By Luke Holthouse

Cami Chapus ’12, the defending state champion in both Div. IV individual cross country and 1600-meter run, has committed to run for Stanford next year. She will join teammate Amy Weissenbach ’12 on both the track and field team as well as the cross country team. Chapus is also a member of the varsity soccer team but she will focus on running in college.

“I am extremely happy to become a Cardinal,” Chapus said in a press release today, “Stanford is the right fit for me academically, athletically and socially. I know I will thrive in a community filled with students who have diverse talents and an excitement for learning. With accomplished coaches and an amazing team, I anticipate great experiences in the future. I look forward to taking my running career to the next level in college and beyond!”

Stanford is one of three schools in the country with over 100 NCAA Div. I sports teams and is consistently ranked as one of the top academic schools in the country as well.

In track, Chapus helped lead the girls team to its first CIF title with her performance in the 1600 as well as with her performance on several relay teams. She also represented the United States at the International Association of Athletics Federation World Youth Finals in Lille, France this summer finishing fifth in the 1500-meter race.

In cross country, Chapus anchored the 2009 team that won a state championship by winning the individual state championship. She repeated as individual state champion last year but the team did not repeat as state champions partly because of an injury to Weissenbach knocking her out of state finals.

Chapus can now focus cross country team’s CIF run, which begins this weekend with the CIF Preliminary meet.

“I just really want to run well and end on a strong note and leave the team giving them all I had my senior year,” she said, “these are when the races start to count and get really exciting.”