Utah All-time XC Girls Teams
For the past several years the questions has been raised, who are the great teams in Utah Cross Country history. While it is easy to consider the dominant Bingham Miner teams of the late 90's and the Mountain View Dynasty of the 90's there were many more teams worthy of an all-time rankings. Utah has a rich 30 year history of dominance in this sport. As we delve back in time, we bring to light the truly dominant girls cross country programs in Utah history.
The Mountain View Dynasty: Utah's First National Championship Program
When Dave Houle took the helm of the Mountain View program in the mid-80's he would forever change the face of Utah cross country. Beginning in 1987 the Bruins would go on a tear winning the state championship from 1987 to 1996. The culminating moment for Houle was in 1989 when the Bruins would be ranked #1 Nationally in the inaugural Harrier Super 25 U.S. National Cross Country Rakings. Houle's teams would go on to repeat as Harrier National Championships again in 1990. Probably no Mountain View team matched the pure depth of the 1993 Mountain View squad which finished the season ranked #2 Nationally. Known for sheer domination and front pack running the bruins left a lasting legacy on the State of Utah prep cross country and distance running.
| 1987 | State Champions with 25 points; top five scorers finish in top 10 (18:58 avg.) |
| 1988 | State Champions with 26 points; 6 scorers finish in top 10 (18:51 avg.) |
| 1989* | National Champions; State Champions with 30 points w/ 5 scorers in top 9 |
| 1990 | National Champions; State Champions with 39 points w/ 5 scorers in top 12 |
| 1991 | #3 Nationally; State Champions with 24 points w/ 5 scorers in top 11 |
| 1992 | |
| 1993 | #2 Nationally; State Champions with 35 points (18:16 avg.) |
| 1994 | #5 Nationally; State Champions with 38 points (18:45 avg.) |
| 1995 | #3 Nationally; State Champions with 24 points (18:20 avg.) |
| 1996 | #2 Nationally; State Champions with 40 points (18:29 avg.) |
| 1997 | #6 Nationally Ranked; State Champions |
| 1998 | #12 nationally; 2nd Place @ State Championships (Bingham 35/ Mt. View 36) |
| 1999 | 2nd Place @ State Championships (Bingham 19/ Mt. View 103) |
| 2000 | #6 Nationally; 2nd Place @ State Championships (Bingham 48/ Mt. View 55) |
| 2001 | #6 Nationally; 4A State Champions with 42 points |
Bingham 99': The Greatest Team in U.S. History
In 1999 Doug Speck coined the term "Field of Dreams" to describe the sheer dominance of the Bingham UT girls team as they destroyed the Great American XC Festival field. On that day it was argued that the Jeff Arbogast led Bingham UT girls team was the greatest all-time. Averaging 18:13 over the famed 5000m Foot Locker course, Speck called it, "the most significant day in the history of US high school cross country". This same Bingham Miner squad demolished the state cross country field scoring a state record 19 points. Ranked #1 Nationally by the Harrier National Rankings the Arbogast led team are by far and away the best team in the history of the State of Utah. Taking four of the top five slots and bringing home the 5th runner in 6th place the Miners made a statement to the nation that they were, at the time, the greatest prep team in U.S. history.
| 1. | 1999 Bingham (Coach: Jeff Arbogast | Harrier National Champions |
| 2. | 1990 Mountain View (Coach: Dave Houle) | Harrier National Champions |
| 3. | 1989 Mountain View | Harrier National Champions |
| 4. | 1993 Mountain View | #2 Nationally Ranked |
| 5. | 1995 Mountain View | #3 Nationally Ranked |
| 6. | 1994 Mountain View | #5 Nationally Ranked |
| 7. | 2000 Bingham | #4 Nationally Ranked |
| 8. | 1996 Mountain View | #2 Nationally Ranked |
| 9. | 1996 American Fork | #9 Nationally Ranked |
| 10. | 1991 Mountain View | #3 Nationally Ranked |