Scherf Makes National Team

This weekend, Harvard freshman Lindsey Scherf placed sixth in the USATF Junior Cross Country National Championship in Fort Vancouver, Wash. By placing as high as she did, Scherf will now be part of the US team—which includes the top six runners from the weekend’s race—that will compete at the Junior World Championships in March in St. Galmier, France.

Scherf held the lead at one point during the second loop around the course, but was overtaken as she moved onto the inclined section and finished with a time of 22:08.1—a full 11 seconds ahead of the seventh-place runner. The winner and national champion, Elizabeth Pasciuto of Colorado, completed the whole race in 21:50.1.

Joining Scherf and Pasciuto on the US National Team at the World Championships are Erin Bedell, Jennifer Barringer, Lindsay Flacks, and Caitlin Chock—who finished in second through fifth positions, respectively.

As a rookie on the Crimson this year, Scherf made an immediate splash in the college cross-country scene by becoming only the seventh Harvard women to earn All-American honors after placing 38th at the NCAA Championships at Indiana State in late November.

The national honor was the first such one that a Harvard women runner has received since Suzanne Jones ’91 received it in 1988. Additionally, only two runners in the team’s history had earned the award as freshmen.

At Heptagonals this season, Scherf finished sixth overall—the Crimson’s best result on the day—and only 13 seconds back from the winner, Caroline Bierbaum of Columbia.

—GABRIEL M. VELEZ