Fifth-year senior Brianne Theisen grabbed headlines at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, using three, personal-best efforts to lead the pentathlon with 3,803 points, on Thursday afternoon.
“I felt pretty good today,” Theisen said on goducks.com. “I was really just trying to have fun and enjoy my last NCAA meet as a Duck.”
She started her heptathlon with a school-record effort in the 100-meter hurdles (13.30) before clearing a personal-best 6-0.5/1.84m in the high jump. She is on track to become just the third woman to win three NCAA heptathlon titles in the association’s history, joining an elite company. Only Jacquelyn Johnson of Arizona State@@checked@@ (2004, 2006-08) and Jolanda Jones of the University of Houston@@checked@@ (1986-87, 1989) have achieved that feat.
“I think our women are competing with the appropriate level of excitement and confidence,” said associate athletic director Vin Lananna on goducks.com. “But there is still a long way to go.”
Theisen continued her torrid streak with another personal-best performance in the shot put. She threw 42-4.75/12.92m to net 722 points. She ended day one in the 200 meters, finishing in 24.09 to net 972 additional points. Barbara Nwaba of UC Santa Barbara was second with 3,596 points.
Freshman Allie Woodward gave the Ducks an unexpected boost with a fifth-place finish in the 10,000 meters, securing the first four points for the Oregon women in Des Moines, Iowa. She crossed the line in 32:56.94, hanging with the lead pack throughout the first half of the race. As the pack dwindled, the Green Bay, Wis., native guided herself to fifth.
“I was really excited to get here,” Woodward said on goducks.com. “I thought I would let the race develop, and I’m learning patience is key.”
Her surge marked a historic effort, officially the second-fastest in school history — trailing only Kathy Hayes’ 1984 school record of 32:43.81.
The women’s 1,500 meters was another central concern for Oregon in its pursuit of an NCAA title. Both Jordan Hasay and Becca Friday@@checked@@ ran in the semifinals of their signature event on day two.
The pair of juniors fought their way to the front early but had trouble clearing a deep field. Hasay butted horns with Natalia Piliusina of Oklahoma State@@http://www.okstate.com/sports/w-xc/mtt/piliusina_natalja00.html@@ and hometown hero Katie Flood of Washington.@@http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/c-track/mtt/flood_katie01.html@@ In an agonizing final stretch, Piliusina prevailed in 4:12.55, followed by Flood in 4:12.65 and Hasay in a season-best 4:12.68. Friday finished fourth in her season-best, 4:13.06.
Another bright spot on Thursday was the women’s 4×400 meter relay team, who used a signature late rally to advance to Saturday’s final. Chizoba Okodogbe and Phyllis Francis@@checked@@ led strong final legs to narrowly best Arkansas and Illinois. The Ducks won in 3:29.46, followed by the Razorbacks (3:29.54) and Fighting Illini (3:30.07).
A trio of Oregon freshman on the men’s side got their first taste of NCAA competition this weekend.
In the multi-events, redshirt freshman Dakotah Keys@@checked@@ recorded personal-best efforts in the discus (122-2/37.24m) and pole vault (15-9/4.80m). He ran 15.30 in the 110-meter hurdles before wrapping up the afternoon with another personal record in the 1,500 meters (4:30.70).
When all was said and done, he finished 12th with 7,559 points in his first appearance at the NCAAs.
“It was an eventful day,” he said on goducks.com. “It’s the decathlon. Some things are going to go well and some don’t.”
Another eye-catching freshman, Jonathan Cabral, didn’t advance in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing in 13.64.
“That was a little rough,” Cabral said on goducks.com. “I just couldn’t get into it and get going like I usually do.”
Freshman Sam Crouser@@checked@@ recorded 229-11/70.09m in the men’s javelin to finish in 14th place.
“It’s all a process for the freshmen,” Lananna said on goducks.com. “Hopefully this will help them, and next year in Eugene, they can step up for us.”