Donald Sage
York High School
Impact Statement
Sage won the 2000 Illinois State Championship in the 3200m race then continued on to Stanford and won the 2002 NCAA Outdoor 1500m Championships.
Biography
Sage is a product of one of the nation’s top high school cross country programs led by National High School Cross Country Coach of the Year Joe Newton. He won the Illinois Class AA individual title, running the 3-mile course in a time of 14:03, the fourth fastest time in state history. He was the state runner-up as a sophomore and junior and 24th in the state as a freshman.
As the leader of York’s track team, Sage won Class AA titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters as a junior and senior. As a senior, Sage ran the fastest double in state history, setting a Class AA record in the 3,200 in 8:42.89 and running the 1,600 in 4:07.58, missing the state record by less than one-half second.
“Athletes like Donald Sage are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “He has worked extremely hard to develop his skills and has become one of the best runners not only in the state of Illinois, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring him.”
Also a standout in the 800-meter run, Sage ran the anchor legs that helped York establish national indoor and outdoor records in the 4X800-meter relay. He was the runner-up in the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championships last December, and in June ran a mile in 4:00.29 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, the fastest time for the mile run by a high school athlete since the great Marty Liquori in 1967.
Also an outstanding student, Sage accepted an athletic scholarship to Stanford University.
While at Stanford, Sage continued to excel. In Track and Field, Sage placed 5th at the NCAA’s in the 1500m as a freshman. As a sophomore, Sage won the 1500m race at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. After redshirting, Sage finished 3rd at the NCAA’s. He is a ten- time All American.
In Cross Country ,Sage helped Stanford win its second straight NCAA title as a junior. He was the 2001 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
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