Arizona prep star commits to Ducks.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Brian Shrader, a three-time Arizona state cross country champion, of Sinagua High School in Flagstaff, has given a nonbinding oral commitment to run for Oregon next fall, according to published reports.

Shrader, who placed 11th at last year's FootLocker national prep cross country championships, has won five state titles on the track heading into his senior season.

Shrader chose the Ducks after making an official campus visit two weeks ago. He also made official visits to Texas and North Carolina.

"My parents were very happy," Shrader said. "My grandparents live 40 miles north (of Eugene) and are really excited about me being in Oregon."

Shrader is the third distance runner to verbally commit to the Ducks this fall.

He joins Parker Stinson, of Cedar Park, Texas, and Cole Watson, the Class 3A state cross country champion from Rogue River High School.

Watson is the reigning 3A state champion at 800 meters, and Stinson was the Texas state champion at 3,200 meters last spring.

Oregon places three on all-academic first team

Three Oregon cross country runners were named to the Pac-10's all-academic first team, it was announced Thursday.

Sophomore Luke Puskedra was on the men's first team with a 3.61 grade-point average in history. Sophomore Claire Michel (3.90, romance languages/international studies) and senior Bria Wetsch (4.02, accounting) were both first-team women's selections.

Sophomore Bronwyn Crossman was a second-team choice for the women. Six Ducks who earned honorable mention were Nicole Blood, Brooke Giuffre, Alex Kosinski, Zoe Buckman, A.J. Acosta and Bryce Burgess.

Also, Oregon State's Krista Stangel, a junior from Enterprise, was named to the first team for the second time.

Hannah Soza-Hodgkinson, a junior from Forest Ranch, Calif., made the second team for OSU.

Receiving honorable mention for the Beavers were Jenny O'Connor, Abby Chesimet, Jennifer Macias, Cassandra Schumacher and Natosha Buruse.