Emerald
Editor in chief: Laura Cadiz
Sports Editor: Tim Pyle
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College Football
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Kent discloses Duck recruiting class
Ernie Kent is
’more than happy
with the three
prep standouts
he has signed
and is still
looking to add a
tourth
By Tim Pyle
Oregon Daily Emerald
Two weeks after signing a new four-year contract
himself, Oregon men’s basketball head coach Ernie
Kent revealed his newest crop of signees Wednes
day at the Casanova Center on national signing day.
Kent’s fall class consists of three high school seniors
who have already enjoyed spectacular prep careers.
Forward Luke Jackson of Creswell, perhaps the
prize of the class, was Oregon’s 3 A player of the year
and an all-state selection last season while averag
ing more than 23 points, 11 rebounds and four as
sists per game. The 6-foot-7,210-pound Jackson was
also named one of the top players on the West Coast
as a second-team “Fab 15” pick by the Orange Coun
ty Register.
Guard James Davis of Vancouver, Wash., poured
in more than 21 points per game in leading Ever
green High School to a 25-1 record and third-place
finish at state. Davis, listed at 5-10, was a third-team
selection on the “Fab 15” list after
shooting 42 percent from three
point range and better than 90 per
cent from the free-throw line.
Center Jay Anderson of Farib
ault, Minn., averaged more than 18
points and 10 rebounds for his
high school team and 20 points
and 11 rebounds for his Minnesota
Select team. The 6-9,220-pound Anderson also shot
almost 49 percent from the field and was an all-con
ference selection last season.
“The next step for our basketball program was to
close the continuity gap,” Kent said, “and in order to
do that we needed some very good young players to
come in this program that can grow with us over the
UO Recruiting Class
James Davis
5- 10 guard from Vancouver, Wash.
Luke Jackson
6- 7,210-pound forward from Creswell
Jay Anderson
6-9,220-pound center from Faribault, Minn.
course of the next four years and give us that stability
year-in, year-out where we’re gonna be able to build
and put a great team on that floor.
“And we feel like we have done that now with the
addition of these three young men.”
The Ducks have one available scholarship re
Turn to Basketball, Page 16A
Scott Barnett Emerald
Freshman Amy Nickerson of Coquille has finished first among Oregon runners in every meet she has competed in this fall.
■ Despite nagging injuries, freshman Amy Nickerson
has already shown the signs of a champion
By Jeff smith
Oregon Daily Emerald
The starting gun shoots off
and the usual fast starters
jump out ahead to set the
pace.
But she is nowhere to be
found.
At the midway point of the
5,000-meter race, some of
those fast starters are settling
into the middle of the pack,
where she is waiting — pa
tiently — to make her move.
The running ensues, and it
is fiot until the final mile of
the cross country meet that
you first begin to notice Amy
Nickerson.
You notice the composure.
You notice her easy stride.
You notice her eye-catch
ing dyed-blonde hair.
But most of all, you notice
that the Oregon freshman is
in the front — exactly where
she is accustomed to being.
In just a few short months,
the 11-time state champion
from Coquille High School
has come to Eugene and
made an immediate impact
on the Oregon women’s
cross country team, as well
as on her teammates and
coach.
Of the three races that
she’s run in, Nickerson has
been the highest Duck finish
er every time. She was also
the overall individual finish
er in the Clackamas Open on
Sept. 25, taking the title in
her Duck debut.
“I was really surprised
with winning that race,”
Nickerson said. “I didn’t ex
pect to, but it was a great way
to start the season. Wearing
the Oregon uniform for the
first time felt great. I just,
went into that race with no
pressure.”
Someone who was not sur
prised with Nickerson’s per
formance was junior Katie
Crabb, who Nickerson stayed
with on her recruiting trip a
year ago. Crabb realized back
then how fortunate Oregon
would be to get Nickerson
and now seems to have run
out of adjectives to describe
her:
“Her composure is unlike
any freshman,” Crabb said.
“She asserts herself quietly,
but her presence is always
known. She’s the kind of per
son who you can instantly
bond with. She’s gracious,
humble and has a great com
passion for others.”
Crabb, who has been side
lined most of the season with
an Achilles injury, has been
energized and motivated
with the running of her
freshman teammate.
“She has really kept me
going this fall,” Crabb said.
“When you know you have a
strong runner like Amy out
there, it drives me to join her.
I can’t reiterate how much
she has meant for this team
and how excited we are to
have her.”
Nickerson sometimes can’t
believe she is actually here.
She hails from Coquille, and
if the name doesn’t ring a
bell, don’t worry. The popu
lation of Coquille is a mere
4,200, and, as Nickerson puts
it, “It’s a mile-long strip with
two grocery stores and a 7
Eleven.”
Running for a 3A school
Turn to Nickerson, Page 13A