2003 Cross Country Roster
Roster
Michael McGrath
- Position:
- Distance
- Height:
- 5-7
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Portland, Ore.
- High School:
- Lincoln
One of the nation's top 800-1,500 meters collegiate runners, and first Oregon runner to score top-six Pac-10 Championships finishes in both races the same year since the mid-1980s. In 2006, became second Duck ever to break 4:00 mile indoors and trails only Steve Pretontaine (3:59.2, 1973), and his NCAA automatic mark netted his first NCAA invite. Returned to NCAA finale in 2007 with a bid in the outdoor 1,500m, thanks to his top-five regional placing. Also ranks fourth all-time for UO indoors in the 800 meters with his 2006 season best (1:50.57). Scored for team in Pac-10 Cross Country Championships in both 2005 and '06, and helped Ducks to 14th team win in school history in latter event. Ran in Oregon's harrier top seven twice in both 2005 and '06.
2006-07: NCAA Outdoor Qualifier (1,500m). Made first NCAA outdoor track appearance (15th, 3:46.18) and placed 10 places higher than his seeding. Earlier in postseason, placed fifth in NCAA West Regional (3:46.31) and was a Pac-10 top-five 1,500m finisher (fourth, 3:47.95) for second straight season (fourth). Overall, ranked second on team outdoors in the 1,500m (3:44.25) with his season best from his Oregon Preview win in mid-March. In April, made Penn Relays debut with appearances in distance medley (seventh, 9:40.39, 2:58.2 1,200m split) and 4 x mile (seventh, 16:28.52, 4:10.3 split). Indoors, ran NCAA provisional efforts in all three mile races, and his season best (4:02.58) from the Alex Wilson Invitational in March ranked second on team. Also made collegiate 3,000m debut indoors (8:10.80). During winter season, ran on three indoor distance medley relays that ranked top four all-time in UO history and met the NCAA provisional standard (9:45.70) ? (#1, 9:37.95, 1,200m; #2, 9:39.43; #4, 9:41.64). Altogether, competed in 11 track races as an individual (Outdoors ? 1,500m 7; Indoors ? Mile 3; 3,000m 1). In cross country, scored as fifth runner for Pac-10 champion squad (26th, 24:22) and netted his best league finish. Stood second among UO entries in Willamette Invitational (16th, 24:54) to open October and also ran Mike Hodges Invitational (18th, 19:52). Personal/Season Bests: Outdoors ? 1,500m - 3:44.25, Oregon Preview, Eugene (3/17/07). Indoors ? Mile ? 4:02.58, Alex Wilson Invitational, South Bend, Ind. (3/3/07); 3,000m ? 8:10.80 (PR), UW Indoor Invitational, Seattle (1/27/07).
2005-06: NCAA Indoor Qualifier (Mile). Initially earned NCAA Outdoor Championships bid in the 1,500 meters based on his top-five West Regional finish (fourth, 3:53.05), but was later disqualified by a referee's belated decision for incidental contact during race. Two weeks before, he scored his first Pac-10 points with fifth-place finishes in the 800m (1:51.28) and 1,500m (season best 3:44.70). Capped season with USA Championships effort in the 1,500m prelims (24th, 3:52.57) Altogether outdoors, competed in 13 races (800m-5; 1,500m-8). Indoors, made NCAA Championships debut in March in the mile (16th-p, 4:06.47-p) ? UO’s first-ever NCAA indoor qualifier in the event. Earned NCAA invitation based on his personal best the week before in the NCAA Last Chance Qualifier in Seattle (first, 3:59.25) ? a mark that ranked him second all-time in UO history and sixth on the NCAA qualifying list. Also ran 4:03 or faster in his two other mile races. In all three of his indoor 800m races, clocked times between 1:50-1:51, including the Mountain Pacific Championships final (third, 1:51.16). Altogether indoors, ran seven races as an individual in the 800 meters (3) and mile (4). In his collegiate debut cross country season, competed in second half of slate during the postseason stretch. Passed +20 runners in the final kilometers of the Pac-10 Championships to finish fourth on team and 35th overall (25:22). Two weeks later, stood seventh on unit in NCAA West Regional (71st, 32:03). In early October, made collegiate harrier debut as unattached entrant in Pre-NCAA Invitational open race (62nd, 26:11). Pac-10 All-Academic first team choice in track and field, and second team selection in cross country. Personal/Season Bests: Outdoors ? 800 meters ? 1:50.28, Oregon Twilight, Eugene (5/5/06). 1,500 meters ? 3:44.70, Pac-10 Championships, Eugene (5/14/06). Indoors ? 1:50.57-p, Mountain Pacific Championships, Seattle (2/24/06); Mile ? 3:59.25 (PR), NCAA Last Chance Qualifier, Seattle (3/4/06).
2004-05: Redshirt. Trained at home in Portland, and redshirted cross country and track and field seasons. Outdoors, ran 1,500 personal best of 3:42.44 in Payton Jordan U.S. Open at Stanford at end of May. The following week flirted with the sub-4:00 mile barrier in his second appearance in the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field in Eugene (13th, 4:01.37). Indoors, ran 800 indoor season best of 1:50.10 in Seattle at end of January. Based on season bests, ranked 27th in U.S. indoors in the 800 and 34th outdoors in 1,500. Personal/Season Bests: Outdoors - 1,500 - 3:42.44 (PR), Payton Jordan U.S. Open, Palo Alto. (5/30/05); Mile - 4:01.37 (PR), Prefontaine Classic, Eugene (6/4/05). Indoors - 800 - 1:50.10 (PR), UW Indoor Invitational, Seattle (1/29/05).
2003-04: Pac-10 Qualifier (800). At end of July, sped to an 800 outdoor personal best of 1:47.62 in the KBC Night of Athletics meet in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium - a mark at season's end that ranked him eighth among collegians and 29th in the U.S. In June, took third in the U.S. Junior Championships 800 (1:51.31, 1:51.87-p). During outdoor collegiate circuit, ran five 800 contests and all were sub-1:52.00. Broke 1:51.00 in two regular season home contests - the Pepsi Team Invite in early April (second, 1:50.34) and Oregon Twilight in early May (second, 1:50.24). Saw last action in a Duck jersey in Pac-10 Championships 800 prelims (fourth-heat, 1:50.69 / 10th overall) and missed the ninth and final qualifying spot by .08 seconds in a crowded finishing kick. Competed individually once indoors in 800 in NCAA Last Chance Qualifier in Seattle (1:51.94). Redshirted cross country season. Personal/Season Bests: Outdoors - 800 - 1:47.62 (PR), Hengelo (7/31/04). Indoors - 800 - 1:51.94 (then-PR), NCAA Last Chance Qualifier, Seattle (3/6/04).
Prep: As a high school senior in 2003, was a Track and Field News All-American after he led the nation in the 800 with his state record (1:48.56) from the Centennial Invitational. Closed his high school career with a 4A state win in the 800 (1:51.27, 1:56.50-p), then added runner-up honors in the USA Junior Championships at Stanford (1:49.36). His mile then-personal best from that May's Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field (4:05.28, 3:47.5 1,500 split and also a state leading-mark) also ranked him third nationally and .01 seconds behind second place. A week before the state finale, he received a special invite to run in the Prefontaine Classic Bowerman Mile at Hayward Field in Eugene (15th, 4:10.66). In the 2002 4A state championships as a junior, he placed top four in the 1,500 (second, then-PR 3:52.38) and 800 (fourth, 1:54.19) and was 28th in the 2002 state cross country finale (16:27). Also won state titles in Mt. SAC and Centennial meets. Off the track, lettered two seasons at midfielder in soccer, and one season as a guard in basketball. High School (Coach): Lincoln '03 (Bob Williams).
Personal: International Studies major.
Personal Bests
800 meters - Outdoors - 1:47.62, KBC Night of Athletics, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, July 31, 2004
1,500 meters - Outdoors - 3:42.44, Payton Jordan U.S. Open, Stanford, Calif., May 30, 2005
Mile - Indoors - 3:59.25, NCAA Last Chance Qualifier, Seattle, Wash., March 4, 2006
Mile - Outdoors - 4:01.37, Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, Ore., June 4, 2005
NCAA Championships Performances
2006 - Mile - Indoors - 4:06.47, 16th, Fayetteville, Ark., 3/10/06
2007 - 1,500 meters - Outdoors, 18th-semifinal, 3:46.18, Sacramento, 6/7/07
West Regional Championships Performances
2006 - 1,500 meters, DQ (4th, 3:53.05), 10th-prelims (3:51.51), Provo, 5/27/06
2007 - 1,500 meters, 5th, 3:46.31, Eugene, 5/26/07
Pac-10 Championships Performances
2004 - 800 meters, 1:50.69, 4th-heat, 9th-overall prelims, Tucson, 5/15/04
2006 - 800 meters, 1:51.28, 5th, 1:51.16, Eugene, 5/14/06
2006 - 1,500 meters, 3:44.70, 5th, 3:44.70, Eugene, 5/14/06
2007 - 1,500 meters, 4th, 3:47.95, Stanford, 5/13/07
McGrath's Top Oregon Performances
800 meters - Outdoors
1:50.24, 2nd, Oregon Twilight, Eugene, 5/1/04
1:50.28, 3rd, Oregon Twilight, Eugene, 5/506
1:50.34, 2nd, Pepsi Invite, Eugene, 4/10/04
1:50.69, 4th-heat, 9th-overall prelims, Pac-10 Championships, Tucson, 5/15/04
800 meters - Indoors
1:50.57-p, 4th, Mountain Pacific Championships, Seattle, 2/24/06
1:51.16-f, 3rd, Mountain Pacific Championships, Seattle, 2/25/06
1:51.61, 10th, UW Invitational, Seattle, 1/28/06
1:51.94, 5th, NCAA Last Chance Qualifier, Seattle, 3/6/04
1,500 meters - Outdoors
3:44.25, 1st, Oregon Preview, Eugene, 3/17/07
3:44.70, 5th, Pac-10 Championships, Eugene, 5/14/06
3:45.45, 7th, Oregon Invitational, Eugene, 4/21/06
3:46.14, 8th-p, NCAA West Regional, Eugene, 5/25/07
3:46.31, 5th-f, NCAA West Regional, Eugene, 5/26/07
3:46.18, 18th-p, NCAA Championships, Sacramento, 6/7/07
3:46.82, 2nd, Oregon Preview, Eugene, 3/18/06
Mile - Indoors
3:59.25, 1st, NCAA Last Chance Qualifier, Seattle, 3/4/06
4:02.30, 11th, Husky Collegiate Invitational, Seattle, 2/11/06
4:02.58, 3rd, Alex Wilson Invitational, South Bend, 3/3/07
4:02.97, 2nd, Mountain Pacific Champs, Seattle, 2/24/07
4:03.12, 13th, Husky Collegiate, Seattle, 2/10/07
4:03.53, 4th, UW Invitational, Seattle, 1/28/06
3,000 meters - Indoors
8:10.80, 2nd-Heat 2, UW Indoor Invitational, Seattle, 1/27/07
