Student Athlete of the Week - Nov. 19 - Nov. 25
Galen Rupp has been named the GoDucks.com Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of November 19 - November 25.
Galen Rupp, a junior from Portland, Oregon, led the University of Oregon Men's Cross Country Team to a historic performance last Monday at the NCAA Championships in Indiana, as the Duck's claimed their 5th national championship. It was their first NCAA title since 1977. Rupp contended for the individual title up until the last seconds of the race, but ended up placing second in a time of 29:24. The four other scorers for the Ducks all earned All-American Honors, including: senior Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott (9th), sophomores Diego Mercado (30th) and Kenny Klotz (37th), and redshirt freshman Daniel Mercado (41st). It was the first time since 1979 that the Duck's front five all finished in the top 50 overall.
Rupp's second place finish was the highest by a UO athlete since Alberto Salazar placed second in 1979.
The Rupp File
After 2 1/2 collegiate seasons for Ducks, is already a seven-time All-American in track and field and cross country (outdoors - 2; indoors - 4; cross country 1), thanks to two NCAA runner-up 10,000 meters finishes, and four more top-six finishes that netted the other honors. In the classroom, is a two-time ESPN Magazine First Team Academic All-American and a three-time Pac-10 All-Academic First Team choice. In 2007, became 14th UO men's distance runner to earn a World Championships invitation after his runner-up USA Championships 10,000m finish. His 5,000m / 10,000m doubles in the Pac-10 track and field championships helped UO to team titles in 2005 and '07, and also led squad to its 14th Pac-10 cross country team victory in the fall of 2006. Kicked off collegiate career in dramatic fashion in 2005 as the NCAA 10,000m runner-up and top American finisher as a freshman outdoors in '05. That same season, he re-energized Hayward Field with three stirring runs, including a 10,000m U.S. junior record in the 2005 Oregon Twilight. As a sophomore on the oval, became first Duck to claim two indoor All-America honors in individual events the same season. Owns American collegiate record in the 10,000m (27:33.48) and third-best mark overall among collegians, along with additional indoor school records in the 3,000m (7:54.19) and 5,000m (13:38.62). Also stands sixth all-time for UO in the outdoor 5,000m (13:30.49). As a prep or freshman, also broke U.S. junior records in the 3,000m (7:49.16), 5,000m (13:37.91) and 10,000m (28:15.52), and the U.S. high school record in the 3,000m (8:03.57). In high school, was coached by former Oregon distance great Alberto Salazar and was a national high school athlete of the year as a senior in '04, junior record holder in the 5,000 meters (13:37.91), national cross country runner-up in '03, and a five-time state champion (track-3, cross country-2).
2006-07: NCAA Runner-up (10,000m) / All-American (3,000m, 5,000m, Cross Country). In cross country, became the 20th Duck to finish top 10 in the NCAA Championships (sixth, 31:03). In weeks prior, claimed UO’s 10th Pac-10 individual title and was named Pac-10 Men’s Cross Country Athlete of Year. Overall, led team in all five of his races with win in Mike Hodges Invitational (23:03.2) and top-five finishes in Bill Dellinger Invitational (second, 23:09.1) and West Regional (fourth, 30:15). Outdoors on track, claimed second NCAA runner-up 10,000m runner-up finish (28:56.19) and led much of the final three laps in his bid for victory. Became second-ever Duck Pac-10 5,000m-10,000m champion in same season, and also won West Regional 5,000m (14:08.03). Jumped to seventh all-time in U.S. history in 10,000m (27:33.48) with collegiate season leader that also broke the UO record (27:33.48) formerly held by Bill McChesney, Jr. (27:50.82, 1982). Also ranked fourth among collegians in ’07 outdoors in 5,000m (13:30.49) thanks to stirring stretch run in Oregon Invitational where he won a lean at the finish line over three-time NCAA champion Chris Solinsky of Wisconsin (second, 13:30.54). Indoors, became first Duck to stake four individual All-America honors in his career with his finishes in the NCAA 3,000m and 5,000m (fourth, 7:56.79 / third, 13:40.38). During indoor season ran school records in 3,000m and 5,000m and ranked top five nationally among collegians in each (fifth, 7:54.19 / third, 13:38.62). Also ran 1,600m anchor on NCAA provisional qualifying distance medley relay in Alex Wilson Invitational (12th, 9:39.43) that ranks second all-time for UO. ESPN Magazine All-Academic First Team national honoree, and a Pac-10 All-Academic First Team selection in both track and field and cross country. Personal/Season Bests: Outdoors - 5,000m - 13:30.49 (PR), Oregon Invitational, Eugene (4/20/07); 10,000m - 27:33.48 (PR), Cardinal Invitational, Stanford (4/29/07); Indoors - 3,000m - 7:54.19 (PR), Mountain Pacific Championships, Seattle (2/24/07); 5,000m - 13:38.62 (PR), Husky Classic, Seattle (2/10/07).
2007-08 GoDucks.com Student Athletes of the Week
| Week 1 | August 26 - September 1 | Football | Dennis Dixon |
| Week 2 | September 2 - 8 | Football | Dennis Dixon |
| Week 3 | September 9-16 | Football | Jonathan Stewart |
| Week 4 | September 17-23 | Football | Cameron Colvin |
| Week 5 | September 24-30 | Volleyball | Heather Meyers |
| Week 6 | October 1-7 | Soccer | |
| Week 7 | October 8-14 | Football | Nick Reed |
| Week 8 | October 15-21 | Football | Jonathan Stewart |
| Week 9 | October 22-28 | Cross Country | Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott |
| Week 10 | October 29 - November 4 | Football | Nick Reed |
| Week 11 | November 5-11 | Volleyball | Gorana Maricic |
| Week 12 | November 12-18 | Basketball | Malik Hairston |
| Week 13 | November 19-25 | Cross Country | Galen Rupp |
