Olivia MF Baker - 2:02.55 achor leg at Penn!

You are appropriately named. You really don't know what you're talking about. Stanford's women's DMR and 4X1500 meter teams just left Oregon in the dust, and were both nipped at the tape by oustanding Villanova teams. Women middle distance runners at Stanford are thriving right now. They have two women running close to two minutes, and just graduated a third. And they also have a sophomore 400 meter runner who's faster than Olivia is. Go to Oregon? O.B. wants to become a neurosurgeon. The University of Washington President broke a long-standing protocol to denounce the education the University of Oregon is providing its students. So frankly Phat Slong, you are really -- well let's just say a little behind the times.

Baker, Cranny, Weissenbach, Saunders -- quite an 800m lineup for Stanford next year.

That's 2:02, 2:04, 2:00, 2:04 as we stand so far.

Jeez, yeah - I forgot about Cranny. Jeez Louise. The rich get richer (quite literally.) Stanford has become the most desirable school in the country, and the Admissions Department is continuing to give favored treatment to athletes. I read yesterday that the Number One Ranked Woman Gymnast in the world, Elizabeth Price, is quitting the national team to become a Stanford freshman next year.

Um, let's see. World class education at sunny Stanford, or rainy oregon clown college.

try another 2:03 leg in Anna Laman... Aussie who went 4:13 1500 as a 16 year old. Cranny, Baker, Laman - good recruiting class.

http://www.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au/page/public/mlc-school-community/mlc-school-alumni/outstanding-alumni/anna-layman-13

I remember reading about that now. Probably the fastest high school trio ever to head to the same school; safe to say, I think. Baker's the surprise, though. As recently as February she was running 800s in the 2:14 - 2:17 range.

Last year's Penn Relays, Olivia anchors 4x800, taking the baton in a very distant second.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmed0Cnoitk

Thanks! Do you know what she split that day? Seriously, I was looking at 2:14, 2:17, 2:17 earlier this spring.

If Stanford and Oregon were to have a dual meet right now i don't think either the Men or Women of Stanford would win a single event.

No idea what her split was but coming back from so far behind it must have been respectable, although nowhere near the 2:02 she did this year.

I did not know who she was until your post, and I'm happy to hear she'll be attending Stanford in the fall.

Thanks.

Stanford gets s top 2 class every single year yet can't even manage a top 10 finish at the NCAA's or a even a decent women team lol look at Stanford runners they were slower in College then in High School just saying also Stanford 4 by 800 women team won't even come within 10-20 seconds of Oregon this year at Penn. well maybe 20 seconds let's see Oregon 4 by 800 NCAA rank time 1ST Roesler 2:00.54 2nd Murphy 2:02.61 6th Leblanc 2:04.28 79th Penney 2:08.44 Stanford only has one time in the top 95 Weisenbach spelling 71st in 2:08.15 didn't Wisenbach run 2:02 flat in high school lol she is now 6 plus seconds slower in college at least this year lol Stanford=garbage track/Cross but good school.

Here is a nice article on her run:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-8656395155263628819/penn-relays-olivia-bakers-stunning-anchor-leg-gives-columbia-its-second-straight-4x800-championship-of/

She's a 400 meter runner! Superstar material. As far as I know this anchor split absolutely destroyed her old PR. And she's heading for Stanford in the fall. The sky's the limit. LetsRun.com update:

Here is a nice article on her run:

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/-8656395155263628819/penn-relays-olivia-bakers-stunning-anchor-leg-gives-columbia-its-second-straight-4x800-championship-of/

they call me flopro wrote:

If Stanford and Oregon were to have a dual meet right now i don't think either the Men or Women of Stanford would win a single event.

You don't think, that's for sure. What Oregon distance runner is beating Cuffe?

phat john slong wrote:

Not if she is going to Stanford it's where great High School Runners go to die. We will never ever hear her name again. If she was smart she would have either picked Oregon or Texas as a 400 runner. I wonder if she is related to the former Oregon great Keisha Baker?????

Usually I would have the same reaction, but at somebody who has talked to Baker and her family, I wish her the best of luck. She chose Stanford for the academics and I think she understands what she is getting into Best of luck to her, she makes NJ proud every time she steps on to the track.

She should have went to Villanova. Gina would have developed her even further and that's key. Stanford does not develop talent. They just get talent. Look at Villanova and how Gina develops her girls. Baker would have thrived under that.

I agree with the nova statement. I actually don't know why the top recruits haven't been picking Villanova. It has great academics and a coach in Procaccio who is the best mid distance coach in the country. I'm actually baffled by it. If anyone has an explanation I'd love to hear it because to me it makes no sense.

Yes, she should have WENT there. Why go to Stanford when you can be a genius like this person and go to Villanova? She's smart enough to know that a Stanford education can't be beat.

nova wrote:

She should have went to Villanova. Gina would have developed her even further and that's key. Stanford does not develop talent. They just get talent. Look at Villanova and how Gina develops her girls. Baker would have thrived under that.

1. LOL at the Jamaican girl going 25/38ish for first/last 200s! Smart of Baker not to get sucked into that.

2. Didn't Ajee split 2:00 as a soph?

3. Nice PR spread: 24.5,53,2:10,5:10

http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/Athlete.aspx?AID=2819784

4. I see her as a solid collegiate: maybe 52/2:00 by senior year. The Cards are loading up their relay pool.

5. Strong facial resemblance to AR holder Jearl Miles Clark lol