Ten Oregon athletes will compete in the 2005 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., today and Saturday. Sophomore pole vaulter Tommy Skipper leads nine men and one woman in the event hosted by the University of Arkansas.
Skipper, the 2004 NCAA runner-up, has posted the highest collegiate indoor mark of the year (18-6 3/4) and is the favorite entering the event. Junior Jon Derby enters the competition with the NCAA’s 14th-ranked mark (17-6 1/2).
In the 400 meter, junior Matt Scherer (45.95 seconds) and senior Kedar Inico (46.41) have the nation’s second and 12th best time, respectively, and both look to medal.
Also competing for an NCAA gold is senior long jumper Leonidas Watson. The St. Louis native is ranked second with his season-best jump of 25-11.
In the 60 meter hurdles, junior Eric Mitchum heads into the meet with the season’s fifth best time, 7.74 seconds.
Competing in the 3,000-meter event is senior Eric Logsdon. The Canby, Ore., native is ranked ninth in the event (7:54.29) and is only six seconds behind the leading entry.
Representing the women, senior cross country All-American Laura Harmon will be running in the 5,000 meter. Harmon’s time of 16:18.56 has her seeded 15th.
Also competing for the Ducks are junior Ryan Voge in the heptathlon and the men’s 4×400 meter relay team, which has Travis Anderson, Inico, A.K. Ikwuakor and Scherer.