O'Keeffe, a seven-time All-American for the Cardinal, will reunite with younger sister Olivia, adding more depth to strong Lobos’ lineup

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Stanford cross country and track All-American Fiona O’Keeffe has decided to leave the Cardinal program and conclude her collegiate career by reuniting with a familiar face at another school, she confirmed Friday.

Fiona will be joining younger sister Olivia O’Keeffe at New Mexico.

The O’Keeffe sisters were teammates together for two years at Davis Senior High in California and contributed to a runner-up finish at Nike Cross Nationals in 2015, with Olivia first attending Washington following her 2018 graduation. Olivia then transferred to New Mexico in the fall.

Fiona O’Keeffe will be working toward a Master of Science degree in Biology as a graduate student at New Mexico, with an emphasis on ecosystems and climate change. She will have two seasons of indoor eligibility and one season of outdoor track remaining for the Lobos.

“I’m excited to be teammates with my sister again and am looking forward to this next step in the journey,” Fiona O’Keeffe said. “I’m very grateful for my time at Stanford, the team there, and everyone who has supported me along the way.”

O’Keeffe was presented with the opportunity to earn an extra year of eligibility March 30 by the NCAA Division 1 Council.

All seniors competing in spring sports were given the chance by the council to seek scholarship relief for the 2020-21 school year following the March 12 decision made by the NCAA to cancel winter postseason and championship events, along with the entire spring athletic schedule as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.

O’Keeffe, the reigning Pac-12 women’s cross country champion, overcame an injury in November that sidelined her during the West Regional meet to finish 27th at the NCAA Division 1 final and help Stanford place third overall in Terre Haute, Ind.

Although O’Keeffe didn’t race indoors this winter, her Stanford teammates were scheduled to participate at the Division 1 indoor championship meet, when the NCAA made the announcement on the eve of the competition in Albuquerque, N.M.

O’Keeffe earned All-America honors all four years in cross country. She was also a two-time All-American in outdoor track and earned recognition once in indoor track for the Cardinal.

New Mexico is scheduled to return NCAA cross country champion Weini Kelati from last year’s fourth-place lineup, along with postseason veterans Hannah Nuttall, Adva Cohen, Gracelyn Larkin, Juanita Johnson, Alexandra Harris, Alondra Negron and Brenda Rosales-Coria.

All-American Charlotte Prouse also has track eligibility remaining for the Lobos, in addition to New Mexico signing Niwot CO senior Samrawit Dishon, who placed 15th at Nike Cross Nationals in December.

– Mary Albl contributed to this story