Hayward Field stands alone as the most iconic venue in American track and field history. It’s the home of one of the nation’s most successful programs, regularly plays host to national and international championships and serves as the symbolic home of the sport in TrackTown USA.
But its history stretches back over a century, getting its start as a football stadium until it was renovated into the Hayward Field it is today. It’s time to break down what Hayward Field is, has been and will become.
The history
Hayward Field has stood on Oregon’s campus since 1919, and it’s only grown in stature since then. It hosted its first NCAA Championship in 1962, and has hosted the tournament on 14 occasions since 1962. The nation runs, literally, through Eugene.
The Ducks have dominated here, too. The men of Oregon won back-to-back national titles in 2014 and 2015, led by distance runner Edward Cheserek and hurdler Devon Allen. The women of Oregon haven’t found success on the national stage since 2017, but have dominated the conference scene after winning a three-peat of Pac-12 titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
A renovation aimed at “creat[ing] a ‘theater’ for track and field” commenced in 2018, and its completion in 2020 occurred one year after the century mark of its existence. The new structure, based on a desire for exceptional acoustics and an intimate atmosphere, has already hosted several national and international events, including the U.S. OIympic Team Trials in 2020, as well as the USA Track & Field Championships and the World Athletic Championships in 2022.
The present
It’s become a facility for all ages. In the past year alone, Hayward Field has played host to the Oregon Relays, one of the state’s high school championship meets, and the Eugene Marathon. Runners finished the half and full marathons on the track last month, entering along Agate Street and taking the final 200m alongside the grandstands.
It’s an unmistakable landmark — the torch that anchors the northeast corner of the facility is visible across the campus, and students spend sunny afternoons in the shadow of the stadium’s arching roof. It’s as much a part of the land as Autzen Stadium or Matthew Knight Arena: a modern-day beacon of speed and endurance.
The future
Hayward Field is set to host the NCAA Championships for the 15th time this June, followed by the U.S. Olympic Trials later that month. Eugene will become the center of American track and field once again — and fans will be able to watch the nation’s best athletes compete in a world-class facility.
UO is undoubtedly the center of the sport for collegiate athletics, too. It boasts a pull that the best recruits have to acknowledge. The Ducks are expected to compete every year for the national championship, and a simple walk through Hayward Hall delivers on that promise — the rows of accolades stretch the length of the museum.
Opposite the public viewing area is the athletes’ training facility. It’s visible through the windows that open onto the recreational playing fields west of the stadium, but inside, it’s a haven for the students who ply their trade in Eugene. Included, too, is the university’s Department of Human Physiology, where Oregon’s best can work alongside the student-athletes whom their work benefits.
A running memorandum for the fans
Included in the stadium’s renovation was the creation of a museum in the belly of the facility. Open to the public four days a week, Hayward Hall houses the program’s trophies and exhibits that illustrate the iconic history of the ground.
Its entrance at the intersection of East 15th Avenue and Agate Street is framed by the names of the donors who fully funded the reconstruction. A walk through the hall is a stride through history: exhibits featuring former head coach Bill Bowerman’s innovations and Duck athletes’ achievements lie opposite NCAA Championship trophies and Olympic mementos within touching distance of visitors.
The front row of seats sits just feet from the outside lane, too. It’s all in service of bringing fans as close to the action as possible — and with all the action coming to Eugene, there’s no better place to see it.
