Photo by: Samuel Marshall/Eric Evans Photography
Track and Field Signs Nine for 2019
01/16/18 | Track and Field
Oregon track and field has landed another elite recruiting class as nine highly accomplished student-athletes from around the nation and the world have signed National Letters of Intent to join the program for the 2018-19 academic year
EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon track and field has landed another elite recruiting class as nine highly accomplished student-athletes from around the nation and the world have signed National Letters of Intent to join the program for the 2018-19 academic year, head coach Robert Johnson announced on Tuesday.
Oregon's loaded incoming class consists of a U.S. Junior and Pan-American champion, five state champions and three all-USA selections. Five members of the class will join the Men of Oregon, while the remaining four will become the newest additions to the Women of Oregon. Eight of the signees will come to Eugene from six different states around the country, while one will travel overseas from Germany.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to welcome this group to the Duck family," said Johnson. "There is some incredible talent here. But not only is this group talented, they are really nice kids with great families that will be embraced by the Oregon track & field community here in Eugene. Each of them bring something special to the table, and we couldn't be more excited to have them join us next fall."
TAYLOR CHIOTTI – Middle Distance | Southridge HS | Beaverton, Ore.
Personal Bests: 2:09.7 (800m), 4:39.5 (1500m)
The 2016 and 2017 Oregon state runner-up in the 800 meters … Placed ninth at the 2017 Oregon State Cross Country Championships … Also competed in the 4x400 relay and the 400 meters at the OSAA 6A State Championships.
ERIC EDWARDS JR. – Sprints/Hurdles | Langham Creek HS | Houston, Texas
Personal Bests: 7.76 (60H), 13.32 (110H), 36.26 (300H), 52.21 (400H)
The 2017 Pan-American U20 champion and the 2017 U.S. Junior champion in the 110-meter hurdles … Broke the U.S. Juniors record for the 110 hurdles in a blazing 13.32, the fastest time in the nation in 2017 and the eighth-fastest ever in the U.S. … The 2017 Texas state champion in the 110 hurdles … Named to the 2017 USA Today all-USA boys track and field team … Edged out current UO freshman, Joseph Anderson, for the gold at the Pan-American Championships.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnyYE4STQmc
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgyC7MlS-TY
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9w-x4t7tFc
LEXI ELLIS – Jumps | Curtis Senior HS | Tacoma, Wash.
Personal Bests: 42'7.25" (triple jump), 18'5.5" (long jump)
The 2017 Washington 4A state champion in the triple jump with a personal-best mark of 42'7.25", breaking the 23-year-old state meet record … Broke state records in the triple jump as both a freshman and a sophomore … Finished second in the triple jump at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships … Also competed and performed well at state championship meets in the long jump and the relays.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuDGo1wJ_gA
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfD35Trg61I
DJ HENDERSON – Jumps | DeSoto HS | DeSoto, Texas
Personal Bests: 25'5" (long Jump)
Recorded the top wind-legal high school long jump in the nation in 2017 with a mark of 25'5" at the Great Southwest Classic … Only began competing in the long jump as a junior in high school.
JOSH HOEY – Middle Distance | Bishop Shanahan HS | Downingtown, Pa.
Personal Bests: 1:49.37 (800m), 4:08.59 (mile), 3:50.71 (1500m)
The 2017 Pennsylvania state champion in both the indoor and outdoor 800 meters … Won the indoor mile at the 2017 New Balance Grand Prix in 4:09.30 … Named to the 2017 USA Today all-USA boys track and field team … Brother, Jaxson, is currently a sophomore distance runner for the Ducks … Watch Josh win the boys' junior mile at the U.S. Track and Field Indoor Games in 4:09.26.
PIERCE LACOSTE – Decathlon | Marist HS | Eugene, Ore.
Personal Bests: 6'4.75" (high jump), 21'10.75" (long jump), 11.23 (100m), 22.67 (200m)
A Eugene native who grew up competing at Hayward Field, beginning with an all-comers meet at the age of one … Finished fourth in the long jump at the 2017 OSAA 5A State Championships and eighth in the high jump … Will join Oregon as a decathlete after competing primarily in the long jump, high jump and sprints at Marist High School.
EMILY SLOAN – Sprints/Hurdles | Rock Canyon HS | Littleton, Colo.
Personal Bests: 8.39 (60H), 13.40 (100H), 41.24 (300H)
A three-time Colorado 5A state champion in the 100-meter hurdles (2015, 2016, 2017) … Also finished as the 5A state runner-up in the 300 hurdles in 2017 … The 2016 Colorado 5A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles … Named to the 2017 USA Today all-USA girls track and field team … Placed third in the 100 hurdles at the 2017 New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUhJ5rL_J5o
TORI SLOAN – Jumps/Heptathlon | Mountain View HS | Meridian, Idaho
Personal Bests: 4,272 (Hep), 5'8" (high jump), 18'4.25" (long jump)
The 2017 Idaho 5A state champion in the long jump … Finished as the Idaho 5A state runner-up in the high jump in both 2016 and 2017 … A 2017 USATF Junior Olympics all-American in both the heptathlon and the high jump … Also competed in the 100 meters in the state championships meet and the 4x100 relay in the 5A District Championships.
MAXIMILIAN VOLLMER – Decathlon | Friedrich-List-Schule Ulm | Bade-Wurttemberg, Germany
Personal Bests: 7713 (Dec), 10.93 (100m), 48.66 (400m), 14.56 (110H), 6'3" (HJ), 23'4" (LJ), 200'3" (Jav)
Finished fifth in the decathlon with a personal-best 7,713 points at the European Athletics U20 Championships … First native of Germany to join the Ducks since 2013.
Oregon's loaded incoming class consists of a U.S. Junior and Pan-American champion, five state champions and three all-USA selections. Five members of the class will join the Men of Oregon, while the remaining four will become the newest additions to the Women of Oregon. Eight of the signees will come to Eugene from six different states around the country, while one will travel overseas from Germany.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to welcome this group to the Duck family," said Johnson. "There is some incredible talent here. But not only is this group talented, they are really nice kids with great families that will be embraced by the Oregon track & field community here in Eugene. Each of them bring something special to the table, and we couldn't be more excited to have them join us next fall."
TAYLOR CHIOTTI – Middle Distance | Southridge HS | Beaverton, Ore.
Personal Bests: 2:09.7 (800m), 4:39.5 (1500m)
The 2016 and 2017 Oregon state runner-up in the 800 meters … Placed ninth at the 2017 Oregon State Cross Country Championships … Also competed in the 4x400 relay and the 400 meters at the OSAA 6A State Championships.
ERIC EDWARDS JR. – Sprints/Hurdles | Langham Creek HS | Houston, Texas
Personal Bests: 7.76 (60H), 13.32 (110H), 36.26 (300H), 52.21 (400H)
The 2017 Pan-American U20 champion and the 2017 U.S. Junior champion in the 110-meter hurdles … Broke the U.S. Juniors record for the 110 hurdles in a blazing 13.32, the fastest time in the nation in 2017 and the eighth-fastest ever in the U.S. … The 2017 Texas state champion in the 110 hurdles … Named to the 2017 USA Today all-USA boys track and field team … Edged out current UO freshman, Joseph Anderson, for the gold at the Pan-American Championships.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnyYE4STQmc
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgyC7MlS-TY
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9w-x4t7tFc
LEXI ELLIS – Jumps | Curtis Senior HS | Tacoma, Wash.
Personal Bests: 42'7.25" (triple jump), 18'5.5" (long jump)
The 2017 Washington 4A state champion in the triple jump with a personal-best mark of 42'7.25", breaking the 23-year-old state meet record … Broke state records in the triple jump as both a freshman and a sophomore … Finished second in the triple jump at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships … Also competed and performed well at state championship meets in the long jump and the relays.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuDGo1wJ_gA
INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfD35Trg61I
DJ HENDERSON – Jumps | DeSoto HS | DeSoto, Texas
Personal Bests: 25'5" (long Jump)
Recorded the top wind-legal high school long jump in the nation in 2017 with a mark of 25'5" at the Great Southwest Classic … Only began competing in the long jump as a junior in high school.
JOSH HOEY – Middle Distance | Bishop Shanahan HS | Downingtown, Pa.
Personal Bests: 1:49.37 (800m), 4:08.59 (mile), 3:50.71 (1500m)
The 2017 Pennsylvania state champion in both the indoor and outdoor 800 meters … Won the indoor mile at the 2017 New Balance Grand Prix in 4:09.30 … Named to the 2017 USA Today all-USA boys track and field team … Brother, Jaxson, is currently a sophomore distance runner for the Ducks … Watch Josh win the boys' junior mile at the U.S. Track and Field Indoor Games in 4:09.26.
PIERCE LACOSTE – Decathlon | Marist HS | Eugene, Ore.
Personal Bests: 6'4.75" (high jump), 21'10.75" (long jump), 11.23 (100m), 22.67 (200m)
A Eugene native who grew up competing at Hayward Field, beginning with an all-comers meet at the age of one … Finished fourth in the long jump at the 2017 OSAA 5A State Championships and eighth in the high jump … Will join Oregon as a decathlete after competing primarily in the long jump, high jump and sprints at Marist High School.
EMILY SLOAN – Sprints/Hurdles | Rock Canyon HS | Littleton, Colo.
Personal Bests: 8.39 (60H), 13.40 (100H), 41.24 (300H)
A three-time Colorado 5A state champion in the 100-meter hurdles (2015, 2016, 2017) … Also finished as the 5A state runner-up in the 300 hurdles in 2017 … The 2016 Colorado 5A state champion in the 300-meter hurdles … Named to the 2017 USA Today all-USA girls track and field team … Placed third in the 100 hurdles at the 2017 New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUhJ5rL_J5o
TORI SLOAN – Jumps/Heptathlon | Mountain View HS | Meridian, Idaho
Personal Bests: 4,272 (Hep), 5'8" (high jump), 18'4.25" (long jump)
The 2017 Idaho 5A state champion in the long jump … Finished as the Idaho 5A state runner-up in the high jump in both 2016 and 2017 … A 2017 USATF Junior Olympics all-American in both the heptathlon and the high jump … Also competed in the 100 meters in the state championships meet and the 4x100 relay in the 5A District Championships.
MAXIMILIAN VOLLMER – Decathlon | Friedrich-List-Schule Ulm | Bade-Wurttemberg, Germany
Personal Bests: 7713 (Dec), 10.93 (100m), 48.66 (400m), 14.56 (110H), 6'3" (HJ), 23'4" (LJ), 200'3" (Jav)
Finished fifth in the decathlon with a personal-best 7,713 points at the European Athletics U20 Championships … First native of Germany to join the Ducks since 2013.
Players Mentioned
S/H
/ Track and FieldAaliyah McCormick | NCAA 100M Hurdles National Champion
Thursday, June 19
Matti Erickson | NCAA 800M Runner Up
Saturday, June 14
Hayward Field History
Thursday, June 12
2024-25 Oregon Track & Field Intro Video
Thursday, June 12
