It sounds like a Week of Welcome campus tour — a junior leading four freshmen — but this pack is actually the No. 13 ranked Oregon men’s cross country team. And junior All-American Jason Hartmann is ready to lead the men’s charge.
Last Wednesday at Pier Park in Portland, the “B” unit ran to wins against Portland’s “B” unit and Portland State, and now the top stars want to show their speed. Along with Hartmann, freshmen Ryan Andrus, Seth Pilkington, Brett Holts and Eric Logsdon will probably be the top five runners for the Ducks when they travel to the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota on Saturday.
Pilkington and Holts are fresh out of the prep ranks and looking to make an immediate impact at the collegiate level. Last year Holts ran for Bend High School and Pilkington for Roy High in Utah. Logsdon, who redshirted to utilize an extra year of eligibility, captured state and national titles in the 3,000 meters and competed in a few track and field events in the area last spring. Andrus transferred from Wisconsin, where he ran under Martin Smith, now Oregon’s head coach. Andrus then took a two-year religious mission in Mexico and came to Eugene in late December.
Hartmann said he hopes this season to personally improve on all his performances from last year, which included runner-up finishes at the Pacific-10 Championships and the Western Regional.
This summer, Hartmann trained in Eugene as well as in his home town of Rockford, Mich. He keeps a level head about the season and how it may progress.

“I’m sure there will be guys that run really well, and there’ll be guys that don’t run up to par, but that’s just racing,” he said.
Hartmann said he can’t wait to get moving in the team’s first race this weekend.
“We’re all excited to see what kind of shape we’re in and ready to run,” he said.

Struyk likely to be

ready this weekend
The women’s cross country team has one race under its belt and knows what needs to be done in order to achieve its goal of going to the National Championships.
“Things are going to have to come together perfectly,” junior Carrie Zografos said.
Redshirt sophomore Tara Struyk, who is recovering from an injured calf, said that in order for the team to make it to nationals, the entire team needs to be healthy.
Struyk’s leg, which she says is “on the mend,” should be ready for Saturday’s run.
In terms of chemistry, both teams are working well together. Zografos said that during races and away from the course, the team members help each other out.
“It’s good to have somebody you know close by in the mess of runners,” she said. “Lots of us are at the same level of fitness right now.”
Chris Cabot is a sports reporter for the Oregon Daily Emerald. He can be reached at [email protected].