Trotter ranked No. 8 in nation in x-country
Stanford favored to repeat as NCAA champs

CHRIS KELLY staff Shore Regional's Kyle Altenau goes airborne after making contact with a pair of St. Rose defenders during a recent match won by the Blue Devils, 3-1.

Stanford University's Katy Trotter was ranked No. 8 in the country for the 2006 cross country season by Track & Field News.

Trotter, a senior and a graduate of Red Bank Regional High School, earned All-American honors last fall when she finished 20th at the NCAA championships, which were won by the Cardinal. She was the team's No. 2 scorer at the meet.

Stanford is the odds-on favorite by the track and field magazine to repeat as the national champion. If the Cardinal win, it will be the third national championship won by Stanford during Katy's and twin sister Amanda's careers at Palo Alto, Calif. The NCAA Division I championships are Nov. 20 in Terre Haute, Ind.

Katy Trotter is an eight-time All-American and American Record holder. Amanda has also earned All-American honors at Stanford and is an American Record holder. The twins were part of the Stanford 4x1,500-meter relay team that set the American Record in winning the Penn Relays in April.

MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Red Bank Regional's Mariah Honecker gets ready to put a shot on goal during the Bucs' recent win over Long Branch.

Last fall, both were All-Pac 10 helping the Cardinal with their 10th straight championship. At NCAA West Regional, Katy was fifth and Amanda eighth as Stanford won its seventh straight Region crown.

This year is the final go-around in cross country for the twins who dominated distance running in New Jersey when they starred at RBR. In the first meet of the season, the Trotters and Stanford got the '06 season off to a very good start leading the Cardinal to the win in their home Stanford Invitational. Katy was second behind teammate Ariana Lambie, and Amanda was fourth, as the Cardinal scored 24 points. Katy covered the 6K course in 20:19, followed closely by Amanda's 20:27.

The other major dates for the 2006 season are the Pac-10 Championships, which Stanford will be hosting on Oct. 28; the NCAA West Regional in Portland, Ore., on Nov. 11; and the season-ending championship in Indiana.