Ducks Look To Be Tougher Together In Pac-12 Meet

When the Pac-12 Championship meet resumes Saturday at Hayward Field, the Oregon men will begin the weekend with an 18-point lead over the field.

Ostensibly those points were provided last week by Mitch Modin and Joe Delgado, who went 1-2 in the decathlon contested in Corvallis. But the entire UO track and field can take ownership of those performances, men and women alike, after an uncommon display of camaraderie helped fuel Modin and Delgado to their performances last week.

As Modin and Delgado were throwing, jumping and running their way to 18 team points toward the Pac-12 title, a busload of their fellow Ducks was on hand to watch. The idea to drive to the meet's multi-events competition was hatched among Oregon's leadership council, and executed by UO coach Robert Johnson and his staff.

"That's how we're driven here," Johnson said. "We're an athlete-first program, and they govern what we do."

Cody Danielson, who will defend his Pac-12 javelin title Saturday, attended the first day of the decathlon along with a handful of teammates who travelled north via car. On day two, the program supplied a bus for the trip, and dozens of Ducks were on hand to watch Modin win the conference title, and Delgado finish second.

"They told us how grateful they were," Danielson said. "I think it really helped them a lot, too. Those guys feed off the energy, and we gave it to them."

I cannot thank my teammates enough. You guys got me this win.. #TougherTogether #GoDucks #Pac12Champ
— Mitch Modin (@modin13) May 7, 2017

Modin took over the lead for good in the pole vault, by clearing 15 feet, 5 inches. At each of the previous two heights both he and Delgado needed third-attempt clearances to advance, and drew on the energy of their teammates to do so.

Before each of his attempts, Delgado began a slow, rhythmic clap. The Ducks watching from the sidelines joined him on cue, and propelled Delgado down the runway and over the bar.

"When he cleared it, it was just this awesome feeling – like, I felt like we did it with them," senior distance runner Maggie Schmaedick said. "I was so invested in what they were both doing. Every time they went over, I felt this sense of elation for them. I don't think I realized how awesome it was going to be, to actually be there."

Schmaedick will have a chance to draw on similar energy this week, when the Eugene native competes in front of friends, family and teammates beginning with the 10,000 meters on Saturday night, on her home track in her hometown.

Saturday's meet schedule begins with the men's hammer throw at 11:35 a.m., followed by Danielson and the rest of the men's javelin field at 1:25 p.m. Action on the track begins with 4x100-meter relay trials at 1:30 p.m.; four event finals will be contested on the track Saturday, the men's and women's steeplechase races starting at 4:30 p.m., and the 10,000 races beginning with the men at 6:10 p.m.

Action Sunday begins with the women's hammer at 1 p.m., and picks up on the track at 3 p.m. The Ducks are going for their ninth straight sweep of the team titles, and the UO men are looking for consecutive title No. 11.

Ever since the 2017 Pac-12 Championships were announced, to be hosted by Oregon State but contested at Hayward Field, Schmaedick has been anticipating this weekend. Based on her experience last weekend, she has a taste of what it will be like to have the full Oregon team cheering her on, embodying he team's "Tougher Together" motto.

"I don't know, maybe that's cliché," Schmaedick said. "But it's real, and it's not just a slogan. We've really embraced that, and we try to emulate it. …

"We all bring really different things to the table, and we all have different strengths. But we all really respect and value the different members of the team, and the different components it takes to win a championship."