Sarah Baxter to Oregon

Nice

What a shame

well ok...must be very hard to turn down oregon. even mary cain really likes the place.

it's probably the personal issues - wetmore is a bit of a strange character - the oregon staff are more normal, no? and probably the esprit at oregon is great cause they actually have a track team. and all the history of course.

Makes sense. She isn't an ivy academic athlete and looking at Jordan as her hero it fits. Who wants to go to WA and run for Brooks or on your own after college or CO where the coach rarely continues to coach post coll. unless you happen to be a world champ. This way she can always gang around and run for OTC like anyone who Sal doesn't pick up.

Obviously being a Seattleite I was secretly hoping for UW, but this decision makes the most sense and is probably the best call on her part.

It does make me wonder what would have happened if Mary Cain hadn't made the decision she did (although I think that was also the obvious and best call). Imagine if they had been teammates.

prefer to see her at Colorado, but you can't go wrong at Oregon. both are committed to the long distance runner, I just thought colorado was better fit.

Bleu wrote:

Makes sense. She isn't an ivy academic athlete and looking at Jordan as her hero it fits. Who wants to go to WA and run for Brooks or on your own after college or CO where the coach rarely continues to coach post coll. unless you happen to be a world champ. This way she can always gang around and run for OTC like anyone who Sal doesn't pick up.

This is a little bit short-sighted. Sure Wetmore doesn't coach just anybody, but he is truly concerned about long-term development. Where at Oregon, Baxter may race nearly every weekend, Colorado only runs 3 or 4 races in all of the X-C season, and similar story in track. I too can see the appeal of Oregon, but Colorado certainly has the ability to recruit if they want to. Do you think if Colorado would have pulled out the 3 female Olympians (one of which is a world champion) on put them even on the phone with Baxter that she would have been swayed? In some ways, Wetmore's recruiting practices reminds me of Bowerman during the time he was recruiting Pre.

Baxter is such a talent that it likely won't matter much. She has never trained at altitude though, and Colorado's track record with elite FEMALE athletes is much better than Oregon's.

Let's not for get though, we still have Elise Cranny and Alexa Efraimson that will be making splashes in the coming years as well.

InWyo wrote:

This is a little bit short-sighted. Sure Wetmore doesn't coach just anybody, but he is truly concerned about long-term development. Where at Oregon, Baxter may race nearly every weekend, Colorado only runs 3 or 4 races in all of the X-C season, and similar story in track. I too can see the appeal of Oregon, but Colorado certainly has the ability to recruit if they want to. Do you think if Colorado would have pulled out the 3 female Olympians (one of which is a world champion) on put them even on the phone with Baxter that she would have been swayed? In some ways, Wetmore's recruiting practices reminds me of Bowerman during the time he was recruiting Pre.

I have no inside knowledge of Colorado's recruiting practices. It is possible they did have all their Olympians make recruiting calls.

I don't see that Oregon are chronic over-racers. I think that is a perfectly good choice for her. Colorado would also have been a very good choice.

I'm glad she didn't choose Washington. I do not understand how he won an NC there.

InWyo wrote:

Do you think if Colorado would have pulled out the 3 female Olympians (one of which is a world champion) on put them even on the phone with Baxter that she would have been swayed?

That is 100% a recruiting violation.

This gives Oregon a leg up on the recruiting for Efraimson, who is a NW girl and would be close to home at Oregon. I don't understand the post about Oregon women not doing well beyond college. Hasay, Blood, Kosinski, Kesselring (for a few) are still competing and seem to be enjoying running as post-collegians.

Wetmore is the better coach and I believe he is looking out for long term development but at the same time he knows that his job is to coach CO. He is only one man and he doesn't have someone like OTC to turn these athletes over to. Culpeppers, Gouchers, Torres brothers, Ritz all end up with down time and multiple coaches.

CO does have the ability to recruit but I don't see Mark kissing anyone's

ass.

Seriously who coaches the distance girls at Oregon? These athletes aren't going for great coaching. They all think they are naturals and will win no matter who coaches them.

HS athletes see the "bling" that is Oregon and they can't pass. They believe they will all be the next Rupp and run for Nike/Al Sal.

I guess it's Maurica Powell, but who knows who has the most control. Whoever it is, you can't say they're doing a bad job. Sure, this year is slightly down, but look at each of those girls individually and they have each improved. They're still a solid team so to say they're down is kind of ridiculous.

Anyway, it can't be denied that it's hard to pass up a chance to run at Hayward all the time and have real FANS rooting for you who see you as a local celebrity.

I don't think you could make a bad decision between Oregon and Colorado.

Wetmore is a cool dude... Not strange at all... Have known him for 20 years. Very laid back and a players coach... Very well liked and respected. Know your information before you spout...

Sarah welcome to track town U.S.A. GO DUCKS

pac12fan wrote:

Sarah welcome to track town U.S.A. GO DUCKS

Sarah, it doesn't get any better than a greeting from pac12fan.

Wetmore is cool and I think his athletes are very fond of him. He is not particularly warm and fuzzy, though, and I can see how female recruits might have different reactions to meeting him vs., e.g., meeting Maurica Powell. I suspect some kids take an immediate liking to him and others perhaps not so much. You certainly get no BS from him.

Both are great distance programs. I think at the end of the day the decision may come down to the track season and the public appreciation for T&F in Eugene. Meets at Hayward field are pretty special and CU doesn't have anything that approaches that, which is really too bad given the talent that CU always has.

Not sure why the post above says CU only runs 3-4 XC races a year. For most kids not injured, sick or recovering from the world champs it's 6 races like most programs.

She really beat 94% of the guys at a meet this year? I bet a lot of guys got dumped by their girlfriends that day. :)

http://www.prepcaltrack.com/2013/11/19/oregon-here-i-come/

Track guy0123 wrote:

Wetmore is a cool dude... Not strange at all... Have known him for 20 years. Very laid back and a players coach... Very well liked and respected. Know your information before you spout...

This right here

+1

Darn. Would have loved to see her at Colorado.It will be interesting to see what she does in terms of indoor track/racing schedule. I pray the Oregon coaching staff won't just milk her for all she's worth like they did to Hasay. Nevertheless, Hasay stayed injury free so hopefully Baxter can too. She is the type of XC runner that can contend for the championship as a freshman.

GO SARAH BAXTER!!