Lauren Gregory wins the 2015 Colorado Class 5A state cross country title over Brie Oakley.
No. 1 Brie Oakley vs. No. 8, 3x champion Lauren Gregory at Colorado state meet
Colorado State Championships coverage
Lauren Gregory enters this weekend with three straight Colorado Class 5A state cross country titles. Yet she's the underdog in her senior year, even as she ranks No. 8 nationally on the Saucony Flo50. That's because she has to race No. 1 Brie Oakley for the title. Oakley is undefeated this season with big wins at the Woodbridge XC Sweepstakes (15:53 meet record for three miles) in California and the Liberty Bell Invitational (16:44 meet record for 5K) in Colorado over Gregory, whose 16:52 runner-up finish was also faster than the prior meet record.
Oakley has just one full year of competitive running under her belt, while Gregory has been a national standout since her freshman year but suffered from injuries that plagued her junior season and her summer training.
Both athletes recently announced their college verbal commitments: Oakley to Cal-Berkeley and Gregory to the University of Arkansas.