Friends of Oregon Track and Field
NEWSLETTER FALL 2013 VOLUME VI - ISSUE I
Oregon Athletes shine at the 2013 IAAF WOrld CHampionships
Starting top left (left to right): English Gardner (4x100m Relay - Silver Medal, 100m - Fourth Place), Ashton Eaton (Decathlon - World Champion/Gold Medal), Matthew Centrowitz (1500m - Silver Medal), Galen Rupp (5000m - Eighth Place and 10,000m - Fourth Place), Brianne Theisen Eaton (Heptathlon - Silver Medal), Jordan Hasay (10,000m - Twelfth Place), Carlos Trujillo (Marathon - Thirty-Seventh Place), Chris Winter (3000m Steeplechase), Becky Holliday (Pole Vault), Zoe Buckman (1500m - Seventh Place).
Friends of Oregon Track and Field Newsletter
Message from Coach Johnson Let me begin by expressing my gratitude for your unwavering support of Oregon Track & Field. The energy I felt at Hayward Field during the NCAA Outdoor Championships was incredible and we hope you will find your way to Hayward once again in support of our Ducks. The University of Oregon is a very special place with very special fans and alumni, we thank you! From start to finish, the Men and Women of Oregon had an absolutely outstanding season. I am proud of their competitive spirit and their passion to remain a perennial force within the conference and NCAA. The coaches did an outstanding job preparing them as well as recruiting the right student-athletes for our program. We welcome an oustanding freshman class this fall complimented by a handful of very talented transfers. We also welcome a new assistant coach to our staff. Curtis Taylor joins us from Laney College in Oakland, CA and will coach the men’s and women’s short sprinters, relays, and women hurdlers. We are very excited to have Coach Taylor with us, please help me in welcoming him to the Oregon family! The 2013-2014 season kicks off with an exciting cross country schedule. It is highlighted by a trip out to Boston and the annual Bill Dellinger Invitational in our very own backyard at the Springfield Country Club. The Ducks will travel to Boulder, CO for the Pac-12 Championships on their quest to return to Terre Haute, IN for the NCAA Championships. Our women will compete to defend their Pac-12 and NCAA titles after a historic season last fall. On behalf of the rest of the staff and the entire team, thank you again for your continued support of the program. Go Ducks!
Robert Johnson Head Coach
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Medals in Moscow for Oregon Track & Field Alumni at the 2013 IAAF World Championships
Pictured on the first page of the newsletter are the ten University of Oregon Track & Field Alumni as they competed in their events at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow. By the end of the competition, only eight countries had a better medal count than our outstanding Duck alums. Starting off the Championships and leading the way were the newly dubbed power couple of the combined events Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen Eaton. In a continuing testimate to Ashton’s talent and determination, he became the first decathlete to win a World Championships immediately following an Olympic gold medal. After celebrating his victory, Ashton then took to the sidelines to cheer on his new bride Brianne Theisen Eaton to an outstanding second day that earned her a silver medal for Canada in the heptahlon.
Adding to the Oregon Duck’s medal count, both Matthew Centrowitz and English Gardner brought home silver medals for Team USA. Centrowitz used a strong finish over the last 100 meters of the 1500 meters to move into second and secure his place on the medal stand, while English Gardner ran the third leg of Team USA’s 4 x 100 meter relay in their runner-up finish. In addition to the Oregon alumni taking top three honors, we were represented on Team USA by Galen Rupp, 5000 meters and 10,000 meters; English Gardner, 100 meters; Jordan Hasay, 10,000 meters; Becky Holliday, Pole Vault and Carlos Trujillo, Marathon. In addition to Theisen-Eaton, Team Canada also had Oregon alum Chris Winter in the 3,000 meter Steeplechase and Zoe Buckman competed for Australia in the 1,500 meters.
2013 Oregon Cross Country Season
The 2013 Cross Country season opened on September 6th with solid performances from the Ducks at the Portland State Viking Classic at Blue Lake Park in Portland. The women, led by junior Meagan Patrignelli and sophomore Molly Grabill, beat in-state rivals Oregon State, Portland and Portland State. Junior Ryan Pickering led the men’s team to a win against Portland State and a loss to the nationally ranked Portland Pilots. The season-opener for both squads provided a low key opportunity for the coaching staff to observe the fitness level of the returners before the team heads to training camp in Sunriver, Oregon. The women’s team, who returns only three runners from the NCAA Championship team a year ago, will be bolstered by an influx of transfers and freshmen. Lyndsay Crevoiserat, a transfer from the University of Connecticut, is a three-time All-American and will likely make an immediate impact on the team. Julia Zrinyi, another transfer from Connecticut, has excellent track credentials and could also be among the leaders in cross country this fall. Two freshmen, Alli Cash and Nikki Hiltz, were among the best high school runners in the country last year and could prove vital to the team’s success this fall. The Duck returners Sarah Penney, Annie LeBlanc, Megan Patrignelli, Molly Grabill and Abbey Leonardi will look to provide leadership to the team as it looks to defend its Pac-12 Championship.
The men’s team returns all but one runner from last year’s team that placed third at the Pac-12 Championships and will be strengthened by one of the top distance recruiting classes in the country. Parker Stinson returns for his senior season and will look to lead the squad this year. He joins returners Jeramy Elkaim, Mac Fleet and Matt Melancon as potential top runners for the Ducks. Incoming freshmen Edward Cheserek, who has not lost a cross country race since 2010, and Jake Leingang will provide some youth to the group of veterans. Eric Jenkins, a transfer from Northeastern who holds a 13:18 personal best over 5,000 meters, could have a major impact on the front of the pack. The teams will travel to Boston College at the end of September for their next competition of the year where they will face competition from nationally ranked teams from across the country. The annual Bill Dellinger Invitational highlights the home schedule on Saturday, October 5 at the Springfield Country Club. Once again, it will feature special uniforms in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and will be your opportunity to support the team at home. The Pac-12 Championships will be held for the first time ever at the University of Colorado in Boulder at the end of October. The road to the NCAA Championships begins with a Regional Championship in Sacramento and concludes once again in Terre Haute, Indiana on November 23.
Friends of Oregon Track and Field Newsletter
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Message from Vin With the beginning of another September, there is a slight crispness in the air and the University of Oregon is filling with the energy of student-athletes returning to campus and starting their fall seasons. Like the changes going on around us, we here in TrackTown USA are also brimming with energy and a crisp feeling of anticipation for what is ahead and promises to be another great year for our teams, sport and community. Our goals for the upcoming year include the continued success of our University of Oregon program, hosting an outstanding 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships, improvements to our facilities and welcoming the world to Historic Hayward Field, July 22–27, for the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships and a Run TrackTown celebration featuring the Eugene Marathon and an unparalleled weekend of events. We have much to celebrate from the past year, and we are extremely proud of our teams’ national titles, our athletes’ incredible performances and our successful hosting of the 2013 NCAA Championships. Congratulations to our athletes, coaches and administrative staff on a year marked by records, national awards and great execution. I would like to echo Head Coach Robert Johnson’s thank you to you for your ongoing support of our program and events. And join him in welcoming Curtis Taylor to our staff and the new student-athletes to our program. As we begin this year, we look forward to hosting an unprecedented schedule of events in our community; starting with the Bill Dellinger Invitational on Saturday, October 5
at 10:30am at the Springfield Country Club. We hope to see you out along the course supporting the athletes and enjoying the meet. As a Friend of Oregon Track and Field, I hope to see you many times throughout the upcoming year at our Oregon home meets, alumni functions, championship competitions and community events. Your support each season and over the years is critical to the success of our programs and our ambitious goals for the University of Oregon and our sport. Your efforts in supporting our program, filling the grandstands and providing ongoing donations are crucial to our continued success. I hope you will consider supporting the program with a tax-deductible gift to Oregon Track & Field. Your giving allows for enhancements above and beyond the day-to-day operations of the team, such as investments in new training and rehabilitation equipment, facility upgrades and improving our events by enhancing the participant and spectator experience through innovation and technology. We look forward to partnering with you to accomplish our goals. Your ongoing support and encouragement keeps us reaching higher. Go Ducks!
Vin Lananna Associate Athletic Director
Raise Your Flag Join a Global Social Media Event! Show your support for the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships and welcome the world to Historic Hayward Field. Take a picture with your favorite flag and post it to a social media site. Hashtags #RaiseYourFlag and #WJC2014
Local children raise their flags at the IAAF World Junior Championships One Year Out Event
OTC Elite athlete Nick Symmonds rasing his flag
Support Oregon Track & Field and Cross Country Make a Gift Today! As we conclude each season and launch into another exciting year of Track and Field and Cross Country at the University of Oregon, we are thankful for your continued support of the Men and Women of Oregon. Your contributions to the program are crucial to the continued success of our teams and the quality of our facilities and home meets. Your gifts are instrumental to our pursuit of conference and national titles, the hosting of student athlete and spectator friendly events and the continuing raising of the bar for the University of Oregon teams and facilities. Please continue to support Oregon Track & Field and Cross Country by making a donation today. Make checks payable to the University of Oregon, with a notation on the check stating “Friends of Oregon Track & Field”. Send to the attention of: U of O Track & Field Attn: Vin Lananna Len Casanova Athletic Center 2727 Leo Harris Parkway Eugene, Oregon 97401 Please note: Individuals contributions to the University of Oregon Track & Field Program are tax deductible. Contributions accumulate lifetime Duck Athletic Fund points, but do not count towards annual seat and parking license fees for football and basketball.
The 2013Alumni Homecoming - Celebrating Decades of Duck Alums The 2013 Alumni Homecoming was another great evening when we were reminded of how fortunate we are to be part of such a wonderful family that spans generations of the University of Oregon’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field programs. This years’ event had alumni from all decades coming together to reconnect, share stories and show support for the current generation as they competed at the NCAA Championships. It was a night full of laughter and good memories, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2014. Special thanks to the Alumni Homecoming Organizing Committee of Wendy Hollister, Sig Ohlemann, Scott Daggett and John Lucas for making this a great event for everyone in attendence. Check out more photos from the 2013 Homecoming and stay in touch for 2014!
www.facebook.com/oregontfalumni Alumni, Duck Fans and Friends of Oregon Track & Field Save These Dates for 2013 and 2014! Bill Dellinger Cross Country Invitational Saturday, October 5, 2013 @10:30am, Springfield Country Club
NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships Wednesday, June 11 - Saturday, June 14, 2014, Historic Hayward Field Oregon Track & Field Alumni Homecoming Friday, June 13, 2014, TBD, Ballroom, Ford Alumni Center, UO IAAF World Junior Championships and RunTrackTown Tuesday, July 22 - Sunday, July 27, 2014, Historic Hayward Field We Look Forward to Seeing You!
Important Request! In an effort to help the environment and save resources, the Friends of Oregon Track and Field Newsletter will now be primarily sent electronically. In order to make sure that you receive the newsletter, please send an e-mail to: OregonTFAlumni@gmail.com with “Newsletter” along with your first and last name in the subject line. Thank you for your understanding and your support in moving to an electronic newsletter. This step will allow us to provide you with better and more current updates regarding the team and Oregon Track & Field events.
2013 University of Oregon Cross Country Schedule Friday, September 6, 5:45pm Friday, September 27, 12:30pm Saturday, October 5, 10:30am Saturday, October 19, 8:00am Saturday, November 2, TBA Friday, November 15, TBA Saturday, November 23, 8:00am
PSU Viking Classic Blue Lake Park, Fairview, OR Boston College Invitational Franklin Park, Boston, MA Bill Dellinger Invitational Springfield Country Club, Springfield, OR NCAA Pre-Nationals Terre Haute, IN Pac-12 Championships Boulder, CO NCAA West Regional Sacramento, CA NCAA Championships Terre Haute, IN
Friends of Oregon Track and Field Newsletter
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NCAA Titles Highlight an Outstanding 2012-13 for the Men and Women of Oregon!
Oregon women win their first NCAA cross country title since 1987
Oregon women celebrating their fourth consecutive NCAA Indoor Team Title
Elijah Greer and the Women’s 4 x 400 Meter Relay Team of English Gardner, Chizoba Okodogbe, Laura Roesler and Phyllis Francis Take Home NCAA Titles at the Indoor Championships. Elijah Greer, 800 Meters
Elijah Greer, 800 Meters
Mac Fleet, 1500 Meters
Handoff between Roesler and Francis in the 4 X 400 Meters Relay
English Gardner, 100 Meters
Oregon Athletes Earn Three National Titles at the 2013 Outdoor Championships and Brought the Oregon Faithful Filling the East and West Grandstands to Their Feet at Historic Hayward Field. The NCAA Outdoor Championships Will be Back at Hayward in 2014!
For the Unprecedented Fifth Time in a Row, the Oregon Women Are Named the Terry Crawford Women’s Division I Program of the Year. Oregon men and women both take home team trophies at the NCAA Outdoor Championships
University of Oregon Track & Field Len Casanova Athletic Center 2727 Leo Harris Parkway Eugene, Oregon 97401-8833 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Getting To Know Greg Skipper
Most memorable track and field moment... my 2011 season and the Junior Nationals meet at Hayward Field where I was able to finish 2nd and make the USA Junior Pan American team. I chose UO because… there is no better place to improve technique and take my throwing to the next level, while also gaining a great education. Favorite musician…Eric Church. Favorite actor/actress…Will Ferrell. Favorite movie…Tombstone.
Greg Skipper is the fourth member of the Skipper family to wear the Oregon uniform and the third to do so in Track & Field. He ended his outstanding 2013 outdoor season with a personal best and a fourth place finish in the hammer throw at the NCAA Championshipships at Historic Hayward Field.
Favorite food… anything Italian but especially homemade spaghetti. Hero… my dad Scott. Favorite quote…”Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down
to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” - Muhammad Ali Best advice you’ve ever received…from my uncle Tommy who said, “Better to train smart and be patient than to always be injured and unable to make progress.” Favorite T.V. show…TOSH.O. Favorite athletes…Koji Murofushi and JJ Watt. If you could meet three people living or dead, who would they be? John Wayne, Muhammad Ali and Ryan Villopoto. Something most people don’t know about you…before track became something I was seriously dedicated to, I raced motocross. Now I am just the mechanic.
Follow Us on the Web! University of Oregon & 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships
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Everything Happening in TrackTown and Our Sport
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Home of the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships
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