Oregon’s formidable sprinting corps will only get stronger next season.
The Ducks announced the signing of four recruits, bringing the current incoming class to eight members. The most recent signees, featuring two athletes with local ties, will beef up the sprints considerably.
“I’m really pleased with this group,” Oregon head coach Martin Smith said. “They should all come in and contribute immediately and boost (sprints coach Steve) Silvey’s areas, which graduate several key athletes.”
The Ducks are graduating several runners, including hurdler Micah Harris and middle-distance runners Simon Kimata and Ross Krempley.
Smith plugged Harris’ hole with Michael Mitchum, a hurdler from Chicago who can run both the 110- and 400-meter hurdles.
A local athlete should add to the middle distances in the absence of Kimata and Krempley. Jan Olszowy, a native of Jarfalla, Sweden, who competed at South Eugene High School in 2001, is a fleet 800 runner. He has a personal best of 1:50.15, which is less than one second slower than Krempley’s personal best. Olszowy won the 800 at last season’s Oregon high school state meet and finished the season ranked seventh in the nation.
In the sprints, Smith added McMinville native Marcus Benton and Arvada, Colo., native Travis Anderson. Benton took second at the state meet in the 200 with a personal best of 21.64 but can also run the 100 and 400. He currently ranks third in the state in both the 200 and 400.
Anderson took the Colorado state 400 championship in 2000 but missed last season’s state meet. He still finished fifth in the nation last spring with a personal best of 47.09 in the 400.
“By the end of the outdoor season, three from the entire recruiting class could end up in the 46-second range in the 400,” Smith said. “That helps us immensely, both sprint-wise and in the relays.”
The mix of local and national talent in this season’s recruiting class means some current team members are getting excited.
“Next year, the recruiting class is probably better than the one I came in on, which was considered a No. 1,” pole vaulter Trevor Woods said.

Multi-meet madness
If you’re trying to build a postcard collection, you might want to befriend some track and field athletes.
In another weekend of insanity, a handful of Ducks will be at different venues competing in a variety of events. Some athletes will head to Stanford, Calif., for the Cardinal Invite, while others will head to Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio State-hosted Jesse Owens Track Classic.
Hold on to your plane tickets.

Who’s got the power?
The track gurus at www.track-power.org haven’t caught on that John Stiegeler and others from the Ducks’ track team are injured, so the simulated dual meets offered by the site are technically inaccurate. But we still love them.
So that’s why this week, we’ll simulate some meets between Oregon and other teams competing in the Cardinal Invitational.
From last week’s simulated action, you know the Ducks would take out the Cardinal without dropping a point. But pit Oregon against Brigham Young, and the Cougars would edge the Ducks 101-99. Oregon would also lose a nail-biter to Texas, 105-92.
But the Ducks could have success against some of the other teams at the Stanford meet. North Carolina State would go down to Oregon 140-0, as would Arkansas. Weber State would fall 105-96, and Minnesota and Wisconsin would also lose by less than 10 points.
Who knew computers could be such fun?

Invite to the Twilight
The Oregon track and field team wants you.
But before you get too excited, know that you have to be a coach, and you can’t nominate yourself. The athletic department is currently taking nominations for athletes in several events for the Oregon Twilight on Saturday, May 11. Coaches can go to www.goducks.com for details.
The Twilight is Oregon’s only remaining home meet.