2004 Women's Track & Field Outlook
When the Oregon women’s head coach post opened last year, the Ducks tapped a familiar face to fill the void. After five years as men’s mentor, Martin Smith was asked to copy the blueprint that netted the ?Men of Oregon’ their first Pac-10 Conference team title in more than a decade and three top-15 NCAA track finishes in three years.
However, the transition again requires patience, intense recruiting and hard work by the entire program. With recruiting scaled back the past two seasons, the squad returns only seven Pac-10 scorers, and two likely to redshirt in 2004.
The field events again feature many of the Ducks’ top performers, including three All-Americans and two other NCAA veterans. Redshirt junior Sarah Malone is a two-time NCAA qualifier and school javelin record holder (179-2). She’ll shoulder the event load after she redshirted in 2003, and All-Americans Elisa Crumley and Roslyn Lundeen may redshirt in 2004 after they braved various arm injuries the past two years. Senior Kirsten (Riley) Larwin leads the pole vault unit for the first time after she made her NCAA debut indoors in 2003 (10th, 13-3 1/2). Redshirt senior heptathlete Abby Andrus will chase a repeat NCAA invite and leads the team in the 100 and 400 hurdles (14.00/59.90) with all-time top-10 UO marks in each.
A six-woman group of newcomers share equal opportunity to contribute immediately. Junior sprint transfer Sofie Abildtrup arrives from Denmark and owns bests in the 100 (11.84), 200 (24.02) and 400 (54.16) that rank top-10 in Oregon history. Redshirt junior shot putter Bree Fuqua is the Wisconsin school record holder (51-5 1/2) and her personal best would rank second in UO history. Junior Katie Kersh hails from Sierra College near Sacramento and owns a hammer best (171-10) that would rank top-five in Duck history. Two other additions, junior Mandi Fitz-Gustafson (steeple) and Brittany Hinchcliffe (hammer), arrive from Arizona State and Washington State, respectively, but will sit out in 2004 because of inter-conference transfer rules. Freshman Emily Enders ranked 10th nationally among high school pole vaulters (12-7) in 2003, and that mark stands as the Ducks’ top prep best in an event that has developed one NCAA champion, two other All-Americans and another NCAA veteran. Freshman Amanda Santana won the state 300-hurdle crown last year and could compete in several sprints or hurdles events.
The women’s staff features several new faces with impressive resumes. The sprints, hurdles, jumps, and heptathlon corps is under the able charge of first-year assistant coach Rock Light who helped LSU win the NCAA women’s team title at Hayward Field in 1991 ? one of 11 men’s and women’s NCAA team victories in his six years in Baton Rouge. The distance corps welcomes Marnie Mason who was regarded among the West Coast’s top prep mentors at Klamath Union and North Medford High Schools. Last fall, she helped a new-look Duck cross country unit repeat fifth place in the Pac-10 Championships. Among her pupils, redshirt junior Magdalena Sandoval was honored with first-team Pac-10 honors and took top-10 finishes in both the Pac-10 (fifth) and West Regional (ninth). Throws coach and American hammer record holder Lance Deal worked with the men’s unit in 2003 and coached All-American and Pac-10 hammer champion Adam Kriz. The one coaching holdover is fifth-year volunteer Mark Vanderville who has guided Duck pole vaulters to one NCAA record and collegiate title, two more top-three NCAA finishes, seven All-America honors altogether, and a Pac-10 title and meet record.
The Duck schedule is similar to past seasons with four home meets at historic Hayward Field ? the season-opening Oregon Preview (3/20), the Pepsi Team Invitational quadrangular against Colorado, Minnesota and Washington (4/10), the Oregon Invitational (4/24) against the Northwest’s top collegiate and post-collegiate talent, and the Oregon Twilight final tune-up (5/1) before the championship run.
The championship slate kicks off with the Pacific-10 Conference finale in Tucson, Ariz. (5/14-15), then heads to northern Los Angeles for the West Regional at Cal State Northridge (5/28-29). Ten days later, the Ducks fly to Austin for the NCAA Championships (6/9-12). The Olympic Trials make their second stop in Sacramento less than a month later (7/9-18), and the Olympic Games return in late August to their birthplace ? Athens, Greece (8/20-29).
Sprints
Returnees - 100 - 200 - 400
Sara Schaaf, RSo. - 200 25.67w, 400 55.73
Michelle Donovan, Jr. - 10012.3w, 200 25.6, 400 56.72
Kayla Mellott, Jr. - 400 58.56
C'Rel McAllister, RSr. - 200 26.34, 400 - 57.8
Newcomers - 100 - 200 - 400
Sofie Abildtrup, Jr. - 100 11.84, 200 24.02, 400 54.16
First-year sprints coach Rock Light takes over a scaled-back sprints unit that received a big boost in January with the addition of junior Sofie Abildtrup who arrived from Denmark. Her personal bests from the past three years in the 100, 200 and 400 either met or were in the vicinity of regional qualifying standards, Pac-10 top-eight finishes, and all-time top-10 Duck rankings.
Junior Michelle Donovan stands as the team’s second-fastest 400 threat (56.72), and is versatile enough to step down to the 200 or up to the 800. Her quarter best (56.72) is less than 1 1/2 seconds from a Pac-10 invite. Redshirt sophomore Sara Schaaf owns the fastest 400 on the squad from her prep stint (55.73), and may step up to the 800.
Several hurdlers ? senior C’Rel McAllister, junior Kayla Mellott and freshman Amanda Santana ? could add help in various sprints or relays if necessary, with Schaaf the only returnee from 2003’s fifth-place Pac-10 4x400 finishers.
Hurdles
Returnees - 60H-i - 110H - 400H
Newcomers - 300H
Abby Andrus, RSr. - 9.02 - 13.93w/14.00 - 59.90
Kayla Mellott, Jr. - - - 61.30
C'Rel McAllister, Sr. - - 63.36
Amanda Santana, Fr. - 43.95
Senior heptathlete Abby Andrus quickly climbed the Duck all-time lists in both hurdles events last year and enters 2004 ranked seventh in the 100 hurdles (14.00) and sixth in the 400 hurdles (59.90) after she earned league and regional invites in both.
Junior Kayla Mellott improved more than 2 1/4 seconds last year in the 400 hurdles and climbed to ninth all-time for the Ducks (61.30). The Bellingham, Wash., native made her Pac-10 debut last season (10th-prelim, 61.76) and was .50 seconds shy of the event final. Redshirt senior C’Rel McAllister made her collegiate debut in the 400 hurdles as a junior in 2003 and was 1 1/4 seconds away from the Pac-10 standard (62.04), and is barely two seconds away from the all-time UO list (10th is at 61.39).
The group’s lone newcomer, freshman Amanda Santana won the state 4A 300-hurdle title as a senior in 2003 (43.95) ? one of three, top-three placings in the state finale for North Eugene High School.
Middle Distances
Returnees - 400 - 800 - 1,500
Sara Schaaf, RSo. - 400 55.73, 800 2:12.87
Abby Andrus, Sr. - 800 2:14.42-hep.
Erinn Gulbrandsen, RSr. - 800 2:14.80, 1,500 4:35.70
Michelle Donovan, Jr. - 400 56.72, 800 2:17.25
Taylor Bryant, RJr. - 800 2:17.82, 1,500 4:47
Redshirt sophomore Sara Schaaf provides multiple options in the 400 or 800 and is capable of Pac-10 invites in both. She added strength last fall in cross country and scored for the Ducks in the West Regional ? one of three top-six finishes on the team.
Redshirt junior Taylor Bryant hopes to springboard off a breakthrough cross country season. The Ontatio, Ore., native made her first scoring appearances in the Ducks’ fourth spot in all three of her races, and only needs a six-second improvement in the 1,500 for a Pac-10 invite. Redshirt senior Erinn Gulbrandsen could step into familiar roles in either the 800 or 1,500 and lowered her personal best in the 2003 Pac-10 finale (4:35.70). Junior quartermiler Michelle Donovan continues to add strength to her training and made her 800 debut in 2003 (2:17.25). Senior heptathlete Abby Andrus dropped her 800 best to 2:14.42 in the Oregon Invite heptathlon and ranks second on the squad.
Distances
Returnees - 800/1,500 - 3K/Steeple - 5K/10K
Newcomers - 800, 1,500, 3K/Steeple
Magdalena Sandoval, RJr. - 1,500 4:40.82, 3K 9:45.88-i, 5K16:43.94, 10K 36:30.65
Laura Harmon, RJr. - 1,500 4:29.49, 3K 9:53.55, 5K 17:12.04
Erinn Gulbrandsen - 800 2:14.80, 1,500 4:41.02
Haripurkh Khalsa, RSo. - 1,500 5:05.78, 3K10:40.31, 5K 18:58.88
Eleanor Gordon, So. - 1,500 4:56, 3K 10:45
Mandi Fitz-Gustafson, Jr. - 800 2:16.9, 1,500 4:37.86, 3K 10:17, Steeple 10:59.66
First-year coach Marnie Mason knows her scaled-back distance unit faces one of the team’s biggest challenges, and matches up against a Pac-10 Conference that featured 11 All-Americans in the 2003 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
If not for a fall in the opening quarter-mile of the NCAA harrier finale, junior Magdalena Sandoval would have challenged for a 12th league All-America honor in an otherwise amazing season on the trails. She finished fifth in the Pac-10 meet for first-team all-league honors, then took ninth in the West Regional. She led the squad on the oval last spring in the 5,000 (16:43.94) and 10,000 (36:30.65) and was top 12 in the Pac-10 10K (10th) and West Regional 5K (11th).
Redshirt Junior Laura Harmon hopes to make a similar jump in the 5,000 and her personal best came as a sophomore (17:12.04). A two-time Pac-10 finalist in the 1,500, her metric mile best (4:29.49) came as a sophomore in 2002.
Redshirt senior Erinn Gulbrandsen made her Pac-10 debut in 2003 in the 1,500 (14th-prelim) and bettered her preseason best (4:41.02) in two other races. This season, she could step down to the 800 or up the steeplechase as the latter enters its fourth season as a collegiate event.
Another intriguing story from the fall harrier campaign was the sudden development of redshirt sophomore Haripurkh Khalsa. After minimal prep practice, the LA native blossomed in her third season of collegiate training into a dependable scorer in the team’s third slot in her first varsity appearances, including her Pac-10 Champs debut (31st).
Junior newcomer Mandi Fitz-Gustafson transferred from Arizona State and will sit out this season because of Pac-10 transfer rules. She took eighth in the Pac-10 steeplechase as a freshman and sophomore, and owns the team’s fastest best (10:59.66) and would rank fourth in school history.
Jumps
Returnees - HJ - PV - LJ - TJ
Newcomers - PV
Rachael Kriz, RJr. - HJ 5-7.25
Abby Andrus, RSr. - HJ 5-5.75, LJ 18-10.75
Kirsten Larwin, Sr. - PV 13-3.5-i
Hannah Moore, Jr. - PV 12-6.25
Clarice Hayward-Lee, Jr. - HJ 5-5.75, TJ 38-6.25/39-10.5w
Maegan Traver, Jr. - TJ 37-9.5w/37-4.5
Emily Enders, Fr. - PV 12-7
Redshirt junior Rachael Kriz redshirted in 2003, after she took seventh in the Pac-10 high jump in 2002 and tied her personal best (5-7 1/4). Redshirt senior Abby Andrus could boost the team in the dual setting with a best of 5-7, and junior Clarice Hayward-Lee competed in the event as a prep (5-5 3/4) although she has focused solely on the triple jump as a Duck.
Junior Kirsten (Riley) Larwin has studied under two of the nation’s best collegiate pole vaulters, and now moves to the head of the Duck class. She made her NCAA Championships debut indoors in 2003 and matched her best (10th, 13-3 1/2) and is a three-time Pac-10 top-10 finisher.
Junior Hannah Moore upped her pole vault personal best by more than a foot last season and is the team’s top placer from the 2003 West Regional where she cleared her personal best (16th, 12-6 1/4) ? one of four meets at 12 feet or better.
The addition of freshman pole vaulter Emily Enders helps alleviate the loss of two multiple All-Americans and ranked 10th nationally among preps in 2003 (12-7). The Everett, Wash., native won the state title as a junior and was runner-up as a senior.
In the long jump, redshirt senior Abby Andrus topped 18 feet in all three of her non-heptathlon long jump appearances in 2003, and her personal best (18-10 3/4) is less than two inches shy of the Pac-10 standard.
Junior triple jumper Clarice Hayward-Lee matured into a Pac-10 scorer in 2003 (eighth) and ranked seventh on the year-end Pac-10 list (39-10 1/2w) ? one of four marks past 39 feet. Junior Maegan Traver hiked her wind-legal personal best by almost a foot in 2003, and closed the season with a Pac-10 invite and 11th-place ranking on the Pac-10 best list.
Throws
Returnees - SP - DT - HT - JT
Newcomers - SP - DT - HT - JT
Whitney Gum, So. - SP 44-5, 129-4 - 147-4
Jill Hoxmeier, Sr. - DT 151-9, 162-6
Sarah Malone, RJr. - JT 179-2
Elisa Crumley, Jr. - JT 169-7
Roslyn Lundeen, Jr. - JT 166-11
Bree Fuqua, Jr.-Tr. - SP 51-5 1/2 - DT 165-7, HT 151-0
Brittany Hinchcliffe, Jr.-Tr. - HT 186-11, DT 154-11
Katie Kersh, RJr.-Tr. - SP 42-8, DT 142-0, HT 173-5
Megan Kriz, So.-Tr. - SP 42-10 3/4
Keeping with tradition, the throws loom as the team’s deepest events, as first-year throws coach and Olympic hammer silver medalist Lance Deal pairs three javelin All-Americans with several newcomers in the hammer, shot put and discus.
All-America javelin thrower and junior Sarah Malone redshirted last season and set the school record as a sophomore in 2002 (179-2). That season she ranked third among collegians on the regular season list and claimed her second Pac-10 runner-up honor.
A pair of fellow javelin All-Americans may redshirt in 2003 to fully recover from various arm and shoulder injuries. Junior Roslyn Lundeen added to her All-America collection again in 2003 with a season best in the prelims (161-10) and eighth-place finish in the final, and took Pac-10 runner-up honors two weeks before. Junior Elisa Crumley also braved injuries in 2003 and stepped up in the championship run with another top-six Pac-10 finish (sixth) and NCAA invite (13th). Her freshman best of 169-7 puts her second all-time in Duck history.
Senior Jill Hoxmeier tops Duck veterans in the discus and earned a West Regional invite in 2003 thanks to a five-foot season best (151-9) on the final throw of the regular season, and also ranks seventh all-time for UO in the hammer (162-6). Sophomore Whitney Gum leads shot put returnees with a prep best (44-5) a foot better than the Pac-10 standard. The Billings, Mont., native stands second among UO discus and hammer throwers back in 2004.
Leading a wave of newcomers, junior Bree Fuqua owns the team’s top shot put personal best and is the Wisconsin school record holder, and was a five-time Big Ten scorer in the shot put and discus. Junior Brittany Hinchcliffe was a three-time Pac-10 competitor in the hammer and discus for Washington State. Her hammer best (186-11) tops the Duck corps by 13 feet and would rank second all-time in UO history. Junior Katie Kersh owns a hammer personal best that already meets Pac-10 and Regional qualifying marks. Her best of 173-5 came in 2002 as a sophomore at Sierra Junior College near Sacramento, and has experience in the shot put (42-8) and discus (142-0).
Redshirt junior high jumper Rachael Kriz may follow in her older brother and All-American Adam Kriz’s footsteps and see work in the throws. She made her collegiate javelin debut as a redshirt in 2003 and would have earned a Pac-10 invite (145-9). Her sister Megan Kriz transferred to the Ducks, and owned a 2003 shot put season best of 42-10 3/4 for Portland State, and could compete in the hammer.
Heptathlon
Returnees - Score
Abby Andrus, RSr. - 5,303
Redshirt senior Abby Andrus looks for continued gains in the heptathlon under first-year coach Rock Light who coached NCAA champions in the heptathlon and decathlon at LSU.
The Peoria, Ariz., native Andrus hiked her personal best 400 points last season, took third in the Pac-10 Championships, then posted a second-day personal best score (2,195) against the nation’s best in her NCAA debut in steamy Sacramento. Look for continued gains as she improves in the throws events, and she already owns solid bests in the 100 hurdles (13.99), 200 (25.69), long jump (18-5 1/4) and 800 (2:14.42).
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