Nov. 24, 2002

STANFORD DIRECTOR OF TRACK AND FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY VIN LANANNA
(Opening statement)
"Our women have run well all season. They have been running out front each time we've gone out. When you get to this point in the season, there will be a lot of really great teams. I know that it will be great, tough and stiff competition all the way around. There's an excitement that I haven't quite seen before from both our men's and women's teams and both will be poised for the challenge."

(On the type teams Stanford has)
"We have very different types of teams. On the women's side, we have three distinct frontrunners. On the men's side, we have seven pretty good frontrunners and maybe more. But, there's a mutual respect for each other's teams and talents. The chemistry is better than I've ever had in any other teams during my 11 years at Stanford. That will go a long way when you get to the NCAA Championships."

(On the Stanford women's team racing strategy)
"The way we'll run the race is the same we've run all of our other races this year by concentrating on what we want to do. We really don't pay a lot of attention to what's happening with other teams. This course allows you to run any way you want to run, and we'll run our style. We do have a different type of team than we've had in the last couple of years. We have distinct pacts of runners that we'll take their spots. Certainly, our first three runners will try to go out and establish themselves up front early."

(On Stanford's competition in the women's race)
"I don't think there is just a small number of teams (that will be competitive). There are a lot of good teams out there. Colorado and North Carolina have good teams and clearly BYU is a strong favorite. There are some very talented teams, but we'll just pay attention to what we're doing."

(On Stanford's men's team being ranked No. 1 for nearly the entire season)
"I have tremendous respect for the people running the poll but it doesn't really have a whole lot to do with how we prepare. We do have a good team and our athletes are excited. I have not seen as many teams that have a chance to win the team title as I have this year. There are four or five teams that have a good chance to do well and many are coming on towards the latter part of the season."

(On the course)
"The course is fair and wide-open. It allows you to be able to run people with good track credentials because you can get out and roll. There's really nothing on the course that would dictate the racing strategy. You can do whatever it is the you feel your team is best suited to do."

(On Stanford's men's team strategy)
"This cross country season our team has been dedicated to one and only one thing, and that's team. I don't know anything about any individuals. All I know is that seven guys will go out and tow the line tomorrow."

(On Peter Meindl)
"He's a gifted athlete that trained very hard over last summer. He has been able to handle the regimen of everything we've done this year and seems prepared to be able to run as one of our team members. He's run well in the two races he's run this year, but more importantly he adds to the chemistry of this team."

(On keeping the entire team motivated)
"We have a philosophy where we know that we have a lot of really good runners. The student-athletes that come to Stanford come because they want to be there. We need to do everything that we can as a team to have them be part of what happens. Even though we have only seven athletes that are going to run here (at the NCAA's) and one athlete that is here as an alternate, there will be 20 more guys back at Stanford who will be waiting anxiously and will be just as committed to the team. If you went back and asked all the athletes on our team if they feel as though they are as committed to what we're doing, you would have a resounding "yes". We do many things during the course of the season to include a lot of people. It has always been my philosophy to have a big team."

SENIOR LAUREN FLESHMAN
(On Monday's race)
"I feel excited to race and take advantage of this opportunity. I'm in good shape. I'm not really worried about performing well, because I think I will perform well."

(On whether she will be able to separate the team and individual aspects of Monday's competition)
"They are inseparable to me because in order to have a good team performance, I need to score as few points as possible."

(On how Stanford's team chemistry helps her)
"The most important thing that the team chemistry does shows every day in practice. As a team, we want to leave a legacy and raise the bar by setting the standard for cross country. That drives me on a daily basis to strive for really hard goals and not sell myself short. That carries over into my racing."