Oregon women’s track team held no illusions about winning the Pacific-10 Conference title. What they did was follow through on a promise to surprise teams.
The 97 points Oregon scored in the two-day competition – good for fifth place – are the most since 1996. Coach Vin Lananna said afterward that the program is headed in the right direction.
“We are in a position where we can make unprecedented success, make something really special happen for the sport of track and field,” Lananna said.
Arizona State narrowly defeated Stanford for the team title, relying on 23 points in the 5,000 meters, to survive Stanford’s wins in the triple jump and 4×400-meter relay. Arizona State totaled 154 points, Stanford 151.5, USC 112, UCLA 103, Oregon 97, California 76.5, Washington 41, Washington State 40, Arizona 37 and Oregon State 4. A record crowd of 7,060 witnessed the championships Sunday afternoon at Hayward Field.
Javelin thrower Rachel Yurkovich and middle distance runner Rebekah Noble won Oregon women’s individual titles.
Washington’s Tiffany Zahn challenged Yurkovich, making two consecutive personal records with throws of 160 feet, 7 inches and then 161-9. Both went to high school at Newberg High.
“It definitely helps when people are up there with you,” Yurkovich said. “I haven’t had a lot of that, so it pushed me a little bit to actually have some competitors with me.”
But after starting at 160-5, Yurkovich secured the win with her second throw of 166-3. Yurkovich set expectations high earlier this season, making a throw of 179-10 in the Oregon Preview. Since then, she’s been trying for a personal record.
“I got a win and that’s what matters,” Yurkovich said.
Oregon’s Roslyn Lundeen followed in fourth, Ashley McCrea fifth and Elisa Reynoso seventh, and all scored in the team competition.
Saturday and Sunday proved Noble’s busiest weekend this season, running the 1,500 (ninth, 4 minutes, 30.19 seconds) and 800 (first, 2:05.81).
Neither came easy.
In the 1,500, Stanford’s Arianna Lambie (first, 4:15.65) set a quick pace, moving out near the front and forcing Washington’s Amy Lia (second, 4:18.88) and Oregon’s Amber McGown (third, 4:19.00) to chase. Noble slipped back into ninth place and out of scoring range.
McGown made a late effort for third, but settled for a personal best.
“Everyone’s hurting so hard in that last 100 and all you can think is, ‘Do I want it more?’” McGown said.
The 800 found Noble and teammate Sara Schaaf battling California’s Alysia Johnson down the straightaway before Noble pushed through.
“She has probably learned a lot more about herself, her athletic
ability, as a result of not having a great 1,500 meters and being able to pull that off in the straightaway,” Lananna said.
Noble’s focus now shifts to NCAA West Regional Championships in two weeks in Provo, Utah, and then Sacramento, Calif., for the NCAA Outdoor Championships June 7-10. The extra work Noble put in the two-day competition was designed to prepare for the upcoming events.
While Oregon’s team may have surprised people, the fourth-place finish by heavily favored hammer thrower Britney Henry qualified as the biggest surprise. Henry sprained her ankle earlier in the week and had to wear an air cast for a couple of days, Lananna revealed following the meet.
“There’s always expectations for you and expectations you have for yourself,” Henry said. “Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don’t.”
Winning USC thrower Eva Orban unleashed a second throw of 220-11 and upped it to 221-07 on her fifth attempt. Meanwhile, Henry had three consecutive fouls and made her longest throw of 210-03 on her final attempt.
“I can’t worry about what everybody else is throwing, I can only worry about myself,” Henry said.
Arizona State accumulated much of its points in the distance races, including six in the top 10 of the 5,000.
Oregon’s Zoe Nelson came in ninth (17:08.60) in her first Pac-10 appearance, which came in front of her parents, cousins and aunt and uncle.
“I know that those girls are fast and I know they are out there to make a big gap on the rest of the pack,” Nelson said. “I wasn’t too surprised by that.”
Senior Lauryn Jordan earned sixth place in the triple jump (41-2 1/2) after earning fourth place in the long jump (20-4 1/4) and fifth place in the high jump (5-8 3/4). Combined with her third-place finish the weekend before in the heptathlon, Jordan earned 18 total points for Oregon.
Kasey Harwood achieved a personal record in the 400 hurdles as she finished third in a time of 1:00.05.
Sarah Pearson (seventh, 36:01.14) and Nelson (eighth, 36:14.11) also ran in the 10,000 Saturday night.