Cross country
With high school running sensation Alan Webb of South Lakes High (Reston, Va.) grabbing most of the headlines for his attempt at becoming the first prep runner in 33 years to break the four-minute barrier in the mile, it's easy to forget how many other great distance runners there are in the classes of 2000 and 2001.

In addition to Webb, a handful of other harriers, including defending Foot Locker national champion Dathan Reitzenhein of Rockford High (Rockford, Mich.), are also back next season - and have college recruiters drooling with the thought of signing them. The Class of 2001 could be one of the greatest of all time, according to Marc Bloom, publisher of The Harrier magazine.

Not surprisingly, Stanford appears to be the leader for many of the nation's top rising seniors. Legendary Stanford coach Vin Lananna has already taken care of business for 2000. Ian Dobson of Klamath Union High (Klamath, Ore.), who finished third at the Foot Locker nationals, and York High's (Elmhurst, Ill.) Don Sage, runner-up to Reitzenheim at Foot Locker, have both signed with Stanford. Sage owns a personal-best time of 8:34 in the two-mile.

Add Texas cross country champion Chris Emme of The Woodlands High, and Stanford has once again assembled the nation's top freshman class.

On the girls' side, Stanford didn't put together as deep a class as it has in the past. But the Cardinal did land Foot Locker national champion Victoria Chang of Punahou High (Honolulu, Hawaii). Stanford, which signed Erin Sullivan of Mount Mansfield High (Jericho, Vt.) last year, now has the past two girls' scholastic national champions in its stable.

Despite Chang's win at nationals, Bloom said University of North Carolina-signee Shalane Flanagan of Marblehead High in Massachusetts was the best female distance runner in the Class of 2000. Flanagan, who is one of the only runners to ever beat Sullivan head-to-head, isn't Carolina's only major recruit, however. The Tar Heels also signed Victoria Jackson of Lake Forest High (Ill.) and Alice Schmidt of Elkhorn High (Neb.). Jackson was the Foot Locker Midwest regional winner and placed second at nationals.

Soccer and Lacrosse
Seth Sammler of Gahanna High (Ohio) has signed a soccer scholarship to play for the University of Maryland.

Three players from Hilliard Davidson High, located outside of Columbus, Ohio, have signed lacrosse scholarships. Ryan Thomas and Joe Phillips are headed to Wheeling Jesuit, while teammate Titus Donnell will stay closer to home at Ohio State.

Basketball
Brandon Bender, a 6-foot-10, 232-pound junior power forward from Ballard High (Louisville, Ky.), should be one of the more watched players this summer at the adidas Camp in July. Heading into the all-important summer season, Bender lists California, North Carolina State, Michigan, Kentucky, Cincinnati and Alabama as his top potential colleges. Bender and many of the nation's other top prep prospects will be on display this weekend at two of the premiere tournaments of the early-summer season. The Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in Chapel Hill, N.C., and the Nike Blue Grass Classic in Louisville, Ky., should have the bulk of the top 100 players in attendance for college scouts to check out.

The list of top 100 players expected to attend Gibbons' camp is long and distinguished, and includes the likes of Kwame Brown, James White, Eddy Curry, Robert Whaley, Maurice Williams, Dijon Thompson, Greg Tinch, Terrance Ford, John Allen, Tony Key, Marcus Campbell, Ousmane Cisse and others. Another highly regarded prospect, 6-foot-3 Rashard Carruth of Oak Hill Academy (Va.), is close to signing with new Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt. But with Carruth expected to be out on the recruiting circuit for the next few months, schools like Kentucky, Miami, Louisville, Memphis, UConn and North Carolina will undoubtedly try to change his mind.