Although Oregon track athlete Kalindra McFadden was entered in the Mt. SAC Relays heptathlon, she did not compete in any of the first day events. The release from Oregon Media Services did not list a reason why she didn’t compete in the opening day of the event that runs from Wednesday through Saturday at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif.
McFadden, a sophomore, made her collegiate debut in this meet last year with a third-place finish of 5,428 points. This heptathlon is the fourth of her Oregon career.
All-America redshirt senior hammer throwers Britney Henry and Brian Richotte, along with javelin throwers Ashley McCrea and Rachel Yurkovich are expected to participate in the Mt. SAC Relays on Sunday.
Henry made a 13-foot school record in the hammer at last year’s meet and earned Pac-10 Athlete of the Week honors. She was second with a throw of 221 feet, seven inches.
Yurkovich set the Oregon school record with her throw of 189-11 on March 24 at the Arizona State Invitational.
Men’s track
Oregon freshman Marshall Ackley sits in 11th place after the first day of his college decathalon debut at the California Invitational.
Ackley put up a total of 3,056 points, and posted first day marks of 11.72 in the 100m, 19-0 in the long jump, 35-7 3/4 in the shot put, 5-7 in the high jump and 51.80 in the 400m.
“I feel more and more like a decathlete,” Ackley said. “But I should play it safe and wait and see after tomorrow before I say that (laughs). The conditions were gorgeous and once I shook out the nerves after the first two events, I felt much more comfortable.
“I’ve never competed with this many athletes in a decathlon, so it’s a little intimidating at first. But it makes you want to work harder.”
Oregon sprinter Phil Alexander was named Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week this week for his stellar performance at the Pepsi Team Invitational last weekend.
Alexander helped the Ducks to a first place finish in the 4X100m, placed first in the 100m with a time of 10.40 and ran a 21.07 200m that propelled him to ninth all-time in the Oregon history book.
This season, Alexander leads the team in the 100m and 200m and ranks third in the 400m.