Chris Derrick came to Stanford University in 2008 via Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Ill., where he was the 2007 Foot Locker Cross Country Championships runner-up and the Nike Cross Nationals individual champion (where he led his team to victory). He had a 8:48.9 3200m best and ran a 13:55.96 for 5,000m, the fastest time ever in an all-high school race.(via Running Times)
We haven't played one-on-one basketball against each other in a while,"says Mark Derrick, a senior at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Ill. "I used to lose to him all the time just because he was bigger than me, but now that I've grown, it should be a pretty even game." (via Running Times)
Paul Vandersteen of Neuqua Valley (IL) steps into the KYtrackXC.com Coaches Corner with Mark Rowe this week. His team won the 2007 Nike Cross Nationals Championship which included current Stanford runner, Chris Derrick on the team.
No Stanford runner has ever won an NCAA individual cross country championship, but that could change Monday as Chris Derrick shoots for top honors for himself and the Cardinal's top-ranked team.
Photo by Timothy O'Dowd, IrishRunner.com for MileSplit.us
Neely Spence took the lead about half way through the race and didn't let it go to win the Girls Junior Race, while Footlocker runner-up Ashley Brasovan stayed in tow for second. For the Boys Junior race, German-mania contiued as Mr. Fernandez took the tape with Chris Derrick in second.
2007 State XC Champion Chris Derrick, who now attends Stanford University, is posting a cross country blog for Stanford. In his first edition Chris discusses the team's two week training camp up at Mammoth Lakes in California. This is a must read for any Illinois cross country fan. Click Here for Blog Post
The talented quartet of Chanelle Price (PA), German Fernandez (CA), Ashley Brasovan (FL) and Chris Derrick (IL) flew into Los Angeles Tuesday, taking part in a two day extravaganza that Gatorade puts on once a year. As the male and female winners of the Gatorade track and field and cross country Player of the Year awards, each athlete was put up a five-star hotel, got to mingle with such notable athletes as Matt Leinhart, Greg Oden, Allyson Felix and Candace Parker, and took part in an awards ceremony that preceded the ESPY Awards. The Gatorade Player of the Year program drew to an end, naming the male and female national winners. Read about Brasovan's and Derrick's experience, as the two took time out of their busy schedules to talk with MileSplit.
The Gatorade National Player of the Year program selects an overall male and female winner each year, and on Wednesday Pennsylvania track star Chanelle Price was one of those athletes. Price, who won the national female track and field award last month, was the overall national female winner. Price joins a select group of individuals on the national list, including such notable professional athletes as track phenom Allyson Felix and basketball standout Candace Parker.
Individual national athlete of the year winners from track and field and cross country, which were represented by Price, German Fernandez (CA), Chris Derrick (IL) and Ashley Brasovan (FL), were flown out to California Tuesday to take part in an awards ceremony on Wednesday and then invited to watch the ESPY's, where many of the top professional athletes receive awards for their accomplishments throughout the year. Congratulations to Chanelle on such a great honor.
Gatorade Player of the Year Press ReleaseGatorade Player of the Year Website
The regular season is quickly coming to an end as over a dozen more state meets take place this weekend. States like Pennsylvania, Illinois, Washington and Oregon all hold their last contests of the season. MileSplit will keep you up to date with all the top state meet performances, and the few other non-state meets, throughout the weekend, so make sure to keep checking back. (Pictured left: Missouri's Maurice Mitchell wins 100m, 200m & 400m at state, pictured by Tracy Rollins)
**Johannes Swanepoel (KS) sets soph. class record in javelin with toss of 221-02!!!
Top Boys Weekend Highlights
- Maurice Mitchell (MO) wins 100m, 200m, 400m & 4x1 at MO State
- North Penn (PA) wins state 4x800m relay in U.S.#1 of 7:38.79
- Jordan Clarke (AK) improves U.S.#1 shot put with 71-03 mark
- German Fernandez (CA) runs 8:45.08 3200m, 4:07.62 1600m
- Mat Smoody (IL) runs 1:50.71 800 at Illinois State Meet
- Raymond Butts (CA) leaps 24-10.50 in long jump in CA
- Dominguez (CA) blazes 3:11.50 4x400m relay in California
- Rob Finnerty (MN) runs 4:08.76 in 1600m at conference meet
- Sam Crouser (OR) tosses javelin 199-06 at Oregon State Champs.
Top Girls Weekend Highlights
- Laura Roesler (ND) wins 100m, 200m, 400m & 800m at ND State
- Alishea Usery (MO) runs 24.43 200m, 54.53 400m at MO State
- Chanelle Price (PA) runs 2:02.90 800m to win PA State
- Christine Babcock (CA) blazes 4:36.57 1600m run in CA
- Fawn Miller (PA) throws soph. class record javelin in 167-02
- Gwynned Mercy (PA) runs 9:04.35 4x800m relay at PA State
- Vashti Thomas (CA) 20-05 Long Jump, 43-01.50 TJ & U.S. #1
- Cydney Ross (MO) runs 2:09.88 800m, 4:55.23 1600m at MO State
- Stephanie Foreman (AR) vaults 13-06.25 to win PV at AR MOC
- Tynita Butts (VA) leaps 20-04.50 in LJ at regional meet in Virginia
- Jacquelyn Coward (TN) runs 13.48 100mH, 41.11 300mH at state
- Kathy Kroeger (TN) runs 10:49.89 3200m, 4:55.62 1600m in TN
