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College Preview - Oregon Relays 2015

Published by
DyeStatCOLLEGE.com   Apr 16th 2015, 2:00pm
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Middle Distance and Combined Events Should Have Great Competition

Published by Adam Schneider on April 15, 2015

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The Oregon Relays will be a great opportunity for the Duck faithful to watch young and less tested Oregon runners exhibit their talent in historically strong events for the Duck women and men.  

The Oregon men have had a particularly good run of 1500m/mile and 5000m NCAA scorers and/or champions in one or both of these races in the indoor and outdoor NCAA championships.  An Oregon runner has won three of the last four and five of the last eleven NCAA indoor and outdoor 1500m/mile championships. A Duck has won three straight 5000m championships. Oregon has been historically strong in these races. Even though the Ducks did not field full teams at the NCAA indoor meet until 1998, the Ducks have now won 13 NCAA 1500m/mile titles (two indoors) and twelve NCAA 5000m/3-mile titles (three indoors).    

That history has helped recruit the young Ducks.  The distance coaching married couple of Andy and Maurica Powell has guided their heralded but also unheralded youngsters to success in recent years.  

The most interesting events on both sides would undoubtedly be the 1500m. Oregon has three sub-4 milers entered and Daniel Winn recently became an all-American at the NCAA meet in March with his sixth place (4:04.44) finish in the mile. Senior Colby Alexander also ran at the NCAA indoor meet in March and earned his first all-American award in the 4000m distance medley relay when he opened the championship winning relay with his 1200m leg. Running unattached will be sophomore Sam Prakel, tenth at last year’s NCAA meet, and Blake Haney, fifth at the 2013 World Youth 1500m. They face future Duck Matthew Maton, NAIA Indoor Mile and 3000m champion Matthew Clowes of Concordia (Or), former NAIA all-American Luc Bruchet, two-time NCAA champion while with the Ducks and now with Nike OTC, Mac Fleet, and ex-Duck NCAA runner-up AJ Acosta.

The Oregon women will feature one-time NCAA leader Annie Leblanc, breakout sophomore Ashley Maton (Matthew’s sister), the one-two duo from last week’s 3000m steeplechase, Frida Berge and Alli Cash, and recent transfers Katie Porada and Emma Abrahamsson. They are expected to face 18 year-old sensation and 2013 World Championships 1500m finalist Mary Cain, former high school 1500 and 1600 national record holder Christine Babcock, and ex-Duck all-American and budding filmmaker Alexi Pappas.   

The men’s and women’s 5000m will hold no less interest for the distance hungry Duck fans. Another top young Duck, three-time California high school 3200m champion Sarah Baxter, will compete unattached.  She may be assisted with pace-setting by Ashley Maton, Frida Berge, and Alli Cash. Juco national 10,000m record holder (set in 2014) and likely NCAA qualifier (she ran a personal record 33:40.82 to win her heat at Stanford Invitational) Jessica Mildes of Gonzaga will test her in the race. Challenging the top two collegian entries should be Juli Accurso of Team Run Eugene as well as three unattached all-Americans, former NAIA champion Hillary Holt and ex-Ducks Kimber Mattox and Alexi Pappas.

The men’s race will feature recent NCAA indoor competitor Jeramy Elkaim, Matthew Melancon, freshmen 2013 and 2014 NCAA cross country competitors, Jake Leingang and Travis Neuman, respectively.  Dan Quigley of Team Run Eugene will keep the pace fast.  

Johnathan Cabral is the most successful Duck 110m hurdler in Oregon history and has a chance of giving the Ducks a second consecutive NCAA title in the 110m hurdles. He will run his second and third races of the season (110m hurdles and 400m hurdles) since last year’s NCAA West Regional meet. 

Oregon throwers have won eight NCAA javelin titles. Ineligible transfer (Pac-12 rules) and Newberg high school graduate Cody Danielson threw 239’1 for a personal record at the USC Trojan Invitational and freshman Jhet Janis will have a good competition this week and they will likely be Oregon’s top javelin throwers next year. 

On Thursday and Friday Duck decathletes and heptathletes will take one of two opportunities to establish themselves as worthy of competing at the Pac-12 and NCAA meet. Senior Dakotah Keys was third at the NCAA outdoor meet last year and he is expected to compete along with sophomore NCAA outdoor competitor Mitch Modin. Senior Lauren Crockett and freshman Ashlee Moore may compete in the heptathlon.

Both developing sophomore Marcus Chambers (200m and 400m) and freshman Nate Moore (long jump and triple jump) won two events at last week’s Pepsi Team Invitational and they are entered with the opportunity to repeat that feat. Senior Duck Liz Brenner, who competes in at least one sport every season, will open her season in the javelin throw and two-time all-American sophomore Brittany Mann returns to throw the shot put and hammer throw after skipping last week. Duck all-American Lauren Crockett and Chancey Summers will high jump along with freshman combined event competitor Ashlee Moore (also entered in the 100m hurdles, triple jump). Consistent Pac-12 scorer senior Trevor Ferguson will compete in the 110m hurdles and long jump 

A large group of Ducks will also face good professionals in the 800 meters (Trenier Moser and Aaron Evans)

Strong and large contingents from Oregon State, Portland State, Montana, and Lane Community College in addition to individuals will join collegian and professional competitors and attempt to achieve qualifying marks for conference and the NCAA West Regional meet.

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