NCAA Champs Ducks, Aggies Headline Pepsi Invitational
Oregon returns home to host the Pepsi Team Invitational on Saturday. The meet features the defending outdoor national champion Texas A&M men’s and women’s teams versus Oregon’s two 2009 runner-up squads. The meet also includes Pac-10 rival Washington, as well as Missouri and Illinois. The first running event begins at 11 a.m., with throwing events beginning a little earlier (10:30 a.m). The last two hours of the meet (noon-2) will also be televised live by OSN on Comcast Sports Net (Comcast 37/737HD).
TELEVISION/WEB CAST
The Oregon Sports Network will broadcast the Pepsi Team Invitational live from noon to 2 p.m. on Comcast Sports Net in Western Oregon and Washington (Comcast Cable channel 37/737HD). It will also be replayed Sunday at 5:30 p.m., April 14 at 6:30 p.m. and May 7 at 8 p.m.
The announcers are Joe Giansante, Prefontaine Classic meet director Tom Jordan and Nicole Abeyta (sideline reporter).
Also, the Pepsi Team Invitational will be available live on goducks.com. Fans can watch the webcast via a pay-per-view purchase or through a subscription to the O-Zone.
RESULTS
For live results, schedules and accepted entry lists, check www.goducks.com. Final results will also be posted on www.GoDucks.com.
SCORING
The international scoring system will be in place for the Pepsi Team Invitational, which allows schools to score a maximum of two competitors in each event (one team per relay). Individual event scoring is 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Men’s relays will be scored 9-7-6-5-4, while women’s relays will be 9-7-6-5.
TEXAS A&M TANGO, WATCH FOR WASHINGTON
Oregon and Texas A&M have tangled in an intriguing track tango the past couple of seasons.
On the men’s side, Oregon captured the 2009 NCAA indoor title, the first in school history, only to watch Texas A&M win the 2009 outdoor crown by a mere two points over the Ducks. This March, the two men’s teams tied for second at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships behind Florida.
The women’s story is nearly the same. The Aggies won the 2009 outdoor title by seven points over Oregon, but the Ducks rebounded in a dominating win at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships for the women’s first indoor title.
It is noteworthy to point out that Texas A&M became just the second program in collegiate history to sweep the NCAA outdoor championships, something Louisiana State also accomplished in 1989 and 1990. Even more impressive is that all three dual champions were coached by the same man, current Aggie mentor Pat Henry.
But while the focus will be on the Ducks and Aggies, don’t go to sleep on the Huskies, ranked No. 13 nationally on the women’s side, who have appeared in the Pepsi meet more than any other visitor.
There’s also Illinois and Missouri, whose women’s team won the title in their only other appearance at the Pepsi in 2005.
OREGON ENTRIES
Oregon will line-up against some of the best competition it will face during the regular season. For the Men of Oregon, look for four-time NCAA champion Ashton Eaton in the long jump, the 110 hurdles, the 200 meters and the relays. Saturday will also mark the 2010 outdoor debut for defending NCAA 800 meter champion Andrew Wheating, who is entered in the 1,500 meters. Other Oregon entries include All-Americans Alex Wolff in his home debut in the javelin, A.J. Acosta making his Oregon debut in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, Matthew Centrowitz in the 800 and 1,500 meters and Danny Mercado, Diego Mercado and Luke Puskedra in the 5,000 meters. In the shorter races, watch for All-Americans Chad Barlow and Matt Butcher in both the 200 and 400 meters, Mac Fleet and Travis Thompson in the 800 meters, Marshall Ackley in the 400 meter hurdles and 100 meters and Michael Maag in the 1,500.
The women are also led by an NCAA champion, heptathlete Brianne Theisen, who is entered in the 100 meter hurdles, shot put and javelin. The women will also look to national pole vault leader Melissa Gergel (14-3.25), a four-time All-American, as well as fellow All-American Jamesha Youngblood (long jump, triple jump) in the field events. On the track, the sprints should be some of the most exciting races this spring with Oregon’s NCAA indoor champion 4x400 meter relay team of Keshia Baker, Amber Purvis, Michele Williams and Youngblood going up against a talented and experienced Texas A&M squad. In the individual races, Purvis is entered in the 100 and 200 meters and Baker and Williams in the 400 meters. In the middle distances, it will be All-Americans Nicole Blood and Alex Kosinski in the 1,500 meters and Anne Kesselring in the 800 meters. Mattie Bridgmon and Jordan Hasay join Blood in the 5,000, while school record-holder Claire Michel leads the steeplechase.
OPPONENT ENTRIES
The four opposing teams bring a considerable number of talented student-athletes to the Pepsi meet. For the men, Texas A&M boasts Sam Humphreys (ranked No. 1 nationally, javelin/247-0), Curtis Mitchell (No. 2, 200/20.54), Tyron Stewart (No. 2, triple jump/53-6.5), Gerald Phiri (No. 3, 100/10.17), Demetrius Pinder (No. 4, 400/45.89), Joey Roberts (No. 14, 800/1:49.54), Melvin Echard (No. 14, long jump/24-9.75) and Oscar Ramirez (No. 15, 800/1:49.45). The Aggies also have the No. 2 4x400 relay (3:01.55) and the No. 4 4x100 relay team (39.35). The Aggies also have Tyron Stewart entered in the triple jump; he was sixth in that event at the 2009 NCAA Championships. Additionally, Phiri was third in the 100 and fourth in the 200 at the 2009 NCAA meet. More recently, Mitchell was the 2010 NCAA indoor champ at 200 meters.
Washington has Zack Midles (No. 19, hammer/208-1), Kyle Nielsen (No. 20, javelin/220-3) and Colton Tully-Doyle (No. 21, 1,500/3:47.03). The Huskies also show Scott Roth in the pole vault; he was the NCAA runner-up at the 2009 Championships, while Nielsen was sixth in the javelin.
Missouri brings Lars Risa in the pole vault and 110 hurdles. Risa was fifth in the decathlon at the 2009 NCAA meet. Illinois has Matt McHugh (No. 26, hammer/202-10), plus a couple of scorers from the 2009 NCAA meet - Andrew Riles (fifth in the 110 hurdles) and Greg Shroka (sixth in the high jump).
On the women’s side, the Aggies feature Natsha Ruddock (No. 2, 100 hurdles/12.97), Tiffany Peters (No. 3, triple jump/42-9.5), Vashti Thomas (No. 4, 100 hurdles/14.08; No. 4, triple jump/42-9), Andrea Sutherland (No. 5, 400 hurdles/57.12), Emalie Humphreys (No. 9, javelin/163-8), Dominique Duncan (No. 12, 200/23.63), Hillary Pustka (No. 15, javelin/160-9) and Dominique’ Flemings (No. 20, 400 hurdles/59.47). Texas A&M’s women also lead the nation in the 4x100 relay (42.56) and are second in the 4x400 (3:32.94). The Aggies also have defending NCAA 200 meter champion and Bowerman Award finalist Porscha Lucas in the 100, an event she ran fourth in at the 2009 NCAA meet. Jessica Beard placed second in the 400 at the 2009 Championships, while Gabby Mayo placed fifth in the 110 hurdles.
Washington has Katie Follett (No. 3, 1,500/4:15.04) and Brooke Pighin (No. 14, javelin/160-10). Phigin was seventh in the javelin at the 2009 NCAA meet, while Follett took 12th in the 5,000.
TEAMS AT THE PEPSI
Saturday marks the 21st Pepsi Team Invitational. The Oregon women have won the Pepsi 15 times, while the men have 14 Pepsi titles. Last year, the women scored a meet record 233.5 points to win, while the men were surprised by Indiana 200-194.
After a one year hiatus, Washington returns to the Pepsi Team Invitational for the 12th time overall. The Huskies have one men’s title (2006) and have finished second four times. The UW women have never won the Pepsi, but have four runner-up finishes to their credit. Illinois’ men will be making their third appearance in the Pepsi, and their first since 1996. The Illini’s best Pepsi finish was second in 1989. Missouri’s men and women are in the Pepsi meet for the second time. In 2005, the Tiger women won it all, while the men tied for third. This will be Texas A&M’s first appearance in the Pepsi Team Invitational.
OREGON IN THE RANKINGS
Oregon has numerous student-athletes ranked on the national and regional descending order lists. These lists are important because they are the sole basis for selection to the NCAA West Regional May 27-28 in Austin, Texas. The top 48 individuals in each region are eligible for selection (combined events will be the top 24 nationally on the descending order list). See p. 4-5 for the complete list.
For the women, Zoe Buckman continues to lead the nation in the 1,500 meters (4:12.80), while Melissa Gergel is No. 1 in the pole vault (14-3.25) and Brianne Theisen is tops in the heptathlon (5,942). After Buckman, Oregon ranks second (Jordan Hasay/4:14.67), sixth (Anne Kesselring/4:18.80) and ninth (Nicole Blood/4:20.20) in the 1,500. Claire Michel is third nationally in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (10:14.84). Theisen also ranks eighth nationally in the high jump (5-10.75). The Ducks 4x100 relay team is 10th in the nation (44.30).
For the men, Ashton Eaton leads the country in the decathlon (8,310) and is second in the long jump (25-10.25). Jordan McNamara is No. 2 nationally in the 5,000 meters, while Matthew Centrowitz (13:47.73) and Michael Maag (13:51.35) are fourth and fifth in the nation. Alex Wolff ranks fifth nationally in the javelin (229-7).
TEXAS RELAYS REVIEW
Senior Ashton Eaton set a PR in the decathlon March 31-April 1 at the Texas Relays, scoring 8,310 points. Unfortunately, for the second time in his career, what would have been the school record was nullified by extremely high winds in the 110 hurdles (plus-4.9 meters per second). Regardless, Eaton’s score leads the nation and was the fourth highest all-conditions mark in collegiate history. Junior Brianne Theisen won the heptathlon, scoring a wind-aided 5,942 points. Senior Marshall Ackley took seventh in the decathlon with 7,074 points.
STANFORD INVITATIONAL REVIEW
Wins by Jordan Hasay (1,500), Alex Wolff (javelin), Melissa Gergel (pole vault), David Klech (high jump) and the women’s 4x100 meter relay team highlighted Oregon’s performances at the March 26-27 Stanford Invitational. Gergel won the women’s pole vault in a jump off, clearing an outdoor best 14-3.25 to edge Stanford’s Katerina Stefandi. Hasay ran 4:14.69 to edge Washington star Katie Follett, who finished in 4:15.04, by less than half a second. Hasay’s time was just .17 off her personal best, 4:14.50, that she ran as a high schooler at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene. As it was, Hasay’s first outdoor race as a Duck ranked fifth all-time on the school’s 1,500 career list. Wolff opened his 2010 season with a win in the men’s javelin, throwing 229-7 to clip Chris Reno of Brigham Young by two inches. Klech won the high jump with a clearance at 6-10.25, his best height since high school. The team of Mandy White, Amber Purvis, Keshia Baker and Michele Williams won the women’s 4x100 meter relay in 44.38. That time was the third-fastest 4x100 relay in school history.
PREVIEW REVIEW
Ten meet records were set, plus an attendance record of nearly 6,000 people, at the season-opening Oregon Preview on March 20 at Hayward Field.
Meet records set by Oregon competitors:
? Women’s 4x100 relay (Mandy White, Amber Purvis, Keshia Baker and Jamesha Youngblood), 44.30 ? second fastest time in school history
? Melissa Gergel, women’s pole vault, 14-1.25
? Jamesha Youngblood, 400 hurdles, 59.95
? Amber Purvis, women’s 400 meters, 53.96
? Jordan McNamara, men’s 3,000 meters, 7:53.63
? Claire Michel women’s 2,000 meter steeplechase, 6:55.17
Other records:
? OTC Elite newcomer Sally Kipyego won the women’s 1,500 meters in 4:10.71 to break Marla Runyan’s 2000 record of 4:11.44.
? Former Duck Britney Henry, women’s hammer, 216-9.
? Billy Nelson, men’s 2,000 meter steeplechase, 5:44.59.
? The OTC Elite, men’s 4x400 meter relay (Tyler Mulder, Elias Koech, Mark Wieczorek and Matt Scherer), 3:08.45.
Other UO highlights included Matthew Centrowitz’ win in the men’s 1,500 meters (3:48.97), senior Michael Maag, making his Oregon debut, was fourth in that race in 3:51.75. Senior Zoe Buckman was second in the women’s 1,500 meters in a PR 4:12.80 (No. 4 all-time). Jasmine Kelly set a PR in winning the women’s high jump at 5-10. Britton Nelson threw a personal best 219-8 to win the men’s javelin. Jordan Stray won the men’s hammer with a throw of 209-8, his best distance in two years.
WOMEN WIN NCAA INDOOR TITLE; EATON SETS WORLD RECORD
The Women of Oregon won their first NCAA Indoor Track and Field national title, while Ashton Eaton set the world record in the heptathlon to lead the men for a tie for second at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships March 12-13 in Fayetteville, Ark.
Eaton thrilled the Randall Tyson Center crowd by not only winning the heptathlon for the second straight year, but also by scoring 6,499 points to break Dan O’Brien’s 17-year-old world and American record (6,474). The women had national champions in the pentathlon by Brianne Theisen and the 4x400 relay team (Jamesha Youngblood, Keshia Baker, Michele Williams, Amber Purvis). Other point scorers for the women included Melissa Gergel ? second in the pole vault, Keshia Baker ? second in the 400 meters, Jordan Hasay ? fourth in the mile, Amber Purvis ? fourth in the 200, Nicole Blood ? fifth in the 3,000, Anne Kesselring ? sixth in the mile, and the second-place distance medley relay team (Kesselring, Williams, Zoe Buckman, Hasay). The Ducks scored 61 points, with Tennessee second with 36.
In addition to Eaton, the men won the distance medley relay on Andrew Wheating’s tremendous kick on the mile leg, which was preceded by A.J. Acosta, Chad Barlow and Travis Thompson. Others scoring for the men included Mac Fleet ? second in the mile, Wheating ? second in the 800, Acosta ? fourth in the mile, and the sixth-place 4x400 meter relay team (Matt Butcher, Eaton, Thompson, Barlow). Florida won the men’s title with 57 points, while Oregon and Texas A&M were tied at 44.
EATON’S WORLD HEPTATHLON RECORD
Senior Ashton Eaton accomplished what’s become an extremely rare feat -- breaking a world record as a collegian. He did that March 12-13 in the heptathlon at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Eaton bettered Dan O’Brien’s 1993 mark by 25 points.
All-time World heptathlon list:
1. 6,499 Ashton Eaton USA 2010
2. 6,476 Dan O’Brien USA 1993
3. 6,438 Roman Sebrle CZE 2004
4. 6,424 Tomas Dvorak CZE 2000
5. 6,418 Christian Plaziat FRA 1992
OREGON EARNS 31 ALL-AMERICA AWARDS
Oregon led the nation with an astounding 31 All-America certificates earned at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
The national championship Oregon women’s team earned 17 All-America awards, while the runner-up men captured 14. Among those honored was senior Nicole Blood, whose selection in the 3,000 meters was her eighth career All-America certificate, which is tied for the second-most in UO women’s history with Kathy Hayes and trails only Leann Warren’s 10.
Also earning All-America awards for the women were national champion Brianne Theisen in the pentathlon, as well as members of the national championship 4x400 meter relay team, Keshia Baker, Amber Purvis, Michelle Williams and Jamesha Youngblood.
Other All-Americans were Purvis (60 meters, 200 meters), Baker (400 meters), Jordan Hasay (mile, distance medley relay), Anne Kesselring (mile, distance medley relay), Williams (distance medley relay), Melissa Gergel (pole vault), Zoe Buckman (distance medley relay) and Mattie Bridgmon (5,000 meters).
On the men’s side, national champion and new world record holder for the heptathlon Ashton Eaton led the way. Eaton was also honored for the 4x400 meter relay team. The members of the national champion distance medley relay team, A.J. Acosta, Chad Barlow, Travis Thompson and Anderw Wheating made the list, as did Mac Fleet (mile), Wheating (800 meters), Acosta (mile), Barlow (4x400 meter relay), Matt Butcher (4x400 meter relay), Thompson (4x400 meter relay), Elijah Greer (800 meters) and Luke Puskedra (5,000 meters).
LANANNA, JOHNSON HONORED
Vin Lananna and Robert Johnson were recognized honored by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as recipients of National Women’s Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year, respectively, for the 2010 indoor track & field season in Division I.
Lananna, in his fifth year as Oregon’s Associate Athletic Director for track & field, helped the Ducks capture their first NCAA women’s indoor crown in school history. Oregon claimed 61 points in the meet, 25 more than nearest competitor Tennessee. The margin of victory was the largest in NCAA Indoor Championship history since Texas scored 60 points to top the 30 managed by runner-up Louisiana State in 1998. In February, Oregon also claimed its first MPSF Championship.
Johnson is in his fifth year as an assistant coach at Oregon and concentrates his coaching on sprints, hurdles and horizontal jumps. Winning this award for the second-straight year, Johnson’s athletes contributed 23 team points to the Ducks’ first-ever capture of the NCAA team title. Oregon’s 4x400-meter relay of Jamesha Youngblood, Keshia Baker, Michele Williams, and Amber Purvis won an NCAA crown for the first time, clocking a school-record 3:32.97. In addition, Baker would finish second in the 400 meters at the national meet in 51.63 and Purvis, just a sophomore, took fourth place in the 200 (23.21).
OREGON’S NCAA CHAMPIONS
The 2010 Women’s Indoor Track & Field title was the 17th national championship in school history. The others are men’s outdoor track & field in 1962, 1964, 1965, 1970 and 1984, women’s outdoor track & field in 1985, men’s indoor track & field in 2009, men’s cross country in 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 2007 and 2008, women’s cross country in 1983 and 1987, and men’s basketball in 1939. The championship was the first for an Oregon women’s program since cross country’s win in 1987, and the fourth women’s title overall.
A CHAMPIONSHIP TRADITION
Oregon has won five of the last seven Pac-10 titles in men’s track and field, including three in a row. The Ducks have conference men’s track and field titles in 1923, 1934, 1965, 1967, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1990, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009. On the women’s side, Oregon’s Pac-10 crowns came in 1991, 1992 and 2009.
OFF-TRACK ACTIVITIES
For the fourth year in a row, the Starting Block will take place prior to every home meet and is geared to get kids moving and staying active. The concept features a high-energy, dynamic space for youth designed for fun and interactive activities that offers youth a chance to practice their athletic skills and learn more about the sport.
15 TO JOIN TEAM IN 2011
Fifteen high school stars, including the national boys leader in the javelin, Sam Crouser, and the 2009 Pan American Junior Games girl’s champion at 5,000 meters, Sarah Andrews, have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Oregon’s track and field teams next season.
The seven men are throwers Crouser of Gresham, Ore., and Jacob Budwig of Fowler, Calif., decathlon state record-holder Dakotah Keys of Sweet Home, Ore., distance runners Parker Stinson of Austin, Texas, and Colby Alexander from Strongsville, Ohio, and middle distance standouts Cole Watson of Rogue River, Ore., and Brian Shrader of Flagstaff, Ariz.
Among the eight women are two New Yorkers in Phyllis Francis (Laurelton) and Megan Patrignelli (Monroe) and three Californians, Lauryn Newson (Richmond), Chizoba Okodogbe (Antioch) and Kortney Ross (San Diego). The class is rounded out by Andrews from The Woodlands, Texas, English Gardner of Voorhees, N.J., and Laura Roesler from Fargo, N.D.
