Stanford's Change Of Pace

Somewhere in the heart of Palo Alto, Grant Fisher is preparing for the NCAA Championships. It will be the first time in his collegiate career that he has entered a National Championship without another teammate next to him.

In fact, it’s the first time since at least 2010 (which is the furthest back our research goes) that Stanford has not sent multiple individuals to NCAA’s in the distance events.

It will admittedly be a bit awkward not seeing Sean McGorty next to Grant Fisher when he steps to the line in Eugene. For the past two years, we have watched this duo mature and learn together as Fisher adopted the role of “little brother” while McGorty was assigned the task of mentoring the young star. However you perceive their training relationship, I think it's fair to say that together, these two are the best distance running duo in the NCAA.

But like all great mentorships, the student now has an opportunity to surpass his teacher. It’s a story that oddly resembles something you would hear out of a Shakespearian play. Just take a look at the timeline below and you may see what I’m talking about…

Fall 2013 - Spring 2015

McGorty emerges as a star in the NCAA.

Fall 2015

Stanford recruits Grant Fisher and begins training with McGorty.

Fall 2015 - Spring 2016

McGorty still can’t get past Edward Cheserek for a title.

Meanwhile, Grant Fisher is rapidly improving.

Fall 2016

McGorty finishes 24th at the 2016 NCAA XC Championships.

Fisher finishes 5th.

Winter 2017

Both Fisher and McGorty sustain major injuries that effectively end their indoor track seasons.

Spring 2017 (April - May)

Fisher rebounds for outdoor track. He runs 13:37 for 5000 meters and wins a PAC 12 title in the 1500.

McGorty runs one race during the outdoor track season. He ran 3:46 for 1500.

Spring 2017 (May 21st)

Oregon announces that Edward Cheserek will not race at West Regionals.

Spring 2017 (May 22nd)

Fisher officially qualifies for West Regionals.

McGorty does not.

Spring 2017 (May 27th)

Fisher qualifies for the National Championship.

Spring 2017 (June 10th)

To Be Determined...

It’s a bit disheartening, isn’t it? McGorty’s biggest opportunity to win a national title would be when Cheserek isn’t racing. But in the same season that Cheserek doesn’t race due to a back strain, McGorty’s injury also prevents him from qualifying for NCAA’s.

Meanwhile, the kid that McGorty has mentored for the past two years will walk into Hayward Field this year as one of the favorites to win gold in the 5000 meters. Sure, Fisher is by no means a “heavy” favorite like Cheserek or Lalang once were, but the thought of him winning gold in 2017 would not be shocking.

Has there ever been another pairing quite like this? Where an NCAA great helped mold his mentee into an athlete that not even he may be able to beat? Some may argue that Arizona greats Stephen Sambu and Lawi Lalang fit that description. Sambu never won a national title at the division one level in his seven attempts. He may be the greatest runner in the NCAA to never win an individual NCAA title. Lalang, on the other hand, went on to become one of the most dominant collegiate distance runners of all-time with multiple NCAA collegiate records and eight national titles to his name.

Of course, it would be unfair to give the impression that McGorty’s chances to win a national title are gone. An assumption like that is far from the truth. The eight-time All-American still has a season of indoor and outdoor track eligibility left in 2018. He could very well take advantage of the two seasons he has left to realize his end goal, especially with Cheserek no longer in his path to victory.

Yet, the irony couldn’t be any greater. By the time the 2018 track seasons begin and end, the biggest obstacle in Sean McGorty’s path to a NCAA gold medal may be his own teammate.

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Here we are in 2018...a year later. Isn't it crazy how these things are destined to work out?

Fisher would go on to win the 2017 outdoor title and battle with Knight in a series of national championships throughout the next year. As for McGorty, the story doesn't get much sweeter. After tirelessly working through injuries (one of which required achilles surgery) the Stanford superstar put together an unforgettable performance in his final collegiate race.

It's almost poetic to watch the final 100 meters of that race. Last year, it was Grant Fisher running away from Justyn Knight to secure his first national title. This year wasn't all that different, except this time it would be McGorty running away from Knight...as well as his defending champion mentee.

In a career full of ups and downs, there may be no better way for McGorty to go out. For fans around the NCAA (and maybe even the Stanford men), there is now a sense of satisfaction and closure. Both Stanford stars have won their titles. The distance running prophecy has been fulfilled.

I was wrong. Stanford never had a "change of pace" and the McGorty era never ended.

It was just delayed.