By Jocelyn Sterling
University of Portland's cross country team has reason to cheer and have high hopes for next year's team.
UP recruited two of the top ranked high school runners in the nation, Trevor Dunbar and Joash Osoro, who have signed letters of intent and plan to attend UP in the fall.
Dunbar, from Kodiak, Alaska, is a three-time Alaska State National Champion, who won second place at the Foot Locker Nationals and beat the Alaska state record for the 3,200-meter, clocking in at 9:01.
Rob Conner, men's cross country and track coach, said that Dunbar is the "highest profile track athlete that we've ever recruited to University of Portland."
"(Dunbar) is one of the few people nationally who could step right in and contribute to our varsity team next year where I think he has potential to possibly be an All-American as a freshman," Conner said.
Conner, who ran with Dunbar's parents at UP in the 1980s, is very excited about the recruit, especially since Dunbar is a straight-A student.
Osoro, who came to Bismarck, N.D. from Kenya before high school, is one of the top five recruits in the country, according to Conner.
A two-time North Dakota prep runner of the year and the North Dakota High School Coaches Association Outstanding Senior Athlete for cross country, Osoro is also a two-time North Dakota state champion for Bismarck High School and individually for the 1600-meter and the 3,200-meter. He also placed third in the 2008 Nike Team Nationals.
"I'm really excited about both of them coming in and probably competing in varsity as freshman," Conner said. "Normally we don't have freshman that are good enough to run in varsity until after a year or so."
Conner is thrilled about both recruits, and sees next year as a good chance to come out and achieve some goals.
