The nation's top unsigned distance prospect in Allie Ostrander (Kenai, AK) has finally made her college decision. The 2014 Nike Cross Nationals champion signed a national letter of intent on Wednesday, April 15 to compete for Boise State.
"I'm so relieved and excited!" Ostrander said. "Boise State felt right from the first time I talked on the phone with the coach and the feeling only got stronger when I visited the school and met the team."
Ostrander joins a program coached by Corey Ihmels, who guided Emma Bates (Elk River, MN '10) to the 2014 NCAA 10,000m title. The Broncos finished 11th at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championship, with Bates in third (19:44.5 for 6k).
"I hope I will progress throughout college like Emma did," Ostrander said on Wednesday.
Ihmels joined Boise State as Head Coach in 2013 after 11 years at his alma mater, Iowa State. During that tenure, Ihmels produced 51 All-Americans, including three-time NCAA individual champion and 10,000m collegiate record-holder [31:18.07] Lisa Uhl.
"I have 100% faith in Coach Ihmel's ability to make me the best I can be," Ostrander said.
In Ostrander, the Broncos gain one of the sport's most promising distance runners. The five-time Alaska state champion broke out last spring, when she placed runner-up at the Arcadia Invitational 3,200m in 10:03.66 and earned All-American honors at New Balance Nationals Outdoor with a fifth-place, 10:28.78 run in the Two Mile. She won Nike Cross Nationals in the fall with a 17:19 run over 5k.
The senior trains only sparingly in the winter, during which her primary sport is basketball. She made her 2015 track debut this past weekend at the Big C Relays, an event run on an indoor 412-meter track, with a 9:59.33 3,200m run. She also split 2:12 for 800m and a converted 4:49 for the mile on relay legs at the event.
Ostrander made her recruiting trip to Boise State during the weekend of Nike Cross Nationals Northwest Regional on Nov. 15. Though the Alaskan native is certainly accustomed to all-weather conditions, the Eagle Island State Park, Idaho course was deluged with nine inches of snow for the race.
Six weeks after winning the Alaska State XC Championship, Ostrander charged to a runner-up finish at the NXN Northwest Regional amidst nine inches of snow in Eagle Island State Park, Idaho.
With a six-week hiatus from racing between the Alaska State XC Championship on Oct. 4 and the NXN Northwest Regional on Nov. 15, Ostrander still managed a runner-up finish to Ella Donaghu amidst the snowfall.
"The snow is actually something I like to avoid because it isn't too favorable to training," she said. "I'll get my dose of snow when I come home for Christmas break!"
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