Cranny makes her decision for Stanford

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

 
Elise Cranny is about to join a bumper crop of women's track recruits headed to Stanford.
Cranny's decision was one that took a while -- the first day athletes can sign and submit national letters of intent is Wednesday, Feb. 5 -- and it took a weight off her shoulders.

"I didn't realize that I was carrying it around in the back of my mind and thinking about it a lot," said the senior from Niwot (Colorado).

Cranny is one of the top recruits in the nation by way of her US#3 all-time 4:15.07 1,500 meters last spring and second place in the big NXN showdown in December.

Her final choices came down to Colorado, which is in her hometown of Boulder, and Oregon.

"It was really difficult," Cranny said. "CU is close to home and would put me close to my family, and it's a great program. And I was looking at Oregon and liked coach (Maurica) Powell. She has a nice way about her."

But when she pulled back and thought about the bigger picture she felt Stanford, coached by Chris Miltenberg, was the place she belonged.

A few other top high school girls feel the same way. Maddy Berkson of Classical (R.I.), Karina Shepard of Dracut (Mass.), Abbie McNulty of Bishop Feehan (Mass.) and Oliva Baker of Columbia-Maplewood (N.J.) are also blue chip recruits headed to the Cardinal.

On a side note, Cranny said her 2014 opener will probably come at New Balance Nationals Indoor at The Armory in New York in March.