One of the last vestiges of the old-fashioned style of intercollegiate cross country is the conference championship race.
On a day when most NCAA Division I sports are moving towards BCS standings and postseason tournaments, the sport of cross country holds on to the traditions of years past.
The championship has little effect on the postseason. While small in comparison to high-caliber meets, the conference championships offer the Pacific-10 Conference schools a low-key meet prior to the ever-important Western Regional Meet two weeks later.
The meet also is a chance to garner bragging rights in the running world on the west coast. Rivalries between Oregon, Stanford and other Pac-10 powerhouses are rekindled there every year.
The No. 13 Ducks come into this season’s conference championship in Seattle ranked third in the Pac-10.
“The conference meet doesn’t have much standing as far as the NCAA meet, but it’s a meet where teams want to do well,” head coach Martin Smith said. “Momentum on a season depends on how well you do throughout the season and you want to keep doing well.”
If Smith’s team is to pull an upset and win the Pac-10 title, it must unseat perennial powerhouse Stanford and Arizona, the conference’s defending champion.
Leading the Oregon pack are sophomore Jason Hartmann and senior Michael Kasahun. The duo has been impressive in both Oregon meets this season, placing in the top echelon of runners at the Roy Griak Invitational and the Pre-NCAA meet.
At the Pre-NCAA meet in Ames, Iowa, Hartmann and Kasahun finished fifth and sixth among Pac-10 runners while placing 30th and 36th, respectively.
The two will have plenty of competition despite the small field. The top returning Pac-10 runner is Stanford’s Thomas Murley, who placed second at the Pre-NCAA meet. The Cardinal also features two Olympians in Gabe Jennings and Michael Stember.
Other competition includes Arizona’s Mike Cramer, Arizona State’s Garrett Jensen and California’s Bolota Asmeron.
Also expected to run this weekend is junior Adam Bergquist, who has settled into Oregon’s No. 3 spot after sitting out last year. Senior Sam Hill, who has experience in championship races and placed 32nd at last year’s conference meet, is also entered.
Stanford comes into the meet ranked third in the nation. No. 10 Arizona is also a contender.
The rest of Oregon’s entrants are freshmen, making the Duck lineup one of the youngest in school history.
Brett Holts has been the biggest surprise so far. The Bend native won the Bearcat Open earlier this season and has competed with fellow freshman John Lucas for the No. 4 spot on the team. Lucas has also been a pleasant surprise, placing 66th at the Roy Griak Invitational and 122nd at the Pre-NCAA meet.
Blue-chip recruit Noel Paulson rounds out the Oregon contingent.
“This team is very young,” Smith said. “They’re doing a nice job and continuing to make steady improvements.”
The conference championships will take place at Lincoln Park in Seattle, close to the Washington campus. The men’s 10,000-meter race begins at 12:15 p.m.