The Pac-12 Conference announced Thursday the recipients of the 2023 Pac-12 Men’s and Women’s Cross Country All-Conference honors. For the second consecutive season, Stanford swept the men’s awards as Ky Robinson was named Athlete of the Year, Lex Young secured Freshman of the Year, and Ricardo Santos was voted Coach of the Year. Stanford’s Amy Bunnage was named Athlete & Freshman of the Year on the women’s side, with Washington’s Maurica Powell named Coach of the Year. 

It marks the ninth time since the three honors were first awarded in 1999 and record fifth overall for Stanford, that one program swept the trio of men’s awards (Colorado - 2019; Stanford - 2023, 2022; 2009, 2002, 2000; Oregon - 2008, 2007, 2006). The Cardinal swept the men’s awards for the second-straight season, marking the first time since Oregon’s three-peat from 2006-08 that a program notched each of the three awards in consecutive years. 

Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year – Ky Robinson, Stanford
Robinson earned his first-career Athlete of the Year award after winning the men’s championship race at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships on Friday, Oct. 27 in University Park, Wash. Robinson secured Stanford’s third-straight individual title on the men’s side following back-to-back wins from Charles Hicks in 2021 and 2022. It’s the first time since Edward Cheserek won four-straight individual titles from 2013-17 that a program has secured individual wins in at least three-straight years. Robinson becomes the Cardinal’s 10th Men’s Athlete of the Year overall behind Hicks (2021-22), Grant Fisher (2017-18), Chris Derrick (2009), Ryan Hall (2003), Grant Robison (2002), Donald Sage (2001), Jonathon Riley (2000), and Marc Olsen (1985). 

The senior from Brisbane, Australia won the men’s league title with a personal-best 8k time of 22:40.2, pulling away from the field for a commanding win that saw him cross over 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Luke Houser (22:51.80) from Washington. Robinson was the ultimate low stick for Stanford as the Cardinal put up 41 points and won its second-straight men’s team title. 

Robinson sealed the deal with a win in 2023 after taking sixth in 2022, fourth in 2021, and eighth at the 2020 Pac-12 Meet that was delayed until March 2021. He adds the cross country league title to his already impressive resume, which includes national titles in the 5000m and 10,000m during the 2023 outdoor track season. 

Women’s Cross Country Athlete & Freshman of the Year – Amy Bunnage, Stanford
Bunnage won the women’s championship 6k race in her postseason debut for the Cardinal, becoming just the third freshman to win the women’s league title and earn Athlete of the Year honors in Pac-12 history (Erin Sullivan, Stanford – 1999; Amy Skieresz, Arizona – 1995). Bunnage is the Cardinal’s first individual champion since Fiona O’Keeffe in 2019 and 12th overall: Bunnage (2023), O’Keeffe (2019), Aisling Cuffe (2015, 2013), Kathy Kroeger (2012), Arianna Lambie (2005-07), Sara Bei (2002-03), Lauren Fleshman (2001), and Sullivan (1999). 

Bunnage is also Stanford’s record 10th Women’s Freshman of the Year, joining Riley Stewart (2022), Zofia Dudek (2019), Elise Cranny (2014), Cayla Hatton (2012, co), Teresa McWalters (2004), Lambie (2003), Bei (2001), Victoria Chang (2000) and Sullivan (1999). 

The Melbourne, Australia native was the leader at 5k and pulled away from Oregon State’s Grace Fetherstonhaugh and Kaylee Mitchell to win the 6k race with a time of 19:09.7 Bunnage helped the Stanford women secure a second-place team showing, with Cardinal finishing just two points behind Washington on the final tally. 

Bunnage’s victory at the Pac-12 Championships was the culmination of an already impressive debut season. She made her collegiate debut at the Virginia Invitational on Sept. 23 and finished 6th overall with a 5k time of 16:26.4 and followed with a 13th-place showing in the 6k (20:12.1) at the prestigious Nuttycombe Invitational in October, crossing as the top freshman in the race. 

Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year – Lex Young, Stanford
Young’s Men’s Freshman of the Year honor is the second straight and seventh all-time for Stanford. He joins previous Cardinal awardees Robert DiDonato (2022), Hicks (2020), Thomas Ratcliffe (2016), Miles Unterreiner (2009), Neil Davis (2002), and Sage (2000). 

Young finished 12th overall and scored as Stanford’s fourth finisher in the men’s championship race. The Camarillo, Calif., native had a breakout race at Pac-12s with a lifetime-best 8k time of 23:17.5, a PR of over 55 seconds from his previous 8k best earlier in the season. 

Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year – Ricardo Santos, Stanford
Santos was voted Men’s Coach of the Year for the second-straight season and third time overall (2020) as he guided Stanford to its second-straight team title on the men’s side. The Cardinal boasted the league champion in Robinson and placed each of its scoring five in the top 15, finishing with 41 points overall. 

Santos becomes just the fifth three-time winner of the award in Pac-12 history, joining Bill Dellinger (Oregon), Vin Lananna (Stanford/Oregon), Dave Murray (Arizona), and Mark Wetmore (Colorado). It’s the 16th all-time Men’s Coach of the Year honor for Stanford. 

Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year – Maurica Powell, Washington
Powell was voted Women’s Coach of the Year for the first time in her career after guiding the Huskies to a victory at the Pac-12 Championships. Washington won a close battle with Stanford and secured its first team title since repeating as champions in 2008 and 2009. Powell helped guide Washington to a performance at the Pac-12 Meet that included three top-10 finishers and a complete scoring five within the top 21 positions. 

Powell is the sixth all-time Women’s Coach of the Year recipient in Washington’s program history and first since Greg Metcalf in 2011.

2023 PAC-12 CROSS COUNTRY HONORS*

* - All-Conference teams deermined by order of finish at the Pac-12 Championships. Finishers 1-7 in the men's and women's races are named to the First Team. Finishers 8-14 are named to the Second team.