For Oregon track and field the focus at the 2016 MPSF Championships is to use the meet as a last chance to qualify athletes for the NCAAs. Thus many of the usual Duck competitors who have already punched their tickets were sitting out. Despite that, Oregon was able to get off to a hot start on day one at the Dempsey Indoor in Seattle Friday night.
The Duck women have 32 points and are in first place with six events scored, while the men have 23 points and are in third place with five events scored.
BYU (33 points) leads the men’s competition while California (25) is second. Arizona State (23) and USC (23) trail the Duck women.
The most impressive showing for Oregon was in the women’s 200. Freshman Deajah Stevens led the way by finishing in 23.14 for first place. That time beat the MPSF meet record of 23.40 set in 2002 by Brianna Glenn as well as the Dempsey Indoor record. Teammates Hannah Cunliffe took second (23.24) and Ariana Washington placed fourth (23.43).
The men’s distance medley relay was able to win the event despite running without star junior Edward Cheserek. Blake Haney, Ben Thiel, Grant Grosvenor and Sam Prakel finished in 9:29.89, beating out second place California and third place BYU.
The men are four events into the heptathlon. Junior Mitch Modin finished the day as the high-scoring Duck with 3225 points — second place. Teammates Joe Delgado and Blake Kemp are in 11th and 12th respectively.
Oregon junior Brittany Mann took second in the women’s weight throw after her third toss of the event went for 64-08.00. Maggie Ewen, an Arizona State sophomore, won the event with a throw of 66-07.75.
In the men’s weight throw Oregon senior Greg Skipper was able to win. His best throw was his first of the night, which went 72-06.50.
Duck sophomore Travonn White placed sixth in the men’s long jump with a mark of 23-08.75.
Oregon’s Maggie Schmaedick finished just outside of scoring position at ninth in the women’s 5000 after crossing the line in 16:43.87.
Click here for a complete list of results.
Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur