7-24-23 Emerald Media Group - ODE

There are thousands of Indigenous Mam speakers in Oregon. The state only has one certified interpreter.

Emerald Media

Daily Emerald

VOL

EMERALD MEDIA GROUP 1395 UNIVERSITY ST., #302 EUGENE, OR 97403 541.346.5511

NEWSROOM

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Evan Reynolds

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

Emma J Nelson

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Romie Avivi Stuhl

NEWS EDITOR Tristin Hoffman

A&C EDITOR Reilly Norgren

SPORTS EDITORS

Nina-Grace Montes

Brady Ruth

OPINION EDITOR

Kayl Wohl

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Eric Becker

DESIGN EDITOR

Liz Blodgett

COPY CHIEF

Olivia Ellerbruch

SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Alex Woodward

VIDEO EDITOR

Anne Marie Armstrong

PODCAST EDITOR

Mirandah Davis-Powell

SOCIALS EDITOR

Alicia Santiago

VISUALS EDITOR

Stella Fetherston

BUSINESS

PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT

Bill Kunerth X317 bkunerth@dailyemerald.com

VP OPERATIONS

Kathy Carbone X302 kcarbone@dailyemerald.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES & DIGITAL MARKETING

Shelly Rondestvedt X303 srondestvedt@dailyemerald.com

CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Anna Smith X327 creative@dailyemerald.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Max Goldenberg

Lola Tagwerker

Cori Caplinger

ON THE COVER

Mam, an Indigenous Mayan language originating in western Guatemala, has slowly grown in Oregon over the last four decades, with thousands of underserved Mam speakers now residing in the state.

(Eric Becker/Emerald)

SCHOLZ IS READY TO “LISTEN” AND “LEARN”

On July 12, University of Oregon President John Karl Scholz spoke in front of the University community for the first time since taking office on July 1. During the meet and greet, Scholz stressed the importance of creating a “sense of belonging” on campus.

The crowd of university staff, students and community members congregated along the edge of the EMU main entrance, shielding themselves from the direct sunlight.

Scholz shouted out those in attendance who managed to find the shade, and elicited laughs from the crowd, joking that “economists don’t have the personality to make good accountants.”

Following the initial laughs and formal exchanges, Scholz began to address questions regarding his agenda for UO.

“The agenda really is to listen and learn. Of course, I come with experiences and ideas on how to enhance our already outstanding university. But these ideas have to be informed by you and the broader UO community and campus,” Scholz said.

Scholz discussed his appreciation for his new position, and that he has a “deep commitment” to UO’s mission.

The University of Oregon, Scholz said, matches his core values.

In March, the UO Board of Trustees unanimously voted Scholz as president, succeeding a six-month-long hiring process organized by a 22-member presidential search committee. The search committee consisted of students, faculty, trustees, educational administrators and members from the community.

BY CONNOR SAURBIER

higher education, passion and commitment to students, to faculty and to the people we serve,” Connie Steeley, a member of the Board of Trustees, said.

The Presidential Search Committee echoed those same desired qualities, creating a strong bond between the community and the committee.

Ed Madison, UO School of Journalism and Communication associate professor and member of the committee, highlighted the sense of responsibility and leadership that President Scholz will bring to the university.

“When he was running the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin, that college alone was larger than our entire university population. So this is someone who’s really invested in helping the University of Oregon maintain a broad stature over time,” Madison said.

It was during the interview, however, where Scholz made an impression on the committee.

“Beyond the resume, there was really a person there who was engaged and asked all the right questions and really demonstrated that he’d done his homework about us, but also that he was in a position to take us forward,” Madison said.

Steely echoed Madison’s words, expressing Scholz’s commitment to student success, career readiness and high graduation rates.

“He just drips with excitement and passion for public higher education. I think he’s not only the president of the University of Oregon, I think he will be a recognized leader in Oregon,” Steeley said.

Top viewed story in the past week:

“Oregon bill allowing self-serve gas passes state legislature” by Ian Proctor

THE DAILY EMERALD

The Daily Emerald is published by Emerald Media Group, Inc., the independent nonprofit media company at the University of Oregon. Formerly the Oregon Daily Emerald, the news organization was founded in 1900.

Throughout the hiring process, the presidential committee held 40 meetings with a wide range of student organizations, clubs, staff, faculty groups, professors, volunteers and donors to collect insight into key attributes they wanted the next president to have.

“There was a real desire for someone who has a passion and commitment to public

Scholz concluded his speech with excitement to work with his fellow ducks and “to continue to make the university a great place to work.”

The next meet and greet is Thursday, August 10 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Phil and Penny Knight Campus.

(Ian Proctor/Emerald)

Second most read story in

“EPD responds to attempted armed robbery near 15th and Hilyard St.” by Ian Proctor

Scan here or visit the Emerald’s social media to answer our prompt “What’s the best genre of music?”

Do you want your voice heard literally? Scan here to respond to our Voices of UO prompt with a brief voice message, and head to dailyemerald. com/ multimedia/ podcasts next week to listen to the replies!

various lengths online.

For updated coverage of sports

(Photo courtesy of Apartments.com)

UO President John Karl Scholz outlines his priorities for the university at a meet-and-greet event.

President Scholz talks with attendees at the summer ice cream social. The University of Oregon hosted a meet-and-greet with President John Karl Scholz on July 12, 2023. (Nicholas Walcott/ University Communications)

Getting into post-punk

Five of the best post-punk artists for new listeners.

BY CADEN TRAW

Post-punk is a genre of music that is hard to pin down. Upon its arrival in the late 1970s alongside punk music, it immediately distanced itself from punk while simultaneously taking elements from it and incorporating them into its own style. Due to its experimentality, postpunk has influences from a variety of genres, allowing it to reach a wide audience of listeners. Post-punk is a genre of music that continues to impress me, and over time, it has become one of my favorite genres to listen to. It has maintained success over multiple decades and provided incredible bands in all eras. Here are five of my favorite post-punk bands to introduce you to the genre.

TALKING HEADS

This band took the grooviness of post-punk to new heights, and there might not be a band in the history of music that takes influences from more places than Talking Heads. These influences are never more evident in its discography than in the album “Remain In Light.” Frontman David Byrne displays charisma in every song, and the production choices are both experimental and easily accessible. Combining African percussion, funky bass lines and bubbly synths, the whole album makes for an exciting post-punk experience. However, Talking Heads’ thrilling discography is not just tied down to that album. Songs like “Psycho Killer,” “Burning Down the House” and “Road to Nowhere” provide instantly catchy melodies and sing-along lyrics while maintaining the experimental production elements of classic post-punk. If you want to listen to post-punk, Talking Heads is a good place to start.

PUBLIC IMAGE LTD

What better band to describe the development of post-punk than Public Image Ltd? Formed by John Lydon, also known as Johnny Rotten of the incredibly influential punk band the Sex Pistols, Public Image Ltd released its debut album only months after the success of “Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols.” Led by Lydon’s trademark voice and lyrics and Jah Wobble’s innovative bass playing, Public Image Ltd laid the foundation for post-punk sounds. Songs like “Memories,” “Swan Lake” and “This Is Not a Love Song” provide the band’s listeners with extremely funky bass lines; truly odd-sounding horn sections paired with Lydon yelling his abrasive yet poetic lyrics make for truly classic post-punk.

THE POLICE

While I am not crazy about their name, The Police has made some of my favorite music ever. International hits in its earlier days like “Roxanne” and “Message in a Bottle” showcase the band’s catchy instrumentation while

contrasting against its often thematically heavy lyrics. The band’s reggae influence became more apparent in the early 1980s. The Police often employed “skank” rhythms in their guitars, which play muted chords offbeat. This style is especially evident in songs like “Don’t Stand So Close to Me’’ and “When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around” from their 1980 album “Zenyatta Mondatta.” In the 1981 release “Ghost In The Machine,” the band leans heavily on horn sections and funky bass lines, especially on songs such as “Demolition Man” and “Too Much Information.” And on their swan song “Synchronicity,” synths play a massive role in their rhythmic structures. While The Police’s discography is only five albums deep, the sonic evolution between each release is one-of-a-kind.

NEW ORDER

Formed as a remix of incredibly influential post-punk band Joy Division, New Order has proven to be influential to post-punk in their own right. New Order’s primary influence on music is mixing post-punk sounds with dance and electronic music. Implementing clean, jangly guitars with buoyant synths, New Order pioneered a new era of post-punk. Songs like “Age of Consent,” “Bizarre Love Triangle” and “Blue Monday” are perfect examples of the innovation that New Order presents in its sound. With a discography spanning over multiple decades, New Order continues to provide its listeners with iconic dance tracks within the bounds of post-punk.

SQUID

One of my favorite bands in today’s music scene, Squid has become one of the most memorable bands of the twenty-first century’s post-punk revival. Clearly taking influence from bands like Talking Heads, the band employs polyrhythmic instrumentation and intriguing lyrics that always leave you wanting more. With the recent release “O Monolith,” Squid has proven to be the most innovative post-punk band in the modern era. Tracks like “Swing (In a Dream)” and “The Blades” provide sonically bizarre production choices that put you on an emotional rollercoaster, while “Siphon Song” uses a vocoder on top of haunting background vocals. “Undergrowth” is a song that displays the classic elements of post-punk with groovy bass lines and reggae-tinged guitars. Taking influence from legendary post-punk bands from decades past while simultaneously creating its own sound to fit the music trends today, Squid is a must-listen for new post-punk fans.

Post-punk is such a vast genre that has its own influences while also influencing so many other genres, which makes it accessible for so many people. While there are an abundance of post-punk artists that are great, these five should give you the perfect introduction into such a complex genre.

(Ellyce Whiteman/Emerald)

MAM SPEAKERS STRUGGLE TO FIND ACCESSIBLE INTERPRETING SERVICES

While Mam is one of the ten most used languages in Oregon courts, the nationwide dearth of interpreting services carries enormous consequences in judicial and healthcare settings.

BY HANA DUSSAN

Mam Indigenous people come to this country and have a complete language shock. As many of them come to the United States as monolingual speakers, it becomes essentially impossible for them to understand the English-based systems that govern this country, the most prevalent of those being healthcare.

The problem arises when there are not enough interpreters to meet their healthcare needs, which becomes exacerbated when healthcare service providers are not aware of the problem in the first place. In the same vein, it becomes difficult for Mam speakers to become interpreters due to a lack of incipient job security.

In an attempt to rectify these difficulties, alternative interpretation services and language interpreters have been implemented, but these solutions come with their own set of problems. In furtherance of this issue, it becomes crucial to

listen to the needs of the Mam community as well as put oneself in their shoes in order to begin to comprehend the urgency of the situation.

A GROWING POPULATION OF MAM SPEAKERS

Mam is one of 30 Mayan languages spoken by half a million Indigenous people in Guatemala and Mexico. The first influx of Mam Guatemalan migrants to the U.S. started in the 1980s as a result of a counterinsurgency operation that killed thousands of Guatemalans, according to Susanne Jones, a former professor at UC Santa Cruz. As of 2020, Mam is one of the top ten languages solicited for by the Oregon Judicial Department, despite there being only one Mam qualified healthcare interpreter. Despite the growing population of speakers in the U.S., I had never heard of the language until a few months ago. It was through Veronica Garcia,

a University of Oregon global studies graduate student, that I discovered the structural barriers that Mam indigenous women experience in healthcare.

THE KEY PROBLEMS FACING MAM SPEAKERS ARE TWOFOLD

Most people in this country speak either English or Spanish, and most Mam speakers are monolingual. When these monolingual Mam speakers go to healthcare service providers, one of three situations occurs: 1) it is assumed that they are speaking Spanish and thus are provided with a Spanish speaking interpreter, 2) Mam interpretation services occur via phone or 3) a Mam interpreter is not available. While there may be exceptions, this is the reality described by most Mam speakers.

Veronica Garcia poses in front of Prince Lucien Campbell Hall on July 19, 2023, at the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

THE PROBLEMS WITH MAM INTERPRETATION

These three situations all have one root cause: a lack of Mam interpreters available in healthcare settings. The first situation is not separate from situations two and three, but rather a precursor to them, since a Spanish speaker would quickly realize that they are not speaking Spanish. THe second situation — phone interpretation — seems like a good idea in theory, but has been regarded as part of the problem by many service providers who use them.

Jackie Grijalva, the program and colocated services director at Hope and Safety Alliance, a nonprofit working to combat domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking in Lane County, detailed the problems that occur when using phone interpretation services. Principally, there are usually connectivity issues on one of the two sides, and the translation is never exact. Most importantly, however, is the lack of empathy.

“When it comes to domestic violence, it’s a very sensitive subject,” Grijalva said. “As it is, it is really hard for [victims] to come out and say it … so when they come and they are talking to a machine, basically … it’s more like a bland story.”

Garcia echoed these sentiments. Phone interpretation is not very personal, which makes it more difficult to talk about health-related topics over the phone. If the information communicated is not accurate, as it often is not, that impacts quality of care. Whether it be erroneous prescriptions, inaccurate recommendations or missing appointments, these phone services are simply not adequate for service providers to be using in replacement of an in-person Mam interpreter.

BUILDING GREATER ACCESS

Why is there such a lack of access to Mam interpreting services? One explanation is that

there had never been a big enough need for them until now. Grijalva confirmed that their organization started noticing a need for Mam interpreters starting in 2019. Nurturely, a nonprofit for perinatal equity in Eugene, started to hire Mam interpreters in 2021.

This is a reasonable explanation, but not the only one. Maria Aguirre, the operations and outreach coordinator for Nurturely, explained that there are not a lot of career options within healthcare for people within the Mam community due to the

speakers who were interested in interpreting, but did not have the resources nor financial security to continue with it.

“Interpreting is like a small business: maybe you can make some money a month, or maybe you’re not going to make any depending on your experience and capacity; it takes time,” Martin-Mendoza said. It was not easy for MartinMendoza either, having to take a job during the night while simultaneously attending school.

While entirely restructuring a deeply flawed system is not as easy as it sounds, there is hope. The fact that service providers are recognizing the growing need for interpretation services is a step in the right direction. It has become abundantly clear that Spanish interpreters and phone interpretation services are not enough. Nurturely already implemented changes in their distribution of healthcare information by creating videos voiced by a Mam interpreter and spreading it through a WhatsApp group chat of Mam women.

need to be proficient in either English or Spanish to be able to navigate the healthcare system. Furthermore, she has noticed there to be a lack of humility from healthcare professionals who are spending increasingly less time with their patients, and therefore not cognizant of their needs — an interpreter being one of them.

Bertilda Martin-Mendoza, a professional Mam interpreter based in Oregon, disclosed that the launch of a career as an interpreter is incredibly laborious. Martin-Mendoza is a native Mam speaker born in Guatemala who immigrated to the U.S. as a child, and now speaks English, Spanish and Mam fluently. She has been interpreting professionally since 2004, but said she started long before when she was just a teenager interpreting for monolingual Mam speakers in need. She remarked that back in 2004, she knew other Mam

Much like Martin-Mendoza, Mam children that came to the U.S. at a young age can more easily pick up English and Spanish, and therefore navigate the arduous healthcare system more easily than those that came before them, with the potential to become interpreters themselves. Pueblo Unido, the company that employs MartinMendoza, is advocating for interpreters so that they can have the resources that so many other Indigenous speakers did not have 20 years ago. All of these changes will go a long way in supporting the Mam community, and Martin-Mendoza speaks for other interpreters when she says that they could not be prouder. In the meantime, empathy is the key. Not only from service providers, but from native English speakers who take for granted what it is like to speak the same language as their doctors, dentists and therapists.

A photo of the Nurturely perinatal center taken on July 19, 2023, in Eugene, Oregon. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

“INTERPRETING IS LIKE A SMALL BUSINESS: MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE SOME MONEY A MONTH, OR MAYBE YOU’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY DEPENDING ON YOUR EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY, IT TAKES TIME.”

BERTILDA MARTIN-MENDOZA, PROFESSIONAL MAM INTERPRETER IN OREGON

NOTABLE MOMENTS FROM THE USATF OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The nation’s best track and field athletes competed at Hayward Field in July, fighting the clock — and each other —

Over the course of four days, 27,462 fans gathered at Hayward Field to watch the best American track and field athletes compete. The USATF Outdoor Championships happen once a year when athletes bring their best in order to fight for a spot on Team USA at the World Athletic Championships, this year taking place in Budapest, Hungary.

In order to qualify for the world championships, athletes must place in the top three in their event at the USATF outdoor championships and earn a world championships standard time or mark. In the event that a top three finisher does not secure a world standard mark, they may still be eligible based on their world ranking. Alternatively, they have until July 30 to secure the appropriate mark or a high enough world ranking. This makes the competition against both each other and the clock.

SPRINTS NEVER DISAPPOINT

The women’s sprint excitement was headlined by Gabby Thomas in the women’s 200-meter final when she put up a time of 21.60 seconds — a world lead, meet record and personal best. Sha’Carri Richardson made her return to the USAs with a statement win in the 100-meter at 10.82 while also qualifying in the 200, where she placed second. On the men’s side, a new face to the sprinter world made his name known with his first outdoor championship title. Cravont Charleston edged out Christian Coleman by 0.01 seconds to earn his first national title during the men’s 100. His victory came as a shock, as he had never previously reached an NCAA final or USATF final.

DISTANCE EVENTS CAME DOWN TO THE LAST LAP

Indoor 1500-meter champion Nikki Hiltz outkicked Cory McGee and Athing Mu in the last few

meters, becoming the new outdoor champion. The race for third and fourth came down to 0.02 seconds when McGee reached the finish just ahead of the 2022 1500 champion Sinclaire Johnson, who dove over the line but did not make up enough time. In the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase, ten-time U.S. champion Emma Coburn was about to earn her 11th victory when Krissy Gear came

Champions’ thrower Ryan Crouser and pole vaulter Katie Moon will both be presented an opportunity to win back-to-back world titles after winning their respective events yet again. Both the men’s and women’s high jump competitions were led by young athletes who are both already familiar with success. Vashsti Cunningham won the women’s high jump with her sixth consecutive outdoor title of her career. This also became her 13th high jump national title at just 25 years old. On the men’s side, JuVaughn Harrison added a USATF title to his honors which include multiple Olympic appearances and NCAA championships. In the long jump, Tara Davis-Woodhall bounced back from the disappointment of not making last year’s worlds team and not only earned herself a spot on the team, but also the top of the podium.

HIGH SCHOOLERS MAKING THEIR MARK

over the final water barrier stronger than the rest of the field and shockingly overtook Coburn with less than 50 meters to go to earn her first U.S. title. On the men’s side, 2023 NCAA champion Kenneth Rooks took his first U.S. title with a personal best performance. Rooks found himself on the ground in the middle of the pack after tripping over a barrier in the first three minutes of the race, making his victory a remarkable comeback.

FIELD EVENTS DID NOT MISS

While they might not always be the most attention-grabbing events, the American athletes always shine in the field events. Reigning World

Mia Brahe-Pedersen and Hana Moll are single handedly keeping all faith for the future of track and field safe in their hands. Brahe-Pedersen came off of a successful high school season as national champion in the 100 and 200. She took a risk to race against the pros and earned her spot in the finals for both respective events. Moll is also a high school national champion in the pole vault and returned to Hayward Field to take her shot at making the team. When she cleared the bar with a personal best height of 4.61 meters, she placed third and is now one step closer to the world championships.

The athletes that qualified and earned their spot to represent Team USA have a few weeks to recover and get back to training before hitting the world stage. Competition in Budapest will begin on Friday, August 18, just over a month after an unforgettable weekend in Eugene.

Sha’Carri Richardson made her return to the USAs with a statement win in the 100-meter at 10.82 while also qualifying in the 200, where she placed second.”

U.S. Olympian Sha’Carri Richardson celebrates after setting a world leading time in the 100m. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

Kyle Garland clears the bar during the decathlon pole vault. The USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships continued on July 7, 2023, at Hayward Field, in Eugene, Oregon. (Eric Becker/Emerald)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

This week’s editor’s picks...

THURSDAY, JULY 27

Karaoke Competition at Falling Sky Brewpub

Win up to $200 in cash –– plus other fun prizes –– at this karaoke fundraiser!

If you’ve been craving your “American Idol” moment, look no further than this karaoke charity event at Falling Sky Brewpub. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., contestants will face three judges to determine who moves on to the second and final round –– potentially winning upwards of $200 in cash and other prizes. Contestants should plan on entering by 6:30 and come with two songs prepared. Entry fees range from $5 to $20 and will be donated to Healthy Moves, a nonprofit children’s fitness organization, as well as $1 from every drink purchased during the event.

SATURDAY, JULY 29

The Prince + Michael Experience

Come jam out to some classic pop at The Big Dirty!

Fans of classic pop, from the casual to the deeply initiated, will find much to love at The Prince + Michael Experience. Hosted by San Francisco’s DJ Dave Paul, the dance party event pays tribute to legendary music icons Prince and Michael Jackson, as well as the artists they inspired. From Earth, Wind & Fire to Stevie Wonder to Dua Lipa, all the bases are sure to be covered. The event starts at 9 p.m. at Eugene bar and music venue The Big Dirty for ages 21 and up. Entry fee is $10 at the door.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4

Ride, Read & Rock Block Party

Enjoy some all-ages fun in downtown Eugene!

Looking for an event for the whole family? Drop by the Ride, Read & Rock Block Party, located on the corner of 10th & Olive from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. With music from KDUK, food trucks, storytime on an electric bus, kids’ crafts and more, there’s a little something for everybody. The event is free for all attendees and is sponsored by Lane Community College, Lane Transit District, and the Eugene Public Library.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 5

Ukrainian Day Festival

Immerse yourself in Ukrainian culture with this public Springfield event!

Come celebrate Ukrainian traditions at Springfield’s Nativity Ukrainian Catholic Church from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. Featuring two performances from Veselka, the church’s 75-member dance troupe, the event will also showcase a variety of activities and events, including a tour of church icons, a coming-of-age wreathing ceremony, and Ukrainianstyle dishes and baked goods including kovbasa sausage, varenyky and pyrizhky. The event is open to all.

OREGON BASEBALL MAKES BIG SHOWING AT 2023 MLB DRAFT

A flock of Ducks got the call to go pro during the MLB All Star Week in Seattle.

BY BRADY RUTH • TWITTER @BRADYRUTH10

The Oregon Ducks just saw six players from the 2023 roster – and five signees –drafted to play pro ball in the 2023 MLB Draft.

The draft consisted of 20 rounds and 614 picks over a three-day span. Oregon made quite the splash as half-a-dozen former Ducks got the invitation to jump from collegiate to professional careers.

The first Duck to go was Sabin Ceballos, who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the third round. In one season with the Ducks, Ceballos hit .333 with 71 hits, 18 of which were home runs, 70 RBIs and 48 runs. Ceballos was drafted once before in 2022 in the 14th round by the Los Angeles Angels. He chose not to sign and transferred to Oregon before the 2023 season. Despite playing primarily third base and designated hitter, Seballos was drafted by the Braves as a shortstop, and will likely sign with Atlanta.

Pitcher Jace Stoffal, pick no. 237, was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the eighth round. Stoffal was the Ducks’ ace in 2023 as he won six games while boasting a 2.83 ERA across 57.1 innings of work. In his two seasons with Oregon, Stoffal collected 73 strikeouts while allowing just 36 earned runs.

Colby Shade, pick no. 263, became the third Duck drafted as he was selected by the Marlins in the ninth round . Shade was a lockdown center fielder for Oregon across his three seasons in Eugene. Shade is a career .319 hitter with 11 home runs and 78 RBIs. The Ducks’ human highlight reel will have a tough decision ahead as he decides whether to sign with Miami or return to Oregon.

Closer Josh Mollerus was picked up in the 10th round as pick no. 304 by the Toronto Blue Jays. In his lone season with the Ducks, Mollerus collected eight saves in 28 appearances with a 3.44 ERA and 50 strikeouts.

Infielder Rikuu Nishida got picked up by the Chicago White Sox in the 11th round as pick no. 329. Nishida was consistently the most exciting player on the field in 2023. After transferring from Mount Hood Community College before the 2023 season, Nishida hit .312 with 67 hits and 25 stolen bases. It would be great to see Nishida return for another season at Oregon, and as an 11th-round pick, he just might.

The final Duck drafted was left-handed pitcher Isaac Ayon. He was drafted as a 20th-round pick, no. 585, by the Washington Nationals. He didn’t throw a single pitch for the Ducks in 2023 due to injury, but he has a career 5.60 ERA across 125.1 innings of work with 124 strikeouts and just 44 walks.

In addition, Oregon also had five future Ducks drafted. Oregon commits Noble Meyer (Round 1, pick 10, Miami), Eric Bitonti (Round 3, pick 87, Milwaukee), Kehden Hettiger (Round 11, pick 343, Philadelphia), Jacob Bresnahan (Round 13, pick 398, Cleveland) and Max Martin (Round 11, pick 321, Texas) were all selected straight out of high school. Meyer and Bitonti will almost certainly go pro, but the others could still end up playing for the Ducks.

In total, the Pac-12 Conference had a total of 48 players drafted. Arizona (6 players), Arizona State (7), Cal (1), Oregon (6), Oregon State (3), Stanford (9), UCLA (6), USC (1), Washington (6) and Washington State (3) were all represented at the MLB Draft in 2023.

While it remains to be seen if the future Ducks — or the current players — will decide to sign with their respective teams or return to Eugene to either begin or continue their collegiate careers, one thing was made abundantly clear during the draft: Oregon baseball knows how to get players to the highest level.

Colby Shade rounds third base running home to score. The Oregon Ducks Baseball team faces Saint Johns, in their home opener on February 25th, 2022, at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. (Serei Hendrie/Emerald)

Sabin Ceballos (21) bat flips after hitting a home run in back to back days. Oral Roberts punches their ticket to the College World Series by defeating the Oregon Baseball team in Game 3 of Super Regionals on June 11th at PK Park. (Kai Kanzer/Emerald)

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

© 2023 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.