At Oregon, the Duck football team gets much attention with top national rankings and a 22-game home winning streak, but other nationally-ranked teams reside elsewhere on campus.
The cross country harriers are one such group.
The Oregon women will be running for their 25th national championship appearance under the guidance of head coach Tom Heinonen. On the men’s side, five returning runners achieved top-25 times at last year’s Pacific-10 Conference Championships.
Jason Hartmann, the Ducks’ top star, achieved runner-up honors at the Pac-10s and the Western Regionals last year. Hartmann, a two-time All-American junior from Rockford, Mich., finished 35th at the NCAA Championships held at Iowa State last season.
During his first season, Hartmann led all the freshmen at the Western Regionals and the Pac-10s, earning him the Pac-10 Men’s Cross Country Newcomer of the Year Award. He has also received All-American honors in track and field for his efforts in the 10,000 meters.
Along with Hartmann, the men of the Duck harrier squad include redshirt senior Adam Bergquist, who finished third in every race last season for the Ducks, and sophomore John Lucas, who ran for an 18th-place finish at the Pac-10s. Brett Holts and Noel Paulson will also return for the Ducks and should be among the team’s top runners.
Freshmen Seth Pilkington and Erik Heinonen could make an immediate impact for the Ducks. At the 2000 Foot Locker Championships, Pilkington finished fifth while Heinonen, a South Eugene High graduate and son of the long-time women’s coach, was a place behind. The former Axeman finished first in the 10,000 meters with a time of 31:26.05.
Two-time NCAA Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year Martin Smith returns for his third season with the Ducks. Before coming to Eugene, Smith coached Wisconsin to nine top-five NCAA finishes and two national titles during his 17-year tenure.
For the female harriers, Erinn Gulbrandsen, Laura Harmon, Carrie Zografos and Tara Struyk, who is coming off a redshirt season due to injury, all could play a large part in the success of this year’s team.
Eri Macdonald scored in every race last year, but she is questionable to run this fall after suffering a stress fracture to her fibula last spring. According to Heinonen, the fracture “severely limited” her training this summer.
Heinonen is optimistic about the return of Struyk, who was a top-three scorer in every race her freshman year.
“Our first goal is for her simply to have a complete season. Our second goal is to maximize her presence,” Heinonen said. “We need her talent on our team.”
The women will be helped by a group of new members, led by Sara Schaaf of Klamath. Schaaf placed first in the state in the 800 with a time of 2:13.38. Rachelle Miller from Bend and Haripurkh Khalsa from Miripiri Academy in Alistair, India, will run as freshmen for the Ducks.
Magdalena Sandoval comes to Eugene as a transfer from Rice University. Sandoval is a top prospect for the team, but this summer she suffered from mononucleosis, which may force her to redshirt the season.
Because the team graduated its top three runners from last year, Heinonen said he needs his team of young runners to step up.
“We are relying on people to fill roles they have never filled before,” he said.
Before the Sept. 29 Roy Griak Invite in St. Paul, Minn., the Ducks have two in-state meets in Portland.
After the dust had settled at the end of last fall’s season, the men stood in 20th in the country, while the women were ranked 22nd. Under the guidance of Heinonen and Smith, the Ducks could be competing with the likes of Colorado and Arkansas for the national championship this season.
So, watch Joey and his boys pound away on the gridiron, but remember to check back in on the harriers as they run for roses of their own.