Rebecca Story, the No. 5-ranked runner in the Flo50 national rankings, has committed to Stanford University.
This is a huge coup for the Cardinal, which had one of the top recruiting classes this past spring with the additions of Corning (NY) High's Jessica Lawson, Leesville Road (NC) High's Nevada Mareno, and Lamar (TX) graduate Julia Heymach.
Story is an eight-time individual state champion in Tennessee who earned her first cross country title a year ago while also competing for Team USA at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country International Challenge. Story, who's qualified for the TSSAA XC championships in four straight seasons, owns a 5K PB of 16:57.44 and has opened conservatively this fall as she worked through official visits.
Story wrote on Twitter:
so excited to spend the next four years of my academic and athletic career at stanford unviersity!! #gocard
Story, who earned a runner-up finish in the 4K at the AAU National Championships as a 7th grader, is just as accomplished on the track, where she sports marks of 2:12.51/4:48.16/9:59.85 in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. She's run a 1-mile PB of 4:45.63 and is a two-time finisher at the Brooks PR 2-mile run, capturing a fourth-place nod in 2016.
Experienced and strategically cagey in big meets, Story is recognized nationally as one of the top runners in her class. She's arguably the top distance recruit in the entire class of 2018 and this marks a huge commitment for Stanford.