Eaton, 1,500s Highlight OCCU Oregon Relays
Ashton Eaton, an elite men's 1,500 meters, Geena Gall and a slew of Japanese professionals - not to mention the homestanding Ducks - are but a handful of the highlights at the 2011 Oregon Relays, presented by Oregon Community Credit Union, this Friday and Saturday at Historic Hayward Field.
Featured events begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday. The lower sections begin at 3 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday, with the bulk of the high school competition getting underway at 2 p.m. Saturday. Approximately 1,700 college, professional and high school competitors are entered in the meet.
WEB CAST
The Oregon Sports Network will webcast the collegiate portions of the Oregon Relays, presented by Oregon Community Credit Union, on www.GoDucks.com. Friday's webcast will begin at 6 p.m., while Saturday's web window will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. A subscription to the O-Zone is required to watch the webcast. The high school portion of the Oregon Relays will be shown live on www.runnerspace.com.
RESULTS
For live results, schedules and accepted entry lists, check www.goducks.com (college/pro) and www.runnerspace.com (high school). Final results will also be posted on www.GoDucks.com.
FEATURED SECTIONS
Though competition will be ongoing all weekend, the Oregon Relays will have two featured sections, Friday from 6:30-8 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Here's a glance at the entries from those featured sections:
Friday
Men's 200 Meters (4:30 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Mike Berry and Bryan Harper (Oregon) and Jordan Kent (unattached).
Berry is coming off a season-best 21.08 at UCLA, while former Duck and ex-NFL player Kent is one of the all-time fan favorites at Hayward Field.
Women's 1,500 Meters (6:30 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Sally Kipyego (OTC Elite) and Lauren Johnson (Nike).
Kipyego is fast becoming a Hayward Field favorite and seems challenge some meet record every time she steps on the track.
Men's 1,500 Meters (6:40 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Matthew Centrowitz, A.J. Acosta, Elijah Greer and Cole Watson (Oregon), Patrick Casey (Montana State), Jordan McNamara and Kevin Chelimo (OTC Elite) and Kazuya Watanabe (Japan).
Acosta is tied for the school record at this distance (3:36.48) and Centrowitz is just a second back. Casey ranks 19th in the NCAA this season, while McNamara, a former Duck, is at 3:42. Andrew Wheating's year-old meet record of 3:37.83 could be in jeopardy.
Women's 5,000 Meters (6:50 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Nicole Blood, Bridget Franek, Julia Lucas (OTC Elite), Brie Felnagle (adidas), Kumi Ogura and Miho Ihara (Japan) and Bronwyn Crossman (Oregon).
Blood, a former Duck, and her OTC Elite teammates get their 2011 seasons underway against Felnagle, the Japanese runners and Crossman.
Bill McChesney, Jr., Men's 5,000 Meters (7:10 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: 12 Japanese runners and Seth Summerside (OTC Elite).
Thirteen runners - 12 from Japan - all have seed times under 14:00. Tops among them are Takayuki Matsuniya (13:13.20) and Kensuke Takezawa (13:19.00).
Other Friday events of interest
Oregon's Jamesha Youngblood leads the nation in the long jump (4:15. p.m.) at 21-2. The women's 200 meters (4:20 p.m.) features a number of Duck freshmen who have posted noteworthy times so far this season. Freshmen English Gardner and Chizoba Okodogbe will be joined by school record holder Amber Purvis and Mandy White, just off a 23.59 at the Mt. SAC Relays. The women's javelin (6:30 p.m.) lists Krista Woodward, with a seed mark of 192-5, among its entrants.
Saturday
Men's High Jump (11:30 a.m.)
Notable Entrants: Danny Marconi and Justin Frick (Oregon), Kyley Johnson (Bowerman AC), Branko Djuricic (Concordia) and A.J. Maricich (Washington).
Nearly half the field is at 7-0 coming into the meet as ex-Ducks Eaton and Johnson add to the hometown flavor.
Women's 800 Meters (12:10 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Geena Gall (OTC Elite), Anne Kesselring, Becca Friday and Phyllis Francis (Oregon), Andrea Ferris (Panama) and Celia Brown (unattached).
Good challenge to see if the defending Pac-10 champion Kesselring, who ranks 17th nationally this season, and the other Ducks can keep pace with pros Gall, Ferris and Brown.
Men's Javelin (12:15 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Joe Zimmerman (Washington), Alex Wolff (Oregon) and Pontus Thomee (Boise State).
All three collegians are looking for a breakout meet.
Women's Triple Jump (12:20 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Jamesha Youngblood (Oregon) and Morena Mannucci (Eastern Washington).
Youngblood better watch for the Eagles' Mannucci, who has a seed mark of better than 40 feet.
Men's 800 Meters (12:20 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Tyler Mulder (OTC Elite), Kevin Hicks (S.E.T.A) and Boru Guyota (Oregon).
Mulder vs. Hicks should be a good battle with the freshman Guyota getting better each week.
Women's 400 Meters (12:30 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Chizoba Okodogbe and Brianne Theisen (Oregon).
Noteworthy if only because the race marks the 2011 outdoor debut of five-time NCAA champion Theisen. Okodogbe is coming off a PR of 54.15 at the Mt. SAC Relays.
Men's 3,000 Meter Steeplechase (1:10 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Ben Bruce and Stephen Pifer (OTC Elite) and Hiroyoshi Umegae (Japan).
Shaping up to be a good race among professionals.
Men's 110 Meter Hurdles (1:35 p.m.)
Notable Entrants: Ashton Eaton (OTC Elite) and Eric Hersey (Oregon).
As a Duck, Eaton tied the meet record of 13.68 at last year's Oregon Relays.
Other Saturday events of interest
Former Duck Brittany Hinchcliffe could challenge Britney Henry's meet record (221-5) in the women's hammer (11 a.m.). NCAA Indoor champion and national leader Scott Roth of Washington (18-9.25) is joined by Jason Colwick, competing unattached, in the men's pole vault (11:30 a.m.). Interesting seed time of 9:52.98 for Letiwe Patton, running unattached in the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase (11:40 a.m.). OTC Elite and ex-Duck Ashton Eaton is in the men's long jump (11:45 a.m.). Oregon, with a season-best of 44.09, could challenge Florida State 27-year-old meet record of 44.73 in the women's 4x100 meter relay (12:00 p.m.). Jordan Kent and Oregon's Bryan Harper are in the men's 400 meters (12:40 p.m.). English Gardner and Mandy White are in the women's 100 meters (12:50 p.m.). Professional Falesha Ankton of Brooks is an intriguing entry in the women's 100 meter hurdles (1:25 p.m.); she has a best of 13.18 which would shatter the meet record of 13.56. In the women's 4x400 meter relay (1:45 p.m.), Oregon has surpassed the meet record of 3:39.23 twice already this season.
HIGH SCHOOL SECTIONS
For those interested in the high school schedule, there is a brief session Friday night from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and another short session Saturday from 10-11 a.m. The majority of the high school events come on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. and continuing to the last event at 7 p.m.
IN THE RANKINGS
Oregon has a number of competitors who are ranked among the nation's top 30. For the men, Mike Berry is No. 10 in the 400 meters (45.79), Jordan Stray is No. 11 in the hammer (214-2/65.28m), David Klech is No. 11 in the decathlon (7,533) and No. 18 in the 110 meter hurdles (13.82), Steve Finley is No. 12 in the steeplechase (8:52.04), Boru Guyota is No. 13 in the 800 meters (1:48.65), Elijah Greer is No. 14 in the 800 meters (1:48.87), Danny Mercado is No. 16 in the 10,000 meters (29:12.00), Parker Stinson is No. 18 in the 10,000 meters (29:14.35), Matthew Centrowitz is No. 26 in the 5,000 meters (13:56.65) Alex Wolff is No. 20 in the javelin (231-3/70.50m) and Justin Frick is No. 27 in the high jump (7-0.25/2.14m).
For the women, Jamesha Youngblood leads the nation in the long jump (21-2), Jordan Hasay is No. 2 in the 5,000 meters (15:37.29) and No. 11 in the 1,500 (4:18.61), Claire Michel is No. 3 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (10:11.64), Lanie Thompson is No. 5 in the 3,000 meter steeplchase (10:12.09), Laura Roesler is No. 6 in the 800 meters (2:05.05), Anne Kesselring is No. 7 in the 1,500 meters (4:16.55) and No. 17 in the 800 (2:06.67), Amber Purvis is No. 8 in the 400 meters (53.80) and No. 25 in the 100 meters (11.42), English Gardner is No. 16 in the 100 meters (11.30), Bronwyn Crossman is No. 17 in the 10,000 meters (33:43.99), Becca Friday is No. 19 in the 1,500 meters (4:20.58), Sarah Andrews is No. 21 in the 10,000 meters (33:53.44) and Mandy White is No. 34 in the 200 meters (23.59).
The women also rank fifth in the 4x400 meter relay (3:32.63) and 12th in the 4x100 meter relay (44.09).
GARDNER NAMED PAC-10 ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Freshman English Gardner, who was a three-time winner at the Pepsi Team Invitational, has been named the Pac-10 track athlete of the week for April 4-10.
Gardner's three-victory performance helped No. 3 Oregon capture the Pepsi Team Invitational. She won the 100 (11.62) and 200 meter (24.06) events and joined her teammates to win the 4x100 meter relay (44.59). The 100 meter time both rank fifth in school history, while the 200 meter time was a personal best for the Voorhees, N.J. native.
UCLA DUAL MEET RECAP
The Men of Oregon battled UCLA to a tie in an exciting dual meet April 17 in Los Angeles. Mike Berry's scintillating 45.5 anchor leg on the 4x400 meter relay capped Oregon's rally to tie UCLA 81.5-81.5 in the Ducks' first dual in Westwood since 1976. Oregon collected wins in the 400 (Bryan Harper in an Oregon best 47.99), 800 (Elijah Greer, 1:50.46), 1,500 (Matthew Centrowitz, 3:45.86), 5,000 (Parker Stinson in a personal-best 14:08.22), 110 hurdles (David Klech, 14.16), steeplechase (Steve Finley, 8:57.59), high jump (Danny Marconi, 6-11.50) and javelin (Alex Wolff, 221-8). Oregon also received important contributions from the likes of A.J. Acosta (second in the steeple in 9:08.54, despite a fall on the water jump), Randall Horn (third in the discus with a 12-foot PR, 168-4), Berry (second in the 200 in a PR of 21.08), Brian Schaudt (second in the triple jump in an outdoor best, 50-3.25w), Tyler Pinkney (third in the triple jump, 48-8.75), Justin Frick (second in the high jump, 6-9.5) and Austin Ouderkirk (tied for third in the pole vault, 16-1.25).
MT. SAC RELAYS RECAP
English Gardner led Oregon's rewrite of the record books April 15-16 at the Mt. SAC Relays. Gardner broke the school record in the 100 meters by running 11.30 at Mt. SAC and also ran on the second-fastest 4x100 meter relay in school history (44.09), along with Mandy White, Amber Purvis and Jamesha Youngblood. Other highlights included Jordan Hasay running the fastest 5,000 by a Duck in 23 years (15:10.63), White winning the 200 in a personal-best 23.59 (No. 4 all-time), freshman Laura Roesler running the ninth-fastest 800 at Oregon (2:05.05), Anne Kesselring winning the 1,500 in 4:16.55, Youngblood jumping a nation-leading 21-2 in the long jump and the 4x400 meter relay team of Roesler, Purvis, Chizoba Okodogbe and Phyllis Francis winning in 3:32.63, which was the third fastest time in school history. Purvis also ran 11.42 in the top section of the 100.
Freshman Chizoba Okodogbe was third in her 200 meter heat and fifth overall in a season-best 24.05. In the 400 meters, Okodogbe was third in her heat in a season-best 54.15. That time was the fifth-fastest time overall at Mt. SAC. Junior Camilla Dencer won her 400 heat in 54.56, her best quarter mile time in more than two years. Sophomore Devin Gosberry took third in her heat in 54.74 in her first 400 meters as a Duck. Rebecca Rhodes was fourth in her heat of the 100 meter hurdles. The junior from Salem, Ore., ran a legal personal best 14.04. In the long jump, junior Lauryn Newson leapt a seasonal-best 19-9/6.02m to finish fifth overall. Freshman Phyllis Francis was sixth in her heat of the 800 meters in a season-best 2:08.82. Laura Bobek had a 10-foot personal best in the discus. The freshman from Astoria, Ore., went 164-0/49.98m on her fourth attempt.
MT. SAC RELAYS DECATHLON RECAP
David Klech set personal bests in five events to finish fourth at the Mt. SAC Relays Decathlon April 13-14 at Azusa Pacific's Cougar Athletic Stadium. Competing in his first collegiate decathlon, Klech scored 7,533 points and trailed only Florida's Gray Horn who scored 7,791, Missouri's Lars Risa (7,770) and Chris Randolph of Slo Chiropractic (7,664). Klech's total was the 10th best by a collegian in the nation this season and was just six points shy of the Oregon career top 10.
Klech opened the competition by running 10.93 seconds in the 100 meters, a personal record. He next added a mark of 24-5.75/7.46m in the long jump, which was just two inches off his all-time best. The senior from San Ramon, Calif., hit another PR in the shot put, throwing 35-4.5/10.78m. Klech then cleared 6-10.25/2.09m in the high jump before finishing day one by running 48.08 in the 400 meters.
Klech began day two by winning the 110 hurdles in 13.82 seconds. The time was a personal best and ranked No. 6 overall at Oregon. He also had PRs in the discus (96-3/29.35m) and pole vault (14-5.25/4.40m). Klech then threw 113-0/34.45m in the javelin and finished the day by winning the 1,500 meters in 4:12.50.
PEPSI TEAM INVITATIONAL RECAP
Duck rookies won eight events to lead an Oregon sweep of the April 9 Pepsi Team Invitational before 5,501 energized fans at Hayward Field. The third-ranked women won with 205 points, followed by Nebraska with 195.5, No. 16 Stanford with 143.5 and Washington with 112. The No. 10 men claimed the title with 195 points, with No. 8 Nebraska next with 181 points, Washington with 159 and No. 9 Stanford with 121.
Freshman English Gardner's breakout performance included wins in the 100 and 200 meters in addition to her anchor leg on the winning 4x100 meter relay team. She won the 100 in 11.62, which was the fifth-fastest time in school history. She set a personal-best in winning the 200 in 24.06. She then joined with Mandy White, Amber Purvis and Lauryn Newson to win the 4x100 relay in 44.59, a time that ranks No. 5 in school history.
Freshman Mike Berry was just as impressive for the men, dusting the field by nearly two seconds in winning the 400 meters in 45.79. That was fifth-fastest time in school history. He also anchored the 4x400 meter relay team which locked up the team title for the Duck men by winning in 3:10.93.
Other rookie winners included freshmen Boru Guyota in the men's 800 meters, Laura Roesler in the women's 800 meters and Lanie Thompson in the women's 3,000 meters steeplechase, and transfer Steve Finley in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase and Justin Frick in the high jump.
Guyota, a native of Ethiopia, led for most of the 800 meters and held off Russell Brown of OTC Elite and Duck teammate Elijah Greer in a thrilling three-wide finish at the tape. Guyota timed a personal-best 1:48.65, followed by Brown in 1:48.82 and Greer in 1:48.87.
Roesler was also involved in an 800 race that came down wire. She and teammate Anne Kesselring leaned at the tape simultaneously, and Roesler got the win by .01. She timed 2:06.66, with Kesselring next in 2:06.67. The Fargo, N.D., native also anchored Oregon's winning 4x400 meter relay team, joining Devin Gosberry, Purvis and Phyllis Francis to run the 10th-best time in school history, 3:36.87.
Thompson was a surprise winner in her first career steeplechase, pulling away after the final barrier to clip Nebraska's Martina Barinova by half a second. Thompson finished in 10:12.09, which was the second-fastest time in school history, with Barinova next in 10:12.45.
Finley, a transfer from Virginia running his first steeplechase as a Duck, took the lead early and cruised to a win in 8:52.04. Frick, a transfer from Princeton, was clean through his first five attempts in the high jump and won by going over 7-0.25/2.14m on his first attempt.
For the men, Matthew Centrowitz and A.J. Acosta set the tone early by winning the 5,000 and 1,500 meters, respectively. Centrowitz and teammate Danny Mercado pulled away from Nebraska's Brendan Gregg on the last lap for a 1-2 finish. Centrowitz won in 13:56.65, with Mercado next in an outdoor personal-best 14:03.48.
In the 1,500, Acosta was impressive in pulling away for a win in 3:46.99. Freshman Cole Watson was second in 3:48.25, as the Oregon men collected 32 points between the 5,000 and 1,500.
David Klech ran the ninth-best time in school history to win the 110 hurdles. He crossed in a personal-best 13.97. Klech also joined Berry, Bryan Harper and Greer on that winning 4x400 relay.
Sophomore Tyler Pinkney jumped a personal-best 50-2.5 for a runner-up finish in the triple jump.
For the women, Jordan Hasay, suddenly a team veteran as a sophomore, won a thrilling women's 1,500 meters, clipping a hard-charging Katie Flood of Washington by a quarter of a second. The Arroyo Grande, Calif., native crossed the line in 4:18.61, with Flood at 4:18.80.
Purvis ran the fourth-fastest time in school history in winning the 400 meters in 52.80. Junior Bronwyn Crossman set an :18 personal best in winning the 5,000 meters in 16:31.42.
Senior Jamesha Youngblood captured the long jump at 20-2.5.
OREGON DECATHLON RECAP
Kevin Godfrey set four personal bests to win the Oregon Decathlon with a career-high 6,808 points April 1-2 at Hayward Field. Godfrey won with a personal-best 6,808 points. Bruce Burbank of Oregon was second with a personal-best 6,656 points.
Godfrey established a decathlon best in winning the pole vault, clearing the bar at 15-3/4.65m. He also had an all-conditions PR in the long jump with a distance of 22-3.5/6.79m and PR'd with a clearance at 6-4/1.93m in the high jump and ran 50.79 in the 400 meters, a personal-best by more than a second. He also won the javelin with a throw of 160-1/48.79m and the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:31.52.
Burbank set seven decathlon bests in establishing a 345-point PR. He opened with a big personal best in the 100 meters, running 11.37 to win the event. He was second in the long jump at 22-6.25/6.86m and also closed with a PR in the 400 meters, running 51.35. Burbank had a nine-foot PR in the discus with a winning throw of 117-0/35.66m. He also won the 110 meter hurdles in 15.64. Burbank set his sixth PR of the competition by clearing 14-11/4.55m in the pole vault. He followed that with yet another best, throwing 109-4/33.32m in the javelin.
Justin Frick, a senior transfer from Princeton competing in his first career decathlon, won the high jump with a clearance at 6-8.75/2.05m. He was also second in the shot put at 37-9.5/11.52m.
STANFORD INVITATIONAL RECAP
Claire Michel broke the school record in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, Alex Wolff won the javelin and the Ducks captured another pair of relays March 25-26 at the Stanford Invitationl at Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Michel was the top collegian and third overall in the steeplechase, finishing in 10:11.64. That was .06 better than the record the senior from Clackamas, Ore., set in winning the 2010 Pac-10 championship.
The women's 4x100 team of Mandy White, Amber Purvis, Lauryn Newson and English Gardner won in 44.47, which was the fourth-fastest time in school history.
The men's 4x400 relay squad of David Klech, Eric Hersey, Bryan Harper and Mike Berry was also victorious in 3:10.48.
Wolff, a sixth-year senior from Newberg, Ore., won the javelin with a throw of 225-0/68.58m. His best effort came on his third throw of the competition.
Fellow senior A.J. Acosta was impressive in the men's 1,500 meters. The Oceanside, Calif., native was the second collegian and third overall in 3:45.20 in his 2011 debut. David Torrence of Nike won in 3:42.74, with Notre Dame's Jeremy Rae second in 3:44.09.
In the women's 10,000 meters, Bronwyn Crossman and Sarah Andrews ran two of the top nine times in school history. Crossman, a junior from Bellingham, Wash., finished 17th in 33:43.99, which was the No. 8 time at Oregon. Andrews, a freshman from The Woodlands, Texas, was 21st in 33:53.44, which was the ninth-fastest time in school history.
In the women's 100 meters, Alexandria Davidson ran a windy personal-best 11.94 in the preliminaries to advance as the last qualifier for the final. The sophomore from DuPont, Wash., then finished eighth in the final in 12.02.
Senior Amy Skofstad won the collegiate section of the women's long jump with a mark of 18-5.75/5.63m, while sophomore Anne Kesselring was third in the 1,500 meters in 4:18.37.
In the men's 10,000 meters, senior Danny Mercado was 13th in 29:12.00, while freshman Parker Stinson was 15th in a personal-best 29:14.35.
Also for the men, Jordan Stray took second in the men's hammer with a throw of 214-1/65.25m. The senior from Centralia, Wash., was the top collegian in the field and matched his season best mark.
Berry, a freshman from Seattle, Wash., ran a personal-best 21.14 to finish second in his heat of the men's 200 meters.
In the men's 110 meter hurdles final, Klech was second in a personal-best 14.05, while Hersey was third in a wind-legal personal-best 14.20.
Austin Ouderkirk was the runner-up in the men's pole vault. The sophomore from Newport, Ore., cleared an outdoor personal-best 16-6.75/5.05m.
OREGON PREVIEW RECAP
Oregon swept the four relay races and saw individual wins in numerous events, including Eric Hersey in the men's 110 meter hurdles and 400 meter hurdles, Jordan Stray in the men's hammer and Lauryn Newson in the women's 200 meters March 19 at the Oregon Preview before a Hayward Field crowd of 5,962.
Oregon set a meet record in the women's 4x400 meter relay. The all-newcomer team of Devin Gosberry, Chizoba Okodogbe, Laura Roesler and Phyllis Francis won in 3:44.85. The women's 4x100 relay just missed a meet record but was perhaps more impressive. The team of Alexandria Davidson, Amber Purvis, Newson and English Gardner won in 44.61, which was the fourth-fastest time in school history. Newson came back to win the 200 meters in 24.16, while Gardner captured the 400 meters in 56.20.
The winning relays for the men were Vernell Warren, Mike Berry, Bryan Harper and Matt Butcher in the 4x400 meters, who crossed the tape in 41.04, and Josh Smith, Hersey, Harper and Mike Berry in the 4x400 meter, who won in 3:21.77.
Hersey was actually the three-time champion on Saturday. The junior from Los Altos, Calif., dominated in winning the men's 110 meter hurdles in 14.31 into a strong head wind. He also just missed a personal best in winning the 400 meter hurdles in 53.04.
Stray had his best season opener as a Duck, improving on all four throws in the men's hammer to win at 214-1/65.26m. That was three feet off a personal best for the senior from Centralia, Wash.
Sophomore Becca Friday had a three-second PR in a runner-up finish in section one of the women's 1,500 meters. Geena Gall of Oregon Track Club Elite won in 4:18.12, while Friday was next in 4:21.11.
The Ducks swept the pole vault, with Austin Ouderkirk taking the men's competition (16-0.75/4.90m) and Jordan Roskelley the women's (12-5.5/3.80m).
Rebecca Rhodes won the women's 400 meter hurdles in 1:03.23. The junior from Salem, Ore., also ran a legal-best 14.37 in a runner-up finish in the women's 100 meter hurdles.
Junior Danny Marconi tied for first in the high jump, clearing 6-9.5/2.07m. Freshman Trevor Ferguson, competing unattached, won the men's triple jump in 48-10.25/14.89m.
Senior Amy Skofstad was the winner in the women's long jump, going 17-11/5.46m.
Sophomore Alexandria Davidson set a personal-best in the 100 meters, running 12.09 as the runner-up
Junior Randall Horn hit a personal best in the men's discus, throwing 156-3/47.76m in a third-place finish.
THEISEN, HASAY, JOHNSON HONORED
Brianne Theisen, Jordan Hasay and Robert Johnson earned some honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as recipients of National Women's Field Athlete, Track Athlete and Coach of the Year, respectively, for the 2011 indoor track & field season in Division I.
A senior from Humboldt, Sask., Theisen twice set the collegiate record in the pentathlon in 2011 and won her second-straight NCAA crown in the event to help Oregon win its second consecutive national title. Her score of 4,540 bettered her previous all-time collegiate best mark of 4,507 set in January at the UW Invitational and ranked among the world's top five in the event for the season. Theisen would earn personal bests of 8.35 in the 60 meter hurdles, 6-0.5 (1.84m) in the high jump and 2:11.82 in the 800 meters en route to this season's national crown. The 60 hurdles and high jump marks are also Oregon indoor school records. Additionally, Theisen scored at the NCAA meet as a member of Oregon's eighth-place 4x400 relay team. At the MPSF Championships, Theisen was second in the high jump, third in the 60-meter hurdles and led off the winning 4x400 meter relay team as the Ducks won the conference championship for the second straight year.
Hasay, a sophomore from Arroyo Grande, Calif., would lead Oregon to a national team title with a meet-high 22 points, scoring individual national crowns in the mile and 3000 meters and as anchor of the Ducks' runner-up DMR squad. Hasay became the fifth overall and first to win the national mile-3k double since Northern Arizona's Johanna Nilsson in 2006. Hasay won the mile at the NCAA Championships in a personal-best and school record 4:33.01, a mark that is among the all-time top ten of American collegians. In the 3000, Hasay outlasted Villanova's Sheila Reid with a 9:13.71 run to avenge a previous head-to-head loss to Reid in the DMR the night before.
Oregon's women, mentored by Robert Johnson in conjunction with Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna, won back-to-back national titles and did so this year by a wide margin in topping runner-up Texas, 67-38. Twenty-nine points is the largest margin of victory since Texas won the 1998 title by 30 points over nearest challenger LSU.
In his first indoor season as Oregon's associate head coach, Johnson led the Ducks to the 2011 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation team title and a number one national ranking throughout the season. Johnson is in his sixth year overall at Oregon.
OREGON'S NCAA CHAMPIONS
The 2011 Women's Indoor Track & Field title was the 18th 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, women's indoor track & field in 2010, 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 is the fifth women's title overall.
A CHAMPIONSHIP TRADITION
Oregon has won six of the last eight Pac-10 titles in men's track and field, including four 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, 2009 and 2010. On the women's side, Oregon's Pac-10 crowns came in 1991, 1992, 2009 and 2010.
OFF-TRACK ACTIVITIES
For the fifth 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.
GREEN MILE: NCAA INDOOR RECAP
Brianne Theisen won the pentathlon with a record-setting performance and Jordan Hasay claimed titles in the mile and 3,000 meters as the Women of Oregon won their second straight NCAA Indoor Track and Field national championship March 11-12 in College Station, Texas.
Theisen scored the first 10 points of the meet for the Ducks by tallying an NCAA record 4,540 points to win the pentathlon.
The junior from Humboldt, Sask., set scores of records in the process. In spite of a sore back brought on by a marathon study session, Theisen set championship meet, collegiate, Gilliam Indoor Stadium and University Oregon records with her personal-best pentathlon total of 4,540 points.
Theisen opened the day by setting a combined events personal best in the 60 meter hurdles, running 8.35 seconds. That matched her overall PR and school record set at the 2011 MPSF Championships. Theisen was exceptionally impressive in the high jump where she made five straight first attempt clearances to set a pentathlon personal best at 6-0.5/1.84m. That mark did three noteworthy things - set the collegiate pentathlon high jump record, set the NCAA Championships pentathlon high jump mark and broke the Oregon indoor school high jump record that Theisen previously shared with Laurel Roberts.
Theisen then struggled with her next two events, throwing 40-7.5/12.38m in the shot put and going 19-6.75/5.96m in the long jump.
She then closed with an all-conditions PR in the 800 meters, running 2:11.82. Her score was just 10 points shy of the Canadian national record (4,550, Jill Ross-Giffen, 1982).
In the first race of day two, the Ducks used a dominating 1-3-4 finish in the mile by Hasay, Zoe Buckman and Anne Kesselring to all-but-lock up the 2011 crown. Oregon made it official when Amber Purvis finished fixth in the 60 meters, and then enjoyed the rest of the meet, including a punctuating win by Hasay in the 3,000 meters.
In the mile, Buckman led from the opening gun, while Hasay settled in behind her with 400 meters to go. Hasay then moved around her teammate with 100 meters remaining and ran to her first NCAA title in 4:33.01. In the process, the sophomore broke one of the most hallowed records in Oregon history, Leann Warren's 1982 mile time of 4:33.26.
Buckman held on for third in a personal-best 4:33.76 (No. 3 all-time at Oregon) and Kesselring also came from deep in the pack to hit a PR in a fourth-place finish in 4:34.96 (No. 4 all-time). That gave the Ducks 21 points in the mile.
Hasay made it a double-title day by winning a riveting battle with Shelia Reid of Villanova in the 3,000 meters. She bided her time for most of the race, floating between fourth and sixth place. Then Hasay, Reid and Lucy Van Dalen of Stony Brook broke from the pack on the final two laps.
The sophomore from Arroyo Grande, Calif., made a gutsy move by darting between Reid and Van Dalen with 250 meters to go and then held off a furious try by Reid to pass her on the outside.
Hasay won in 9:13.71, followed by Reid in 9:13.86 and Van Dalen in 9:14.12.
She became just th fifth person to win both the mile and 3,000 meters at the same NCAA Championships.
Oregon also saw a gutsy performance in a runner-up finish by the women's distance medley relay team that ran a school-record 10:52.90. The runners for Oregon were Kesselring (3:20.52), Chizoba Okodogbe (53.88), Becca Friday (2:08.05) and Hasay (4:30.47). The Ducks led for much of the race before Villanova went ahead on the final lap to win in 10:52.52, though Oregon still claimed eight team points.
Other scorers for the women included Jamesha Youngblood, who had an impressive series in the long jump to finish third and score six team points. She went 20-2.25/6.15m on her final attempt in the preliminaries to advance to the final round. In the finals, she improved to 20-3.75/6.19m on her fourth attempt and 20-6.5/6.26m on jump number five before hitting a season-best 20-11.75/6.39m on her final leap.
Gergel added a fourth-place finish in the pole vault with a clearance at 14-3.25/4.35m, which scored five points for the team.
Purvis scored in two events, taking fifth in the 60 meters (7.22) and seventh in the 200 meters (23.26) The junior from Hercules, Calif., ran 23:17 in the preliminaries to break her own 2010 school 200 record of 23.21 and had another school mark, 7.20, in the preliminaries of the 60 meters.
The Ducks added one more point with an eighth-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay. The team of Okodogbe, Theisen, Purvis and Laura Roesler finished in 3:34.98.
The Ducks won with 67 points. Texas was second with 38, followed by Louisiana State with 37, Arkansas with 35 and Texas A&M with 32.
The NCAA title was the 18th in school history and the fifth women's NCAA crown for the University of Oregon.
"It was a great team effort," said Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna. "All the student-athletes did a fantastic job and the coaching staff did a great job setting the tone."
For the men, David Klech had terrific meet with a sixth place finish in the heptathlon with 5,831 points.
Competing in just his second career heptathlon, Klech had four heptathlon PRs.
His first day highlight was a combined events personal best clearance at 6-11/2.11m in the high jump. The senior from San Ramon, Calif., also set a personal best with a shot put of 35-0.5/10.68m. On day two, he ran a personal-best 7.88 in the 60 meter hurdles, which was also fourth-fastest 60 hurdle time in school history.
He hit another PR in the pole vault, clearing 13-9.25/4.20m. Klech finish second in the 1,000 meters in 2:32.15 to move up to sixth in the final standings with 5,831 points. That was the second-best score in school history. His 146-points PR got the men are on the board with three points.
The men also got five points from Matthew Centrowitz, who was fourth in the 3,000 meters in 8:04.88 a day after losing a shoe and suffering a severe cut on his heel in the distance medley relay.
