Saylah Barserian

Year: Junior

School: Clovis

She’s qualified because: Running in Division I she won the Mt. Whitney Invitational, Cam Ostrander Invitational, Tri-River Athletic Conference and Central Section. She placed third at the Iolani Invitational in Hawaii and seventh at the Clovis Invitational. She was the top finisher from the Central Section at the state meet, finishing 18th in 18:17. She finished 20th (19:23) in the seeded girls race at the Foot Locker Western Region Cross Country Championship on Dec. 6 at Mt. SAC. Her personal record on the 3.1-mile Woodward Park course was an 18:09 at the 2007 Clovis Invitational; this is the second fastest time in school history (behind Meghan Marvin's 17:33).

Defining moment: Barserian didn't make Clovis' top seven as a freshman, and her fastest time that year was a 21:31 to place 32nd out of 41 runners at the TRAC championships. She was 28th in the freshman girls race at the Foot Locker Western Regionals in 21:48. She finished second in the TRAC and section meets as a sophomore with times of 18:38 and 18:45, respectively. She was 28th at state in 18:32. She won the sophomore girls race at the Foot Locker Western Regionals.

She also runs track and was the 1,600-meter section champ last season in 5:02.67 and was fifth in the 800 (2:19.83). She ran a 4:59.51 in the 1,600 at state, the second-fastest time in school history. She has run a 10:57 in the 3,200 meters, which ranks third all-time at Clovis.

The word: "Saylah has come a long way in terms of her work ethic, toughness and mental approach to her racing," Clovis head coach Rob Brenner said.

Saylah Barserian warmed up as a freshman, burst upon the scene as a sophomore and set the pace this season as a junior at Clovis.

Today, at The Fresno Bee All-Star finish line, she arrives first as the Girls runner of the year.

She was Central Section Division I champion and a pacesetter for that region in the CIF State Championships at the Woodward Park course, where she placed 18th.

Performing at this level on the California stage -- as large and challenging as there is in the country -- guarantees college opportunity, given grades to match the legs.

Clovis coach Rob Brenner says the college interest in Barserian is beginning to intensify: "There's no question she's going to have choices. To what degree, I don't know."

But he knows this: "Saylah has come a long way in terms of her work ethic, toughness and mental approach to her racing."