The Oregon men host a trio of talented programs this Saturday at the Pepsi Invitational.
Standing between the Ducks and a fourth consecutive title in this meet are conference rival Washington, defending Western Athletic Conference champion Boise State and Minnesota, which took third last year in the Big Ten Conference.
On Wednesday, first-year Oregon coach Vin Lananna said that strong performances at meets like this are key for his squad in tuning for postseason meets.
“This is really going to be an exciting meet,” Lananna said. “The outcome of the meet isn’t necessarily important, but it will put us in the position to lay the foundation to have a winning season. In order to have a really good Pac-10 season, we’re going to have to compete with intensity … effort is the issue.”
Two-time outdoor national champion
Tommy Skipper leads No. 7 Oregon into Saturday. He will compete in the pole vault alongside senior teammate Jonathan Derby.
Skipper stole the show at the Oregon Preview three weeks ago. He launched to a school and Pacific-10 Conference record 19 feet in his only attempt of the meet. The junior from Sandy, Ore., said that the crowd at Hayward Field helped boost him over the 19-foot mark.
“Hayward Field adds six inches to anyone’s jump,” Skipper said.
Also competing in the field Saturday is Colin Veldman, who will be throwing the hammer, shot put and discus. The redshirt junior owns regional qualifying marks in all three events.
Along with being another warmup for later meets in the season, Veldman feels that this weekend’s invitational will give both the men’s and women’s teams a chance to showcase their progression.
“Every meet has its significance,” Veldman said. “This is one of our meets where we can show how we are as a team and how good we are.”
Teammate Eric Mitchum will try for his fourth Pepsi Invite title in the 110-meter hurdles. The senior from Calumet City, Ill., is a two-time outdoor All-American in the 110 hurdles. He was the 2004 NCAA runner-up in the event.
Mitchum sprinted to a season-best time of 13.65 seconds two weeks ago at the Trojan Invitational. He said his goal Saturday is to take first place and finish under 14 seconds.
Redshirt sophomore Michael McGrath will compete in both the 800 and 1,500. He is one of two Ducks who have run a mile in less than 4 minutes; the other was Steve Prefontaine.
Competing for Oregon in the 3,000-meter steeplechase is redshirt freshman Christopher Winter. The North Vancouver, B.C., native is a two-time Junior World Championships qualifier in the same event.
The 4×400 relay features Oregon’s Akobundu Ikwuakor, who will also run in the 400 and 400 hurdles. The senior from Arvada, Colo., has twice earned All-American honors in the 4×400 relay. He used this past week at practice to recover from injury.
“I’m trying to get my speed back right now,” Ikwuakor said. “My goal is Pac-10s to be 110 percent. Coach (Dan) Steele has been helping me a lot with my fitness and strength.”
Junior Jordan Kent will make his 2006 outdoor debut running the anchor leg of the 4×100-meter relay. Aside from Kent, the quartet returns seniors Richard Del Rincon and Matt Scherer who guided the team to a sixth-place finish in last year’s NCAAs.
Kent, Oregon’s three-sport phenom, is nursing a sprained ankle and will likely not compete in the meet-ending 4×400 relay.
“I just want to stay in one piece for regionals,” Kent said. “It’s great being back.”
Joining Kent among Oregon’s injured is All-American runner Galen Rupp. Lananna said Rupp is “under the weather” and will not compete Saturday.

[email protected]