2007 Track & Field Roster
Roster
Diego Mercado
- Position:
- Distance
- Height:
- 5-8
- Weight:
- null
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- West Covina, Calif.
- High School:
- West Covina
2-Time All-American
Four-time NCAA Cross Country Championships scorer with two coming as part of Oregon’s back-to-back national title teams. Also a two-time NCAA Championships qualifier at 10,000 meters who holds the ninth-best time in school history at that distance (28:48.54). Established PRs at 5,000 meters (indoor and outdoor) and 10,000 meters during the 2009 season. Key performer at the 2008 Pac-10 Championship, helping the Ducks win the title by scoring points in both the 5,000 meters (second) and 10,000 meters (fifth).
2009-10: Outdoors - Ran first 10,000 meters of the season at the Stanford Invitational (30:08.77). Followed that at the Oregon Relays, finishing second in 29:52.04. Wrapped season with his best 10K time of the year, 29:50.19, in a 10th-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships. Also ran the 1,500 meters at the Oregon Preview and Oregon Twilight. Indoors - Did not compete. Cross Country - Oregon’s fifth scorer at the NCAA Championships where his 61st-place finish (30:34.4) helped lock up the Ducks’ runner-up trophy. It was his fourth consecutive NCAA Championships appearance. Oregon’s No. 3 runner at the NCAA West Regional, finishing in 28th place overall (31:25.08, 10,000 meters). Checked in as the Ducks’ fifth scorer (34th overall, 24:27.9, 8,000 meters) to help Oregon win the Pre-National Invitational. Was Oregon’s No. 5 runner (25th overall, 24:18.77) at the Bill Dellinger Invitational. Also ran at the Pac-10 championships. Season Bests: Outdoors - 10,000 Meters - 29:50.19, Pac-10 Championships, Berkeley, Calif. (5/15/10).
2008-09: Pac-10 scorer and NCAA Championships qualifier at 10,000 meters. Established a huge PR (:15) with a time of 13:57.79 in the 5,000 meters indoors at the Husky Classic. Also dipped under 14:00 in that event while finishing second at the MPSF Championships (13:58.79). Outdoors, ran the ninth-fastest 10,000 meter time in school history, 28:48.54, at the Stanford Invitational to earn his second trip to the NCAA Championships. Also scored for the Pac-10 champions at that distance in 30:00.32 (eighth). At 5,000 meters, recorded outdoor PR at the Oregon Relays in 14:12.21. In the fall, two of his three cross country appearances came during the championship season. Ran 15th overall and was the fifth Duck to cross the finish line (29:29.75) as Oregon won its third straight NCAA West Regional. At the NCAA Championships, was Oregon’s No. 5 runner, crossing the line in 30:31.4 to lock up the Ducks’ second straight national championship. Placed among the top 25 percent overall. Also ran in the Bill Dellinger Invitational. Season Bests: Outdoors - 5,000 Meters - 14:12.21 (PR), Oregon Relays, Eugene, Ore. (4/14/09); 10,000 Meters - 28:48.54 (PR), Stanford Invitational, Stanford, Calif. (3/27/09). Indoors - 5,000 Meters - 13:57.79 (PR), Husky Classic, Seattle, Wash. (2/14/09).
2007-08: All-American in cross country and a key Pac-10 scorer in both the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters, accounting for 12 team points. Helped Oregon win its fourth Pac-10 track and field championship in the last six years by placing second in the 5,000 meters in a season-best 14:17.82, and fifth in the 10,000 meters (30:22.15). Made his NCAA Championships debut in the 10,000 meters, where he placed 19th in 30:14.87. Set seasonal best in the event earlier in the year when he ran 29:14.58 at the Stanford Invitational. Helped Oregon defeat UCLA in a dual meet with a third-place finish in the 5,000 (14:17.89). Indoors, established his seasonal best time in the 5,000 meters, 14:12.40, in a fourth-place showing at the MPSF Championships. In the fall, shined against the nation’s finest cross country runners at the NCAA Championships, finishing 30th in 30:27 and was one of five All-Americans for UO. Also scored for Ducks in the Dellinger Invitational (16th, 23:53) and helped team beat seven returning NCAA team qualifiers, including the then top-ranked team. Opened postseason with his second Pac-10 trip and helped team to the Pac-10 Championship title for the second year in a row. Season Bests: Outdoors - 5,000 Meters - 14:17.82, Pac-10 Championships, Tempe, Ariz. (5/17/08); 10,000 Meters - 29:14.58, Stanford Invitational, Stanford, Calif. (4/4/08). Indoors - 3,000 Meters - 8:13.07 (PR), Husky Classic, Seattle, Wash. (2/16/08); 5,000 Meters - 14:12.40, MPSF Championships, Seattle, Wash. (3/1/08).
2006-07: All-American in cross country. Became first Duck freshman All-American in cross country (49th, 31:57) since 1999. Was the Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year for placing ninth in the Pac-10 Championships (23:39) and was also the top freshman in the NCAA West Regional (11th, 30:34). Also placed top-10 in the Bill Dellinger Invitational (seventh, 23:36). Redshirted the outdoor and indoor track seasons.
Prep: Two-time Foot Locker Cross Country Championships qualifier and took 11th place as senior in 2005. Won 2006 USA Junior Championships 10,000 meters as a senior (31:36.35), and also competed in 5,000 meters in 2005 (third, 14:25.89) and ?04 (seventh). In California state meets, was a two-time cross country qualifier (sixth in 2004, 13th in ’03) and on the track in the 3,200 meters in 2006 and 2005 (third).
Personal: Spanish major.
Personal Bests
5,000 Meters - 13:57.79 (i),
Husky Classic,
Seattle, Wash., 2/14/09
10,000 Meters - 28:48.54,
Stanford Invitational,
Stanford, Calif., 3/27/09
NCAA Outdoor Track Championships
2009 - 10,000 Meters
2008 - 10,000 Meters, 19th, 30:14.87
NCAA Cross Country Championships
2009 - 61st, 30:34.4
2008 - 54th, 30:31.0
2007 - 30th, 30:27
2006 - 49th, 31:57
NCAA Cross Country West Regional
2009 - 28th, 31:25.08
2008 - 15th, 29:29.75
2006 - 11th, 30:33.90
Pac-10 Track Championships
2010 - 10,000 Meters, 10th, 29:50.19
2010 - 5,000 Meters, 19th, 14:33.20
2009 - 10,000 Meters, 8th, 30:00.32
2009 - 5,000 Meters, 9th, 14:19.05
2008 - 5,000 Meters, 2nd, 14:17.82
2008 - 10,000 Meters, 5th, 30:22.15
Pac-10 Cross Country Championships
2009 - 32nd, 24:09.69
2007 - 38th, 24:02.4
2006 - 9th, 23:38.08
