Steve Ritchie On Track - Sports News - Track and Field - Track Meets

Oregon Track & Field Squads Gear Up for a Run at the National Championship

By Steve Ritchie - Special to the Statesman Journal
June 7, 2010

Andrew Wheating - University of Oregon

EUGENE - The University of Oregon's track and field teams will have home field advantage at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene on June 9-12. Whether that translates into team championship for either the men or the women is uncertain, but the UO program has been focused for a year, if not longer, on this chance to win a NCAA team title at home.

While both the UO men's and women's squads are widely considered to be serious contenders for the team titles, it could take near-flawless performances to pull it off. In 2009 the Oregon men's team fell just short of winning the NCAA title, losing to Texas A&M by just two points, while the women's team also made a strong run at the title but ended up second to Texas A&M, as well.

Texas A&M will be tough again. Coach Pat Henry has a deep and talented pool of sprinters, hurdlers and jumpers who will try to counter Oregon's strength in the distances and the multi-events.

The women's team race, in particular, looks to be a very tight, two-team battle between the Aggies and the Ducks. The latest formchart, prepared for Track & Field News, has Texas A&M winning by one point over Oregon, and no other team even close.

The two favorites won't go head-to-head in very many events, but are poised to do so in the 400 meters, the long jump, and both relays. If the meet is as close as predicted, the outcome of the 4 x 400 relay on Saturday will decide the championship. Oregon's relay is seeded first nationally, based on their school-record 3:30.23 at the Regional Meet, but Texas A&M has been there before and can call on their talented quarter-miler Jessica Beard for the anchor leg.

Jamesha Youngblood - University of Oregon

Florida's powerful men's team, regarded by many experts as the odds-on favorites in Eugene, is loaded with speed, and figures to score big in the sprints, jumps and both relays. The Gators will match up with Texas A&M in those events, and, if there is a clear winner, that team will likely claim the championship. However, if the Aggies and Gators slip some, or neutralize each other, the Oregon men are positioned to take advantage.

While the Ducks have only six or seven events where they are figured to score, they qualified three entries in the 800 and 1500 meter races, and two in the 5000, decathlon, long jump and javelin. With Ashton Eaton and Andrew Wheating leading the charge, Oregon could pile up points in a hurry.

Wheating is favored in the 800 and Eaton should easily win the decathlon, but the Oregon men's chance at a title will likely come down to how their other athletes perform. Cyrus Hostetler and Alex Wolff are capable of scoring big points in the javelin. Matthew Centrowitz probably needs to place in the top three in the 1500, and the Ducks need points from Elijah Greer (800), A.J. Acosta (1500), Jordan McNamara and Michael Maag (5000).

It has been a steady upward climb for the Oregon program since Vin Lananna was hired as Director of Track & Field and Associate Athletic Director in 2005.

Since 2006, Oregon has won four straight men's Pac-10 team titles in track and field, along with two NCAA cross country championships and an NCAA indoor track title. Not to be outdone, the Duck women have now won two consecutive Pac-10 crowns, and this year stormed to a decisive win at the NCAA Indoor Meet.

Lananna would like nothing better than to cap his team's ascent by winning an NCAA team title, or two, in front of the home fans in Eugene this week. Oregon's last NCAA outdoor track and field titles were won in 1984 by the men and 1985 by the women.