There’s a new layer of rubber around the Hayward Field oval and a fresh coat of paint on the stands. Wake up Eugene, it’s track and field time.
The Oregon men’s track and field team takes to the outdoors for the first time this season on Saturday at Hayward Field for the Oregon Preview.
Field events get under way at 11:40 a.m. Saturday, followed by the first running event at 12:30 p.m.
“We’re excited to get started,” head coach Martin Smith said. “I was real pleased with our indoor season, and we want to keep that momentum into outdoors.”
Nine junior college teams as well as several unattached athletes will be on hand for the non-scoring meet, which is Oregon’s only exhibition meet of the season. The Preview is the first of 13 meets this season and five at Hayward Field.
Junior Jason Boness leads the Ducks into action. Fresh off an All-American performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships last Saturday, Boness is the favorite to win the high jump.
A year ago, Boness leapt seven feet, one-quarter inch in his first competition as a Duck. The jump won the Preview and earned him a spot in the Oregon record books. Boness went on to jump 7-5 at the Pacific-10 Conference Championships for the school record.
Fans and coaches will be anticipating the outdoor debut of redshirt freshman Jason Hartmann in the 3,000 meters. The two-time cross country All-American forewent the 2000 outdoor season and is coming off an extremely successful indoor season.
“I’m excited for outdoors because I didn’t compete as a freshman,” Hartmann said. “Indoors gave me an idea of where I was at and gave me some confidence.”
The 3,000 meters will be run in place of the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in the distances.
Because the decathlon will not be contested, Oregon’s multi-events crew will get a chance to compete in several different combined events across the board. Junior All-American Santiago Lorenzo leads the decathletes and will focus on the javelin, 400 meters and 1,500 meters.
Junior Billy Pappas and sophomores Doug Sells and Jason Slye will also compete at the Preview.
The Ducks also look to continue meet dominance in the throwing events. The Ducks swept the shot put, discus and javelin last year and could do so again with seniors Rian Ingram and Ryan Keith, junior John Bello, and sophomores John Steigler, Nike Bakke, Adam Kriz and James March as possible contenders across the board.
Sophomore football player Samie Parker made his track and field debut at last year’s Preview in stunning fashion, placing second in the 100 meters in a time of 10.61 seconds, one of the fastest times by a freshman in school history. The wide receiver is entered in the 100 and 200 meters and may run a leg of the 4×100 relay.
Many of Oregon’s freshmen will compete unattached this weekend until it is determined whether or not they will redshirt.