Adam Jones Emerald
Jason Hartmann is one of a handful of Ducks favored to win their events this weekend. Hartmann is ranked fourth in the 10,000.
Men’s
continued from page 9
State and Southern California are
perennially in the hunt for the
conference crown.
“We’re going to need all 24 ath
letes to step up,” Oregon head
coach Martin Smith said.
But Smith also said that the indi
vidual aspect of the conference
championships could inherently
help in the team race.
“I don’t think in terms of winning
or losing the meet,” Smith said. “I
just focus on preparing the athletes
and putting every athlete in the best
possible position to win.”
The Ducks will rely heavily on its
handful of stars to score points at
the conference meet. Kimata, who
leads the conference in the 800,
will join with Micah Harris (110
hurdles), Brandon Holliday (400
hurdles), Jason Hartmann (10,000),
Adam Kriz (hammer) and Trevor
Woods (pole vault) as favorites or
at least strong contenders to win
their events.
That leaves athletes like Samie
Parker in the 100, Jason Boness and
Kyley Johnson in the high jump and
Foluso Akinradewo in the triple
“I don’tthinkin terms of
winning or losing the meet.
I just focus on preparing the
athletes and putting every
athlete in the best possible
position to win.”
Martin Smith
Oregon head coach
jump, athletes that are on the verge
of breaking out for big performanc
es. Boness is a former Pac-10 cham
pion and school record-holder, but
has been plagued by injuries this
year. Parker, a football player, has
been steadily improving his time in
the 100 since joining the track
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squad full-time.
For some of those fringe athletes,
the Pac-lOs are likely their last meet
of the season. While strong fields
can lead to NCAA qualifying marks,
the tactical nature of the meet can
force those marks down.
“It can act as another meet to
qualify for NC’s,” Smith said. “But
we’re not thinking about the
NCAAs this weekend. ”
“I know for sure that time doesn’t
matter in Pac-lOs, it’s more tacti
cal,” Kimatasaid.
So while it will be tough for the
athletes to score for the postseason,
they can still score for their team.
Which will paramount this week
end if the Ducks are to complete the
“year of the Duck. ”
“It’s going to take everybody,”
Harris said. “Everybody’s got to be
at their best. Every one of us has to
rise on that day to win. Everyone.”
E-mail sports reporter Peter Hockaday
atpeterhockaday@dailyemerald.com.
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Women’s
continued from page 9
But that doesn’t mean the Ducks won’t stand a chance, at least in
individual events.
Junior Amanda Brown, the last Oregon athlete to qualify for the
championship when she won the Oregon Twilight on May 11 in the
long jump, will start off the day for the Ducks and participates in the
first event on Saturday.
“I’m just happy I’m going,” she said. “I didn’t really think I would be
going, but I just pulled it through.”
Following Brown in the field events, Oregon’s javelin, pole vault and
discus entrants will get a chance to show off their ability.
If there is a group that could bolt the Ducks to the top, the Oregon
javelin foursome would be it. Sophomore Sarah Malone, last season’s
second-place finisher, has already targeted USC’s Inga Strasiulionyte
as the woman to beat.
“If I can beat her at Pac-lOs, then maybe I can psyche her out a little
bit for nationals,” Malone said. “A conference championship would be
awesome. I missed out on it last year.”
But don’t count out Oregon’s pole vaulting squad. Sophomore
Kirsten Riley and junior Becky Holliday enter the championships
ranked in the top 10 in the conference, with Holliday as high as fourth.
Closing out the top competitors in the field, Sauvage, junior Mary Et
ter and freshman Katie McKeever will round out Oregon’s field events.
Etter will compete in both the shot put and discus, with Sauvage in the
hammer and McKeever in the discus.
“I’m looking forward to Pac-lOs,” Etter said. “It’s going to be a fun
meet. The discus is like top in the nation in the Pac-10 so I’m excited.”
Then come the Duck runners. An unheralded group, they could sur
prise some people in Pullman.
Junior Eri Macdonald, one of Oregon’s top runners this season, en:
ters the Pac-lOs with the nation’s 17th-best mark in the 800. When ad
justed against conference opponents, she drops down to sixth.
Senior Jenny Kenyon returns to Pullman after finishing fifth in the
heptathlon last week, and will compete in the 100 hurdles. Freshman
Laura Harmon and junior Janette Davis will compete in the 1500 and
400, respectively, while senior Carrie Zografos takes her school record
in the steeplechase to the championships.
Overall, the Ducks are hungry for a top finish at the final team meet of
the season. Pullman, which will also help host the University of Ida
ho’s graduation — less than 10 miles away — will be a busy place. But
the Ducks are ready and willing to focus on the task at hand.
“Pullman is a small town, but it will be hectic there,” Heinonen said.
“It’s going to be really busy for a town of Pullman’s size, but we’re ready
for that.”
E-mail sports reporter Hank Hager at hankhager@dailyemerald.com.
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