Sports Editor
Peter Hockaday
peterfiockaday@dailyemerald.com
-Oregon Daily Emerald
Sports
Best bet
NBA Playoffs:
Sacramento at Dallas, Game 5
4 p.m., TNT
Tuesday, May 13,2003
Adam Amato Emerald
The Oregon Club running team has grown recently, as 10 members have stuck with the squad this season.
Running
reloaded
The future of the Oregon Club
running team looks bright after a
lack of participation in recent years
Jon Roetman
Freelance Sports Reporter
The Oregon Club running team is
laying the foundation for what could
possibly be a popular and successful
club sport for years to come.
After several years with minimal par
ticipation, the Ducks got back on track
this year, boasting 10 consistent mem
bers who have participated in races
around Eugene and Corvallis.
With next year’s travel plans reach
ing outside the state of Oregon, and the
possibility of women’s track and field
head coach Tom Heinonen taking over
coaching duties, the Ducks plan to con
tinue building the recently re-estab
lished club.
“(A re-vamped running club) would
be a great asset to the city of Eugene,”
club coordinator Richie Carpenter said.
Heinonen, who is in his 27th and fi
nal season coaching Oregon women’s
track and field, has expressed interest
in becoming the head coach of the run
ning club if current head coach Mike
Manley decides not to return.
“My intention is to coach the group,”
Heinonen said. “I’m interested and ea
ger to help if they want me to.”
Would the Ducks be interested in
Heinonen’s services?
“It would be an honor,” Carpenter
said of the idea. “Tom Heinonen has an
outstanding record of producing out
standing runners.”
Carpenter, a sophomore, took over
coordinator duties this year in an at
tempt to breathe life into Oregon’s club
version of one of Eugene’s most popular
sports. He pointed to the fear of rejec
tion as one of the main reasons why
athletes wavered from joining the club
in years past and why more haven’t
joined this year.
“People are too intimidated to come
run with us,” Carpenter said. “Eugene
is a pretty prestigious running town.
People think automatically that if it’s
a club, everyone is good and people
are scared.
“We’re probably the opposite of what
everyone thinks.”
Carpenter said the Duck roster
contains athletes ranging from those
good enough to compete for a spot on
the Oregon track and field team to
those who are just looking to get back
into shape.
The Ducks have experienced success
in several races this season, including
Run For the Health of It, held last
Wednesday at Alton Baker Park, where
Meriel Hartling finished first among fe
male athletes. The Ducks also finished
second in their age group in the Oregon
Marathon Relay on April 19. The com
bination of Miranda Vorres, Matthew
Bauman, Julie Ravet, Carpenter and
Turn to Running, page 10
Heinonen aide
loses position
on next year’s
Duck squad
Lance Deal will take over the throws
for the merged track teams next season
Women’s track and field
Jesse Thomas
Sports Reporter
It’s been nearly two decades since assistant throws
coach Sally Harmon stepped on the scene.
The Springfield High graduate has long been a pres
ence at Oregon, from her own national title in 1981 to
coaching three others to the top of the nation.
But after 18 years, Harmon’s ledger wasn’t enough
to make the cut as next season’s throws coach, while
the men’s and women’s squads will merge.
Oregon men’s head coach Martin Smith, who will
coach the merged program next season, announced
on Thursday that assistant men’s coach Lance Deal
will take over the men and women on next year’s
throwing squads.
“The programs combined, the staff did not,” Har
mon told The Register-Guard on Friday. “I think the
writing has been on the wall for a long time. I am re
lieved this process has had closure and the decision
has been made.”
Turn to Track, page 10
Mark McCambridge Emerald
Arizona pitcher Alicia Hollowell led her team with a 0.63 earned run average.
The Wildcats earned the top overall seed in this month's NCAA Championships.
Pac-10 dominates
NCAA Regionals
with eight teams
Oregon is one of two Rac-10 schools to earn a No. 3
seed in regionals; while three earn No. 1 seeds, two
schools draw No. 2 seeds and Oregon State rounds
out the conference with a No. 6 seed
Softball notes
Mindi Rice
Sports Reporter
In the NCAA Regionals field of 64, there are eight
No. 1 seeds.
Three of those are Pacific-10 Conference schools.
Arizona, UCLA and Washington all earned regional No. 1
seeds, while Oregon earned a No. 3 seed in the regional
hosted by California State-Fullerton.
“We are extremely pleased with our selection,” Duck
head coach Kathy Arendsen said. “We don’t have to travel
across the country, which gives the families and other Duck
fans an opportunity to come watch us.”
Arizona was given the overall No. 1 seed, earning home
field advantage with a regional at Hillenbrand Stadium. The
Wildcats will host No. 2-seed South Carolina, No. 3 Texas
A&M, No. 4 Minnesota, Cal State-Northridge, Boston Col
lege, Princeton and Colorado State.
UCLA earned the No. 2 overall seed. The Bruins travel to
Fresno, Calif., as the No. 1 seed at that regional.
Joining the Bruins in Fresno are No. 2-seed Georgia, No. 3
Michigan State, host and No. 4 Fresno State, Long Beach
Turn to Softball, page 10