Track Teams Look to Defend at Pac-10 Championships
Oregon opens the championship season looking to defend its men’s and women’s Pac-10 titles this Saturday and Sunday at Cal’s Edwards Stadium. The 80th men’s Pac-10 championships (24th women) get underway Saturday at 10 a.m. with the men’s hammer. Running events start at 1 p.m. On Sunday, the women’s hammer opens competition at 9:15 a.m., with running events going off at 1 p.m.
RESULTS
Live results will be available at www.sml1.com/recordtiming/cal/pac10_2010/, while complete results following each day will be available on the internet at www.calbears.com or www.pac-10.org. Final results will also be posted on www.goducks.com.
TELEVISION
FOX Sports Net will air a two-hour tape delayed show starting Thursday, May 20. Barry Tompkins and Olympic gold medalist Joanna Hayes will call the action, while color commentary will be provided by Tom Feuer. Krista Blunk will provide additional commentary from the infield. Check local listings for the airing dates of the championships on local Fox Sports Net regionals.
SCORING
The top eight places in each event score. The points are assigned as follows: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.
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 1924, 1934, 1965, 1967, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1990, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 (13 overall). Last year, Oregon became the first school to win three consecutive men’s titles since UCLA took five straight between 1992-96. On the women’s side, Oregon’s Pac-10 crowns came in 1991, 1992 and 2009.
PAC-10 CHAMPIONS
Oregon has an impressive 10 Pac-10 champions on its 2010 roster. Here’s the list:
Name Event Year(s)
Keshia Baker W-400 Meters 2008, 2009
Nicole Blood W-5,000 Meters 2008/W-Cross Country 2009
Zoe Buckman W-800 Meters 2009
Melissa Gergel W-Pole Vault 2009
Brianne Theisen W-Heptathlon 2009, 2010
Jamesha Youngblood W-Long Jump 2009/W-Triple Jump 2009
Matthew Centrowitz M-1,500 Meters 2009
Ashton Eaton M-Decathlon 2008, 2009, 2010
Cyrus Hostetler M-Javelin 2009
Andrew Wheating M-800 Meters 2008, 2009
TEAM RANKINGS
Heading into the Pac-10 Championships, five Pac-10 teams are listed among the nation’s top 25 men’s teams, while four women’s teams are listed. For the men, it’s No. 2 Oregon, No. 6 USC, No. 7 Arizona State, No. 14 Stanford and No. 20 Washington. On the women’s side, it’s No. 3 Oregon, No. 12 USC, No. 16 UCLA and No. 20 Washington.
OREGON’S ENTRIES - WOMEN
The Ducks have the Pac-10’s top marks in the women’s 100 meters (Amber Purvis, 11.38w), 200 meters (Purvis, 23.00w), 400 meters (Keshia Baker, 51.63), 5,000 meters (Nicole Blood, 15:51.59), 3,000 meter steeplechase (Claire Michel, 10:14.84), 4x100 meter relay (44.13), 4x400 meter relay (3:32.34), pole vault (Melissa Gergel, 14-7.25) and long jump (Jamesha Youngblood, 21-6.25). Additionally, Blood is No. 5 in the 1,500 meters (4:18.22), Baker is No. 7 in the 200 (23.80), Youngblood is No. 7 in the 400 hurdles (59.95) and No. 9 in the triple jump (40-7.5) and Michel is No. 10 in the 5,000 (16:18.18).
Other women to watch include Zoe Buckman in the 1,500 (No. 2, 4:12.80) and 800 (No. 4, 2:05.72), Alex Kosinski in the 5,000 (No. 2, 15:57.83) and 1,500 (No. 8, 4:21.88), Jordan Hasay in the 1,500 (No. 3, 4:14.64) and 5,000 (No. 7, 16:16.02), Mattie Bridgmon in the 10,000 (No. 3, 34:30.70) and 5,000 (No. 5, 16:02.48), Brianne Theisen in the high jump (No. 3, 5-11.5) and 100 hurdles (No. 7, 13.61), Anne Kesselring in the 800 (No. 4, 2:05.72) and 1,500 (No. 4, 4:17.35), Mandy White in the 100 (No. 5, 11.62) and 200 (No. 9, 23.82), Rita Santibanez in the shot put (No. 6, 47-0.75), Chloe Steinbeck in the 800 (No. 7, 2:07.21), Jordan Roskelley in the pole vault (No. 7, 14-3.25), Becca Friday in the 800 (No. 8, 2:07.55), Taylor Wallace in the 3,000 steeplechase (No. 8, 10:58.34), Jasmine Kelly in the high jump (No. 8, 5-10), Sara Cole in the hammer (No. 9, 170-6), Michele Williams in the 200 (No. 10, 24.03) and Lyndsay Pearson in the 100 hurdles (No. 10, 13.71).
OREGON’S ENTRIES - MEN
The Ducks have the Pac-10’s top marks in the men’s 800 (Andrew Wheating, 1:46.36), 1,500 (Wheating, 3:37.83), 110 hurdles (Ashton Eaton, 13.64) and javelin (Cyrus Hostetler, 256-6). Additionally, Eaton is second in the long jump (25-10.25), third in the 100 (10.34) and fourth in the 200 (21.03).
Other men to watch include A.J. Acosta in the 1,500 meters (No. 2, 3:39.44), Elijah Greer in the 800 (No. 3, 1:47.33), Jordan Stray in the hammer (No. 3, 217-8), Alex Wolff in the javelin (No. 3, 240-8), Travis Thompson in the 800 (No. 4, 1:47.94), Mac Fleet in the 1,500 meters (No. 4, 3:40.09), Jordan McNamara in the 5,000 (No. 4 13:45.45), David Klech in the 400 hurdles (No. 4, 51.31), 110 hurdles (No. 7, 14.26) and high jump (No. 7, 7-0.25), Danny Marconi in the high jump (No. 4, 7-2.25), Mike Simmons in the javelin (No. 4, 234-0), Matthew Centrowitz in the 5,000 (No. 5, 13:47.73) and 1,500 (No. 9, 3:41.60), Eric Hersey in the 110 hurdles (No. 6, 14.23), Colin Witter-Tilton in the pole vault (No. 7, 17-5), Britton Nelson in the javelin (No. 7, 219-8), Chad Barlow in the 400 (No. 8, 47.04), Luke Puskedra in the 10,000 (No. 8, 29:30.20) and 5,000 (No. 9, 13:50.87), Brian Schaudt in the triple jump (No. 8, 49-7.25), Vernell Warren in the long jump (No. 9, 24-0.25), Scott Penny in the hammer (No. 9, 197-2) and Michael Maag in the 5,000 (No. 10, 13:51.35).
PAC-10 MULTIS RECAP
Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen successfully defended their Pac-10 decathlon and heptathlon titles, respectively, last weekend at Edwards Stadium, as Oregon jumped out to an early lead in the 2010 Pac-10 Track & Field Championships. The Ducks also counted points from Marshall Ackley’s third-place finish in the decathlon and Erin Funkhouser’s fifth-place showing in the heptathlon.
That means the men take 16 points into this weekend’s Pac-10 championships, while the women carry 14 points into the weekend.
Eaton scored a legal personal-best 8,154 points to become just the third man to win three Pac-10 decathlon titles, joining Mike Ramos of Washington (1983-84, ?86) and Craig Brigham of Oregon (1973-75). Jeremey Taiwo of Washington was second with 7,521 points, 633 back of Eaton, with Ackley third at 7,331 points. Theisen was just as impressive in scoring 5,917 points to win the heptathlon by nearly 500 points over UCLA’s Ryann Krais, who scored 5,426 points. Arizona State teammates Keia Pinnick (5,219 points) and Samantha Henderson (5,126 points) were third and fourth, respectively. Funkhouser was fifth with a career-best 5,061 points.
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 27-29 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. 8-9 for the complete list.
For the women, Brianne Theisen is tops in the heptathlon (5,942) and also ranks No. 10 in the high jump (5-11.5). Zoe Buckman ranks second in the nation in the 1,500 meters (4:12.80). After Buckman, Oregon ranks fourth (Jordan Hasay/4:14.67), 12th (Anne Kesselring/4:17.71) and 16th (Nicole Blood/4:18.85) in the 1,500. Melissa Gergel is No. 3 in the pole vault (14-3.25). Amber Purvis is fifth nationally in the 200 meters (23.00w) and 17th nationally in the 100 (11.38w). Claire Michel is eighth nationally in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (10:14.84). Alexandra Kosinski is ninth in the 5,000 meters (15:57.83). The Ducks’ 4x400 meter team in third in the nation (3:32.34), while the 4x100 relay team is ninth (44.13).
For the men, Ashton Eaton leads the country in the decathlon (8,310w), is sixth in the long jump (25-10.25w) and eighth in the 110 hurdles (13.64w). Andrew Wheating leads the nation in the 1,500 meters (3:37.83) and is eighth in the 800 (1:47.71). Cyrus Hostetler is No. 1 in the country in the javelin (256-6), while Alex Wolff ranks fourth (240-8) and Mike Simmons is seventh (234-0). A.J. Acosta is No. 3 in the 1,500 meters (3:39.44), while Matthew Centrowitz is No. 11 and Mac Fleet No. 17 from converted mile times. In addition to Wheating, Travis Thompson is 11th in the 800 (1:47.94) and Elijah Greer is 12th (1:48.09). Jordan Stray is 12th nationally in the hammer (217-5). Danny Marconi is No. 13 nationally in the high jump (7-2.25). Marshall Ackley is No. 17 in the country in the decathlon (7,331).
RELAY RECORDS FALL
In one of the more overlooked accomplishments this spring, all four of the active women’s relays record have fallen within the last two months. That’s the outdoor 4x100 and 4x400 meter marks, and the indoor 4x400 meter and distance medley relays. The outdoor 4x400 time fell April 24 at the Penn Relays - 3:32.34, which broke a 15-year-old school record.
PAC-10 ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Oregon has garnered nine Pac-10 athlete of the week awards thus far in 2010:
4/12 Men’s Track Ashton Eaton
4/12 Women’s Track Amber Purvis
4/19 Men’s Field Alex Wolff
4/26 Men’s Track Mac Fleet
4/26 Women’s Track 4x400 Relay
5/3 Men’s Track Andrew Wheating
5/3 Men’s Field Cyrus Hostetler
5/10 Men’s Field Ashton Eaton
5/10 Women’s Field Brianne Theisen
TUESDAYS IN TRACK TOWN
Tuesday, June 1 will mark the final date in the popular series of “Tuesdays in Track Town” town hall meetings. The 60-minute session runs from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be held at the Bowerman Building.
THE SENIORS
The University of Oregon recognized an exceptional group of 23 senior track and field student-athletes with an on-field ceremony during the Twilight Meet. Combined, they have 10 NCAA event titles, 11 individual Pac-10 crowns and a whopping 37 All-America certificates. What’s also interesting about Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna’s first recruiting class at Oregon is that these 23 student-athletes represent 13 different states from Vermont to Alaska, as well as Australia. They have also won 19 Pac-10 all-academic honors over the past two years.
The nine senior women are all Pac-10 scorers and have been part of Oregon teams that have won both the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track & Field championship and the 2009 Pac-10 title. This group also contributed to Oregon’s runner-up finish at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor meet. Consider this, as freshmen in 2007, these Women of Oregon finished seventh in the Pac-10 and tied for 27th at the NCAA Championships. As sophomores, they were third in the Pac-10 and eighth in the NCAA. As juniors, they won Oregon’s first Pac-10 title in 17 years and were the national runners-up. Now as seniors, this group has added the school’s first-ever NCAA Indoor title heading into the outdoor championships season.
The nine women include Keshia Baker, Sacramento, Calif. (2010 indoor 4x400 relay NCAA champion, two-time Pac-10 400 meter champion, 4-time All-American, 6 school records: 400 meters, 4x100 relay; 4x400 relay, 300 meters-i, 400 meters-i, 4x400 relay-i), Nicole Blood, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (2009 Pac-10 Cross Country champion, 2008 Pac-10 5,000 meter champion, 2009 NCAA 5,000 meter runner-up, 8-time All-American, 2-time Academic All-American, school record in the indoor 5,000 meters), Mattie Bridgmon, Laramie, Wyo. (3-time All-American, Pac-10 scorer: 10,000 meters), Zoe Buckman, Canberra, Australia (2009 Pac-10 800 meter champion, 3-time All-American, school record: distance medley relay), Erin Funkhouser, Grass Valley, Ore. (2009 Pac-10 scorer: heptathlon), Jasmine Kelly, Vancouver, Wash. (2009 Pac-10 scorer: high jump), Rita Santibanez, Salem, Ore. (2009 Pac-10 scorer: shot put) Bria Wetsch (2009 Pac-10 scorer: 10,000 meters) and Lauren Zaludek, Elmira, Ore. (2009 Pac-10 scorer: cross country). That’s five Pac-10 individual titles and 18 combined All-America awards.
The 14 seniors on the men’s side have led Oregon to three consecutive Pac-10 titles (2007, ’08, ?09), the 2009 NCAA Indoor national championship and runner-up showings at the 2009 outdoor and 2010 indoor NCAA meets.
The list includes Marshall Ackley, Nyssa, Ore. (All-American, Pac-10 scorer: decathlon), Chad Barlow, Ft. Collins, Colo. (2-time NCAA distance medley relay champion, 3-time All-American, 6-time Pac-10 scorer: 400 meters, both relays, school record: distance medley relay, David Bondi, Anchorage, Alaska, Ashton Eaton, Bend. Ore. (world record holder, heptathlon - 6,499 points, 2-time NCAA champion in both the decathlon and heptathlon, 3-time Pac-10 decathlon champion, 2009 Bowerman Award Finalist, 3-time USTFCCCA Field Athlete of the Year, 2009 Pac-10 Field Athlete of the Year, 7-time All-American), Cyrus Hostetler, Newberg, Ore. (2009 Pac-10 javelin champion, All-American, Pac-10/school record: javelin), Michael Maag, Lake Oswego, Ore., Brian McGinty, St. Louis, Mo., Jordan McNamara, Auburn, Wash. (school record: distance medley relay), Kevin McNally, Albuquerque, N.M., Alex Pattinson, Portland, Ore., Scott Penny, Lawrence, Kan. (NCAA regional qualifier: hammer), Mike Simmons, Happy Valley, Ore. (All-America, Pac-10 scorer: javelin), Andy Wheating, Norwich, Vt. (2008 Olympian, 2009 NCAA 800 meter champion, 2-time NCAA distance medley relay champion, 2-time Pac-10 800 meter champion, 6-time All-American, 2 school records: indoor 800 meters, distance medley relay) and Colin Witter-Tilton, Oro Valley, Ariz. (NCAA Championships qualifier, Pac-10 scorer: pole vault). That’s nine NCAA event titles, six individual Pac-10 titles and 19 combined All-America awards.
JOHNSON, POWELL PROMOTED
Veteran assistants Robert Johnson and Andy Powell have been promoted to associate head coaches for the Oregon track and field programs, Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna announced on April 21. Effective immediately, Johnson assumed the role of associate head coach of women’s track and field and Powell became associate head coach of men’s track and field/men’s and women’s cross country.
OREGON TWILIGHT REVIEW
Zoe Buckman won the 1,500 meters on senior night (4:16.66) and Matthew Centrowitz (3:59.33) and Mac Fleet (3:59.88) became the 29th and 30 Ducks to run under four minutes in the mile May 8 at the Oregon Twilight meet. The women’s 4x100 meter relay team rolled to a meet record in 44.24, Lyndsay Pearson was a double winner in the 100 (13.71) and 400 (1:02.36) meter hurdles and Jordan Roskelley set a PR in the pole vault. If that wasn’t enough, Brian Schaudt had a PR in the men’s triple jump (49-7.25), Jordan Stray also had a PR in the men’s hammer (217-8) and football’s LaMichael James won the 100 meters in a personal best (10.62).
OREGON RELAYS REVIEW
Record crowds watched Andrew Wheating pull of an impressive double in the 800 and 1,500 meters, while Cyrus Hostetler, Danny Marconi and Ashton Eaton also collected impressive victories. Wheating clocked the nation’s fastest time in the 1,500, 3:37.83, which broke the meet record and was the fourth-best in school history. His 800 mark of 1:47.71 was the third-fastest in the NCAA this season. Travis Thompson’s second-place PR of 1:47.94 ranked No. 10 all-time at Oregon. Hostetler took the national lead in the javelin in his first appearance of 2010 with a throw of 256-6. Eaton tied the meet record with a win in the 110 meter hurdles in 13.68. That was the third-best time in school history. Marconi cleared a personal-best 7-2.25 in the high jump on his third attempt. That was the No. 4 all-time clearance in school history. Oregon also counted wins in the men’s 100 from LaMichael James (10.90), Chad Barlow in the 400 meters (47.04), Luke Puskedra in the 10,000 meters (29:30.20) and David Klech in the 400 meter hurdles (51.31), as well as the women’s 200 by Keshia Baker (23.80), Bronwyn Crossman in the 10,000 meters (35:28.85), Brianne Theisen in the 100 meters hurdles (13.61) and Jasmine Kelly in the high jump (5-6). In the 5,000, Alex Kosinski jumped into the UO top 10 at No. 8 by running 15:57.83.
PENN RELAYS REVIEW
At the 116th Penn Relays, the Oregon men brought home a pair of wins in the 4xmile (Fleet, Maag, Acosta, Centrowitz) and distance medley relays (Centrowitz, Barlow, Fleet, Wheating), plus a runner-up finish in the 4x800 relay. It was the Ducks’ first ever wins at the Penn Relays. The women placed second in the 4x400 meter and distance medley relays, and were third in both the 4x800 and 4x1,500 meter relays. Also, the women’s 4x400 meter relay team (Youngblood, Baker, Williams, Purvis) broke a 15-year-old school record, running 3:32.34, which was the third-fastest time in the nation this season.
UCLA DUAL MEET REVIEW
No. 3 Oregon won six of the eight field events, including sweeps in hammer and javelin, and Ashton Eaton won the 100 and 200 meters as the Ducks defeated UCLA 92-71 in a dual meet April 17 before 5,209 fans at Historic Hayward Field. It was the third straight year the Ducks have prevailed against the Bruins. Jordan Stray led the sweep in the hammer with a personal-best throw of 217-5, while junior Alex Wolff went 240-8 on his third attempt to win the javelin and senior Mike Simmons was second at 234-0 in his first competition in two years. David Klech, who transferred to Oregon from UCLA in 2007, notched his collegiate best in the high jump in winning at 7-0.5. The Ducks had winners in the pole vault (Colin Witter-Tilton, 17-1.5), long jump (Vernell Warren, 24-0.25), triple jump (Brian Schaudt, 47-8.5), 110 hurdles (Eric Hersey, 14.39), 1,500 (Mac Fleet, 3:46.62), 400 meters (Chad Barlow, 47.33) and 4x400 meter relay (3:10.94). Eaton’s performances were impressive. The Ducks’ do-it-all senior from Bend, Ore., took the 100 meters in 10.52 seconds that was just .05 off the meet record, before coming back later in the meet to capture the 200 in a personal-best 21.03. That time ranks as the eighth-fastest at Oregon.
PEPSI TEAM INVITATIONAL REVIEW
Oregon’s men’s and women’s teams recorded an impressive sweep at the Pepsi Team Invitational before 5,321 fans on April 10. The women used wins by Amber Purvis in the 100 and 200, Anne Kesselring in the 800, Jordan Hasay in the 5,000, Claire Michel in the steeplechase, Brianne Theisen in the high jump, Jordan Roskelley in the pole vault, Jamesha Youngblood in the long jump and Sara Cole in the hammer to score 212 points. No. 1 Texas A&M was second (179.5) followed by Missouri (141) and No. 13 Washington (129.5). For the men, wins came from Ashton Eaton in the 110 hurdles and long jump, Mac Fleet (800), Matthew Centrowitz (1,500), David Klech and Danny Marconi (high jump) and Jordan Stray (hammer). The men scored 186 points, followed by Texas A&M with 151, Washington with 132, Illinois with 109 and Missouri with 103.
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.
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.
