Foot Locker Cross Country Championships

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The Eastbay-Foot Locker Cross Country Championships was 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 served 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 Morley Field Sports Complex in Balboa Park in 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] In 2025, it was announced that the series would be cancelled. [2]

Contents

Regional championships

Annually there were 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 comprised 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. [3] 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 comprised 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 was 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 the Larry McAfee Cross Country Course in Charlotte, North Carolina, located within McAlpine Creek Park. [4] [5]

West Regional

The West Region was 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 was 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 raced 5 kilometers (3.1 mi), for superiority in both individual and regional standings. The top ten runners from each region were 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 5 km2 (1.9 sq mi) 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 were declared based on which region had won the meet.

Footlocker National Champions
BoysGirls
YearAthleteTimeGradeRegionStateVideoAthleteTimeGradeRegionStateVideoCourse
2024Tamrat Gavenas [6] 15:23.912NortheastMA Video on YouTube Elizabeth Leachman [7] 17:31.111SouthTX Video on YouTube San Diego
2023Drew Griffith [8] 15:06.912NortheastPA Video on YouTube Elizabeth Leachman [9] 16:50.710SouthTX Video on YouTube San Diego
2022Kole Mathison [10] 14:56.612MidwestIN Video on YouTube Karrie Baloga [11] 16:49.212NortheastNY Video on YouTube San Diego
2021Riley Hough [12] 15:11.412MidwestMI Video on YouTube Natalie Cook [13] 17:15.012SouthTX Video on YouTube San Diego
2019Josh Methner [14] 15:08.812MidwestIL Video on YouTube Zofia Dudek [15] 16:45.012MidwestMI Video on YouTube San Diego
2018 Cole Hocker [16] 15:13.712MidwestIN Video on YouTube Sydney Masciarelli [17] 17:00.310NortheastCT Video on YouTube San Diego
2017 Dylan Jacobs [18] 15:1912MidwestIL Video on YouTube Claudia Lane [19] 17:0311WestCA Video on YouTube San Diego
2016Reed Brown [20] 15:0112SouthTX Video on YouTube Claudia Lane [21] 17:0410WestCA Video on YouTube San Diego
2015 Andrew Hunter [22] 14:5512SouthVA Video on YouTube Weini Kelati [23] 17:0911SouthVA Video on YouTube San Diego
2014 Grant Fisher [24] 15:0312MidwestMI Video on YouTube Anna Rohrer [25] 17:1312MidwestIN Video on YouTube San Diego
2013 Grant Fisher [26] 15:0711MidwestMI Video on YouTube Tessa Barrett [27] 17:1612NortheastPA Video on YouTube San Diego
2012 Edward Cheserek [28] 14:5912NortheastNJ Video on YouTube Anna Rohrer [29] 17:2510MidwestIN Video on YouTube San Diego
2011 Edward Cheserek [30] 14:5211NortheastNJ Video on YouTube Molly Seidel [31] 17:2212MidwestWI Video on YouTube San Diego
2010 Lukas Verzbicas [32] 14:5912MidwestIL Video on YouTube Aisling Cuffe [33] 16:5312NortheastNY Video on YouTube San Diego
2009 Lukas Verzbicas [34] 15:0811MidwestILHighlights Video on YouTube Megan Goethals [35] 17:0712MidwestMI Video on YouTube San Diego
2008Solomon Haile [36] 15:1512NortheastMD Video on YouTube Jordan Hasay [37] 17:2212WestCA Video on YouTube San Diego
2007Michael Fout [38] 14:5012MidwestIN Video on YouTube Ashley Brasovan [39] 17:2011SouthFL Video on YouTube San Diego
2006Chad Hall [40] 15:2012WestCA Video on YouTube Kathy Kroeger [41] 17:2910SouthTN Video on YouTube San Diego
2005AJ Acosta [42] 15:0212WestCA Jordan Hasay [43] 17:059WestCASan Diego
2004Kenneth Cormier [44] 15:2212WestAZ Video on YouTube Aislinn Ryan [45] 17:3111NortheastNY Video on YouTube San Diego
2003Matthew Withrow14:5512MidwestILKatelyn Kaltenbach17:2411MidwestCOSan Diego
2002 Chris Solinsky [46] 14:4112MidwestWIZoe Nelson [47] 17:3010WestMTSan Diego
2001Timothy Moore [48] 14:5012MidwestMIAmber Trotter [49] 16:2412WestCAOrlando
2000 Dathan Ritzenhein [50] 14:3512MidwestMI Sara Bei [51] 16:5512WestCAOrlando
1999 Dathan Ritzenhein 14:2911MidwestMIVictoria Chang17:0512WestHIOrlando
1998 Jorge Torres 15:1712MidwestILErin Sullivan17:3512NortheastVTOrlando
1997Abdirizak Mohamud15:2212NortheastMAErin Sullivan17:2211NortheastVTOrlando
1996Abdirizak Mohamud15:2111NortheastMAKristen Gordon17:3412WestCASan Diego
1995Abdul Alzindani15:1112MidwestMI Kim Mortensen 17:1212WestCASan Diego
1994Matt Downin14:5812NortheastNHJulia Stamps16:4110WestCASan Diego
1993 Adam Goucher 14:4112MidwestCOErin Davis17:119NortheastNYSan Diego
1992Brendan Heffernan15:1312NortheastNJAmanda White17:3412NortheastMDSan Diego
1991Corey Ihmels15:0312MidwestNDLiz Mueller17:2111NortheastCTSan Diego
1990Louie Quintana15:0712WestCA Melody Fairchild 16:3912MidwestCOSan Diego
1989Bryan Dameworth14:4912WestCAMelody Fairchild17:0511MidwestCOSan Diego
1988Brian Grosso15:0312MidwestMICeleste Susnis17:1411MidwestINSan Diego
1987 Bob Kennedy 14:5912MidwestOHKira Jorgensen17:0811WestCASan Diego
1986 Marc Davis 14:3812WestCA Video on YouTube Erin Keogh16:5512SouthVASan Diego
1985 Reuben Reina 14:3612SouthTX Video on YouTube Erin Keogh16:4311SouthVASan Diego
1984Scott Fry14:5012MidwestOH Cathy Schiro 16:4812NortheastNHSan Diego
1983 Matt Giusto 14:5412WestCA Janet Smith 16:4312NortheastNJSan Diego
1982Eric Reynolds14:3512WestCAChristine Curtin16:5811NortheastNYOrlando
1981Charles Alexander14:5112SouthVAConnie Robinson16:4012MidwestOHOrlando
1980Jay Marden14:5312WestCA Ceci Hopp 17:1212NortheastCTSan 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 Hocker 2018202120212021Oregon
Dylan Jacobs 201720222023Notre Dame / Tennessee
Weini Kelati 201520192019New Mexico
Grant Fisher 2013, 20142017Stanford
Molly Seidel 20112015201520162016Notre Dame [52]
Edward Cheserek 2011, 20122013, 2014, 201520152014, 201520152014,20162014, 2016Oregon
Jordan Hasay 2005, 200820112011Oregon
Chris Solinsky 20022006-072005-062007Wisconsin
Dathan Ritzenhein 1999, 20002003Colorado
Jorge Torres 19982002Colorado
Adam Goucher 1993199819981997-98Colorado
Melody Fairchild 1989,19901996Oregon
Bob Kennedy 19871988, 199219901991Indiana
Marc Davis 198619891992Arizona
Reuben Reina19851990-91Arkansas
Matt Giusto 19831988Arizona
Ceci Hopp 19801982Stanford

Alumni

See also

References

  1. "Foot Locker and ASICS Continue Running Support". Herald Online. October 18, 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. "An Announcement from Foot Locker". footlockercc.com. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
  3. Foot Locker Northeast Region, retrieved Nov. 9, 2009
  4. "McAlpine Course Named for Larry McAfee". NCPrepTrack. February 20, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
  5. "McAlpine Course Named After Founder Larry McAfee". NC MileSplit. October 23, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
  6. 2024 Boys Results
  7. 2024 Girls Results
  8. 2023 Boys Results
  9. 2023 Girls Results
  10. 2022 Boys Results
  11. 2022 Girls Results
  12. 2021 Boys Results
  13. 2021 Girls Results
  14. 2019 Boys Results
  15. 2019 Girls Results
  16. 2018 Boys Results
  17. 2018 Girls Results
  18. 2017 Boys Results
  19. 2017 Girls Results
  20. 2016 Boys Results
  21. 2016 Girls Results
  22. 2015 Boys Results
  23. 2015 Girls Results
  24. 2014 Boys Results
  25. 2014 Girls Results
  26. "xc.com/2013/results/boyschampionship.pdf 2013 Boys Results". Archived from the original on 2013-07-24. Retrieved 2019-12-18.
  27. 2013 Girls Results
  28. 2012 Boys Results
  29. 2012 Girls Results
  30. 2011 Boys Results
  31. 2011 Girls Results
  32. 2010 Boys Results
  33. 2010 Girls Results
  34. 2009 Boys Results
  35. 2009 Girls Results
  36. 2008 Boys Results
  37. 2008 Girls Results
  38. 2007 Boys Results
  39. 2007 Girls Results
  40. 2006 Boys Results
  41. 2006 Girls Results
  42. 2005 Boys Results
  43. 2005 Girls Results
  44. 2004 Boys Results
  45. 2004 Girls Results
  46. 2002 Boys Results
  47. 2002 Girls Results
  48. 2001 Boys Results
  49. 2001 Girls Results
  50. 2000 Boys Results
  51. 2000 Girls Results
  52. "2015 Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field: Championship". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  53. "2015 Division I Men's and Women's Track and Field: Championship". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2015-11-10.