footlockercc.com/2009/results/BoysFinal2009.pdf 2009 Boys Results
  20. http://www.footlockercc.com/2009/results/GirlsFinal2009.pdf 2009 Girls Results
  21. http://www.footlockercc.com/2008/BoysFinal2008.html 2008 Boys Results
  22. http://www.footlockercc.com/2008/GirlsFinals2008.html 2008 Girls Results
  23. http://footlockercc.com/2007/results/BoysNationalFinals.html 2007 Boys Results
  24. http://footlockercc.com/2007/results/GirlsFinal.html 2007 Girls Results
  25. http://www.footlockercc.com/history/2006boys.htm 2006 Boys Results
  26. http://www.footlockercc.com/history/2006girls.htm 2006 Girls Results
  27. http://www.footlockercc.com/2005/BoysNational.html 2005 Boys Results
  28. http://www.footlockercc.com/2005/GIRLSNATIONAL2005.html 2005 Girls Results
  29. http://www.footlockercc.com/2004/ 2004 Boys Results
  30. http://www.footlockercc.com/2004/ 2004 Girls Results
  31. http://www.footlockercc.com/2002/2002boys.html 2002 Boys Results
  32. http://www.footlockercc.com/2002/2002girls.html 2002 Girls Results
  33. http://www.footlockercc.com/2001/2001_boys_results.htm 2001 Boys Results
  34. http://www.footlockercc.com/2001/2001_girls_results.htm 2001 Girls Results
  35. http://www.footlockercc.com/2000/flmen_finals_2000.htm 2000 Boys Results
  36. http://www.footlockercc.com/2000/flwomen_finals_2000.htm 2000 Girls Results
  37. Web site: 2015 Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field: Championship. NCAA.com. 2015-11-10.
  38. Web site: 2015 Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field: Championship. NCAA.com. 2015-11-10.

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