A young team with ageless ambition has set out to restore the once-dominant running history of Oregon’s legendary distance program.
The Ducks’ cross country teams are oozing with raw talent. Oregon has recruited some of the top running freshmen from Montana and Iowa, added a new coaching staff and returned numerous challengers. These three factors have combined to make the Ducks a new threat in the Pacific-10 Conference and in the nation on both the men’s and women’s sides.
“A lot of the enthusiasm at U of O is built on its traditions,” first-year head coach Vin Lananna said. “I hope to reconnect with that past enthusiasm. The wonderful men’s track and field team generated a lot of enthusiasm last spring by winning the outdoor Pac-10 Championship. We hope the same energy will carry over into fall.”
Lananna, 52, was hired in July to take over the head-coaching position after both Martin Smith and Marnie Mason decided to leave. His coaching career dates back to 1975, but he is best known for his 11-year coaching position at Stanford. Throughout Lananna’s career he has earned five NCAA Coach of the Year awards.
“I expect all of my runners to come out as leaders on both teams,” Lananna said. “They all have leadership traits, and I hope to pool those resources.”
Galen Rupp and Chris Winter were two of track and field’s freshmen leaders who brought livelihood back to Hayward Field’s distance program.
“I have really high expectations for this year,” Winter said. “We are a young team, but what we lack in experience, we make up for in ability.”
Winter, who ran as the fourth and fifth position last year, has the potential to move up to the second or third runner on the team as he gains more experience. Over the summer Winter ran in the Junior Pan American Championships for Canada. He placed third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8 minutes, 58 seconds.
Top prep recruit Jon Thomas, out of Des Moines, Iowa, has been training throughout the summer to make a top seven position.
“I’m really looking forward to working with Vin,” Thomas said. “I think he is one of the best coaches in the NCAA. This season I hope to run under 24 minutes for an 8K and under 31 for the 10K.”
Thomas, who considers himself a versatile and durable athlete, has never gotten hurt. He was ranked the fourth-fastest high-school distance runner in Iowa. Thomas is just one of the many accomplished freshmen to look for this season.
Zoe Nelson is another top prep runner and one of the nation’s top distance women. Nelson, out of Kalispell, Mont., went to the Foot Locker National Cross Country Championship all four years of high school, and won the event her sophomore year with a time of 17:30. With Oregon Alumni as parents, Nelson spent a lot of time in Eugene prior to joining the team.
“I wanted to come to Oregon because of its impressive running history and amazing coaching staff,” Nelson said. “I really want to be a valuable team member this season and someone my teammates can depend on.”
While the cross country program comprises mostly newcomers, there are still a few veteran leaders finishing out their final seasons. One such leader is redshirt senior Sara Schaaf.
“I think as a team our goal is to unite and bring the UO women up a level,” Schaaf said. “We have a lot of potential with all the incoming talent. We are all looking forward to working with Vin. I think he’s going to bring in the best runners and prescribe the best training for us.”