PORTLAND, OREGON | From a soccer player to national cross country champion, the transformation is absolutely, positively complete for Brie Oakley.
In 15 months since she gave up soccer for competitive running, the Grandview senior has rocketed to the top of the cross country world in Colorado with her first state championship last month and she added a huge cherry on top Saturday by winning the Nike Cross Nationals race.
Oakley, a University of California-Berkeley signee, crossed the finish line at the Glendoveer Golf Course in 17 minutes, 10.1 seconds, to headline a strong Colorado showing against an 198-runner national field that also saw Fort Collins’ Lauren Gregory finish in third place.
Oakley won the first national cross country championship for a runner from an Aurora high school since former Smoky Hill star Katelyn Kaltenbach won the Foot Locker National Championship in 2003 in San Diego.
To win her national title, Oakley built a big lead by the two mile mark and powered across the finish line with a comfortable 28-second cushion over Ember Stratton, who was running in her backyard in Portland. Gregory ended up 1.6 seconds behind Stratton in third.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
