PORTLAND — The top athletes in the country qualified for the U.S. National team during the USA Track & Field Championships Saturday evening at the Oregon Convention Center.

Former Duck Laura Roesler, who took second in the women’s 800, is looking forward to her first chance to run for the US since the junior championships.

“Its really cool,” Roesler said. “Yes this is a World Indoor team, its not as prestigious, but it is for someone who hasn’t made a senior team yet.”

The 800 was billed as a battle between Roesler and Ajee’ Wilson — who was able to claim the victory. Wilson got off to a quick start early.

Roesler was in the back after 200, but began to make moves. She closed the distance at the halfway point. Wilson continued to lead. At the bell Roesler was able to move into second place, holding off the rest of the field to secure the National team berth at the line. Wilson won in 2:00.87 and Roesler crossed in 2:02.44.

“I don’t want to make excuses,” Roesler said. “I don’t feel bad, just a little flat, little tired. I’m hoping that’s my body’s way of saving myself for next week.”

The event with the top billing going into the day’s action was the men’s 1500, which featured several former Ducks, including Matthew Centrowitz, Johnny Gregorek, Daniel Winn and Colby Alexander.

At the gun Centrowitz worked early to get into position near the front of the pack, settling behind Ben Blankenship. The first lap was slow, with few moves being made, as the pack was content to bunch.

“It was a super choppy race, about three or four times I felt myself getting tripped up,” Centrowitz said.

With three laps left the race broke open, as Centrowitz took control. At the bell Blankenship made one last push, but Centrowitz was able to respond and seemed to be in control. With about 100 meters to go Robby Andrews made a surge, taking the lead.

“Having him go by me — it was probably the first time someone has gone by me all year,” Centrowitz said. “I was happy with how I responded; it shows my strength right now.”

Centrowitz responded with 20 meters left in the race, taking it at the line in 3:44.33 as the crowd of 5244 roared in support. Andrews finished second in 3:44.40.

“It was just a matter of digging deep and looking past that finish line,” Centrowitz said.

In the women’s 60 meters Jenna Prandini was able to advance through the semis with little difficulty, finishing second in her heat with season-best-tying time of 7.22.

Between races she was able to watch her former teammates sweep the NCAA Indoor National Championships.

“Those girls fought till the very end,” Prandini said, “I am really proud of all of them.”

Prandini then returned to the track to run in the finals for the penultimate event. Running in lane three, she was a little slow out of the blocks. Fighting back, Prandini finished fourth with a time of 7.18 — her fastest of the season.

“My goal right now is to get some races in to get ready for outdoors,” Prandini said.

Barbara Pierre won in 7.00, the world leading time.

Arthur Delaney was unable to advance through the men’s 60 meters semis. He had a good start out of the blocks, but couldn’t find the second gear as he crossed in 6.72 for last in his heat.

American Record holder Phyllis Francis, who set the mark while running at Oregon, finished fourth in the women’s 400. Quanera Hayes won in 51.09.

The loudest cheer of the night was reserved for the youngest competitor. Vasthi Cunningham, the 18-year-old high school senior, dazzled in the women’s high jump. She won with a mark of 6-6.25, which is the US Junior Indoor record and the world leading height for any woman, regardless of age.

Click here for a complete list of results.

The athletes who finished in the top two, and had qualifying standards, will have the opportunity to represent the US in the World Indoor Championships, which will be held in the same location March 17-20.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

Oregon swept the NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, Saturday evening, marking the third time in a row the Duck men have come out on top and an improvement for the women after taking second last year.

The men clinched the race midway through the final day, winning with 62 points. Arkansas took second (39) and Tennessee finished third (34).

The women won with 53 points, edging Arkansas, who finished with 50. Georgia took third with 45.

Amidst the team celebrations, Edward Cheserek took his place on the track. The junior was preparing to compete in the men’s 3000-meters race, trying to complete the triple after winning both the 5000-meters and distance medley relay running as the anchor on March 11.

At the gun Cheserek settled into the middle of the pack, as Willy Fink of Eastern Michigan jumped out to the lead. Fink led through the first 1600 meters. Cheserek made his move with three laps to go, moving into first.

He was able to hold on for the win, crossing in 8:00.40. Sean McGorty of Stanford took second (8:01.55) while Syracuse freshman Justyn Knight finished third (8:01.85).

Cheserek is just the second male athlete to ever win the 3k, 5k and DMR, joining former Duck and Olympian Galen Rupp.

The Oregon men picked up 13 points from Blake Haney and Sam Prakel in the mile. It was a slow start to the race, with the runners passing the halfway mark at 2:11. UTEP freshman Jonah Koech and Virginia junior Henry Wynne battled early, each attempting to take control of the race.

Wynn eventually emerged victorious, winning with a time of 4:06.63. Haney took second (4:06.75) and Prakel finished fourth (4:07.06).

Sophomore Raevyn Rogers was also able to collect an individual win. She finished first in the women’s 800-meter race with a time of 2:04.68. Rogers made a move with 150 meters left to take control of the race.

Devon Allen continued to make a statement after returning from injury, turning in an impressive victory in the men’s 60-meter hurdles. Behind early, and after clipping several hurdles, he was able to power through the final strides for a close finish and personal record of 7.56.

In the women’s 60-meter hurdles, Sasha Wallace took second place in 7.91, while teammate Alaysha Johnson scored a point by finishing eighth.

Oregon’s Alli Cash scored two points in the women’s 3000-meters, finishing seventh.

Duck sophomore jumper Nate Moore had a good showing in the triple jump, claiming fifth with a best mark of 53 feet, 6.25 inches.

The Oregon women scored key points in the 60-meters. Sophomore Hannah Cunliffe took second (7.12) while junior Jasmine Todd finished fourth (7.19).

Oregon multi-event athlete Mitch Modin finished 11th in the heptathlon, outside of scoring position. He finished the competition with 5,509 points, 663 behind first place. Zach Ziemek of Wisconsin won with 6,173.

Click here for a complete list of results.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

PORTLAND — The USA Track & Field Indoor Championships got started Friday in Portland at the Oregon Convention Center, with several former Ducks posting strong performances.

The meet serves as a chance for the top U.S. athletes without an automatic qualifier to punch their tickets to the World Indoor Championships, which will be held in the same location on March 17-20. To make it one has to finish in the top two and meet the qualifying standard in his or her respective event.

The bizarre moment of the meet happened in the first heat of the women’s 800 preliminaries. In a race that featured former Oregon runner Laura Roesler, the officials had issues with the starting gun. The microphone was picking up feedback, so the athletes couldn’t tell when to go.

This led to three resets on the start, which frustrated both the runners and fans.

“Obviously we aren’t stupid, we know what a gun sounds like,” Roesler said. “We were hearing an echo.”

When the race finally began Roesler was able to settle into the middle of the pack, taking her time before jumping into the lead at the bell.

“I never underestimate anyone in a race, and I knew I had a really good heat,” Roesler said.

She was able to overcome the adversity and some pushing down the final straightaway to finish first, automatically moving on to the finals in 2:03.77 — the fastest time in prelims.

Ryan Hill was able to win the men’s 3,000 in 7:38.60. Eric Jenkins led the way for former Ducks, taking third in 7:41.19. Galen Rupp struggled in the race after coming off the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, placing eighth.

The “World’s Greatest Athlete” and decathlon world record holder Ashton Eaton finished sixth in the men’s long jump (24-11.25). Marquis Dendy won the event with a jump of 27-7.25, which is the longest mark in the world this year.

Eaton also competed in the men’s 60 meters prelims alongside fellow Duck alum Arthur Delaney. Eaton was slow out of the blocks, settling for 8th (6.80), while Delaney finished 6th (6.71). Delaney’s mark was good enough to qualify through to the semifinals.

Running in the first heat of the women’s 60 meters, Jenna Prandini was able to qualify through to the semifinals. She finished second at the line in her heat, and fourth overall with a time of 7.24.

“I was just playing it safe to make sure I made it through to tomorrow,” Prandini said.

The initial start was called back, although no false start was given.

“You just want to forget everything that’s happened,” Prandini said of having to begin again. “Reset and focus on that next start.”

Phyllis Francis was able to cruise to an easy victory in her heat of the women’s 400 prelims with a time of 52.53. Francis has the third best time going into the finals.

“It was cool. I did what I needed to do to qualify,” Francis said.

She received a warm reception from the crowd, many members of whom she recognized.

“I see a lot of them at Hayward always supporting me, showering me with love,” Francis said.

Mike Berry battled in his heat of the men’s 400, taking the lead at the halfway mark. Berry faded down the stretch, falling to a third place finish in 47.22. He just missed out on advancing to the finals.

Click here for a complete list of results.

The USATF Indoor Championships will conclude Saturday with the women’s 60-meter hurdles semifinals kicking things off at 2:30 p.m.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

Oregon got off to a good start the first day of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships Friday evening in Birmingham, Alabama, posting individual wins while advancing through the preliminaries.

The Duck men are in first place (25 points) with six events scored through day one. Washington is in second (18) and SE Louisiana third (15.50).

The Oregon women are currently in 20th with just two points after five events. Leading is Georgia (27), Arkansas (19) and Notre Dame (18).

The most impressive performance came via junior Edward Cheserek. He was able to win the men’s 5,000 with a time of 13:47.89 after pulling away with two laps to go.

Adding to the Ducks’ dominance in the distance events, Oregon was able to win the distance medley relay. With a team of freshman Matthew Maton, Ben Thiel, Grant Grosvenor and Cheserek, the Ducks were able to cross the line in 9:27.27 — good for the NCAA meet record.

The Oregon women’s DMR was able to finish in scoring position with seventh place, recording its only points in the team competition. The team consisting of Lilli Burdon, Ashante Horsley, Annie Leblanc and Ashley Maton crossed the line in 11:05.96.

Senior Greg Skipper turned in a surprise performance in the men’s weight throw. He outperformed expectations, launching it 73-11.75 for fourth place.

After four events in the men’s heptathlon, Oregon’s Mitch Modin finds himself in 12th with 3,131 points. He is 396 behind first, with three events (60 hurdles, pole vault and 1,000) scheduled for tomorrow.

Things went according to plan for Oregon in the prelims. Sam Prakel and Blake Haney advanced in the men’s mile, Devon Allen ran the fastest time in the men’s 60 hurdles, and the pair of Sasha Wallace and freshman Alaysha Johnson moved on in the women’s 60 hurdles. Johnson recorded a huge personal record with a time of 8.08. Allen also set a PR and school record in the hurdles after winning in 7.58.

In the women’s 60 meters prelims there was a surprise performance out of Oregon sophomore Hannah Cunliffe, who ran the fastest time of the day in 7.12, which is also her PR. That performance ties English Gardner’s school record and is the sixth fastest time in NCAA history. Teammate Jasmine Todd also advanced after winning her heat in 7.23.

In the women’s 800 Raevyn Rogers was the only Duck able to advance; the sophomore turned in the best time with 2:03.13. Senior Leblanc, who was on the bubble to qualify, was unable to break into the top eight.

In the women’s 200 prelims teammates, Hannah Cunliffe and Deajah Stevens had the second- and third-best times to punch their tickets to the finals. Stevens’ time of 22.98 was a PR.

The Duck men are searching for back-to-back indoor titles, while the women hope to improve on a second place finish last season, after five consecutive championships.

Click here for a complete list of results.

The NCAA Championships will conclude tomorrow, with the men’s heptathlon 60-meter hurdles slated to get things underway at noon.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

PORTLAND — Going into the men’s 3,000 at the USATF Indoor Championships, many thought Galen Rupp would be at a disadvantage. The former Duck had competed and won at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials just one month prior, setting up a tough double for the Nike Oregon Project star.

“You can’t take too much time off, ’cause you have to come race here,” Rupp said.

He was up against a loaded field, featuring some of the top distance runners in the country, at the Oregon Convention Center. The most decorated was Bernard Lagat. He is the American record holder in the 1,500 and mile indoors, as well as the 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 outdoors. Lagat has claimed thirteen medals in the World Championships and five gold medals in the Olympics.

Lopez Lomong has competed in two Olympics and has a personal best of 7:44.16 in the 3k.

Rounding out the field of former Oregon runners were Trevor Dunbar and Eric Jenkins. Jenkins won the NCAA Indoor title in this event last year after a duel against former training partner and Duck star Edward Cheserek.

Of course Rupp topped the field on paper, sporting the American record with a time of 7:30.16. When he was announced the crowd rose to its feet, roaring in approval while craning to snap a photo. By the time the race neared completion the focus had shifted away.

The initial start was called back, an unusual occurrence for a distance event, although no runner was disqualified. Moments later the gun went off without a hitch, and the runners jockeyed for position as they prepared for the 15-lap race on the 200-meter track.

Rupp settled into the middle of the pack early alongside Jenkins and Lagat as a pack of teammates sprinted out to the lead. Representing Bowerman Track Club, Lomong, Andy Bayer, Ryan Hill and Evan Jager controlled the pace.

“I look back and think about what if a college coach could have recruited all of us, it would have been so great,” Hill said. “It feels like an all-star team.”

The group looked the part in the race, working together to keep the pace high. They wanted to sprint out to the lead and force the rest of the field to keep up.

“I wasn’t ready for it to be a time trial; that was smart of them,” Jenkins said. “So I’ll just try to keep it in the back of my mind going forward.”

The front pack, led by the Bowerman crew, gapped the rest of the field by the 1,000 mark.

“There were so many good closers,” Hill said. “We didn’t want it to be an eight-minute race and go home disappointed.”

Jenkins, forced to change his tactic as he realized he wouldn’t be able to wait them out, fought to close the distance and regroup with the leaders. Lomong dropped out after leading for most of the way, allowing Jager to take over. The second pack began to move in.

On the final lap Hill moved into the front, running strong after slotting behind his teammates for most of the contest. Paul Chelimo pushed him in the final stretch, but Hill was able to hold on for the victory.

Hill won in 7:38.60 and Chelimo finished second in 7:39.00. Jenkins and Lagat battled for third, which Jenkins snagged at the line in 7:41.19.

“I was just in a bad place from the start,” Jenkins said. “I just didn’t quite have it to make the team this time.”

As for Rupp, he finished back in the pack, taking eighth in 7:48.34.

“Based on all the marathoners I know, they aren’t ready a month after,” Hill said. “So unfortunately we knew it was going to be really tough for him to be a factor, but the fact that he finished is pretty impressive.

“I have no regrets,” Rupp said.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

This weekend all eyes in the track world will be gazing upon Portland, as the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships will be held Friday and Saturday in the Oregon Convention Center.

The meet serves as a chance for the top US athletes without an automatic qualifier to make it on the National Team and participate in the World Indoor Championships that will also be held in Portland on March 17-20.

To advance through the meet one has to finish in the top-two and already have a qualifying standard in their respective event. Several former Ducks will be battling for a berth to the world competition.

Distance runner Galen Rupp will be joining a loaded men’s 3000 race. Adding to the difficulty is that the American record holder is coming off a victory in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, which was only a month ago. Rupp will have to fight through the fatigue to find a good time. Two of the athletes he will be competing against are fellow alums Eric Jenkins, who won the NCAA Indoor title in the event last season, and Trevor Dunbar.

Former Oregon star Laura Roesler will be running in the women’s 800, facing off against Ajee’ Wilson in what promises to be a tough race. Wilson has the slightly better time of 2:00.09, though Roesler is close on her heels with 2:00.49.

Jenna Prandini is entered into the women’s 60 meters with the fifth best qualifying time, with a mark that is just .02 behind second place.

Competing in the 1500 are Matthew Centrowitz, Johnny Gregorek and Daniel Winn. Centrowitz enters the event with the third best mark (3:50.63).

Phyllis Francis II (400), Megan Patrignelli (3000) and Ashton Eaton (long jump) round out the former Oregon athletes to follow.

The track that the meet will take place on was built locally by Beynon Sports out of Tualatin, Oregon. Early reports from athletes who have been able to train on it have been positive.

Click here for a complete schedule of events.

The USATF Indoor Championships is scheduled to begin at 11:30 on Friday with the men’s weight throw.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

After a slow first half, Oregon lacrosse was dominate in the second as the team coasted to a 15-9 win over George Mason at Papé Field Wednesday evening.

It was a return to form for Oregon (4-2) after losing just two days ago. Senior goalie Jenna Morris was the star for the Ducks, finishing with a season-high eight saves in 56:18 minutes.

After trading goals for most of the first half, Oregon was able to take control in the opening minutes of the second, collecting four-straight goals to jump out to a 10-6 lead over the Patriots.

Offensively the Ducks again relied on a balanced attack, with Natalie Modly, Carly O’Connell, Shannon Williams and Mariah Gatti all scoring twice. Cambi Cukar had a pair of assists, including an over-the-net lob that lead to a goal.

George Mason got off to a quick start, claiming three of the first four goals. The Ducks fought back, and a Nikita Bagg first-career goal off a free-position shot tied it with just over 10 minutes to play in the first.

With 1:40 left on the clock Oregon was finally able to take the 6-5 lead after Holly Johnson was able to find the back of the net, all the sweeter as she was celebrating her birthday.

It was Williams who sparked the run in the second half with a free position goal that would put the home team in the lead for good.

One of the keys to the victory was the play of Jill Zubillaga. She was instrumental on defense, tripling her career high in forced turnovers with three.

After a tough three games in five nights, Oregon will finally have some time to rest before returning to the field Sunday to host Fresno State. The match is set to begin at 11 a.m.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

Oregon lacrosse couldn’t keep up with the pace in the second half, losing to High Point 12-7 at Papé Field Monday night.

The Ducks (3-2) were only able to notch a single goal in the second half, as the Panthers outscored the home team 5-1 to take the lead and the win.

For the second game in a row, Oregon showcased its depth on the offensive side of the ball, with all seven goals coming via different players. They outshot High Point 25-23, but ultimately couldn’t collect the victory.

The Ducks struck first after Natalie Modly was able to find Carly O’Connell at the 26:24 mark. But just one minute later, the Panthers tied it with a goal from Allie Foard.

High Point scored four of the next five goals of the game to take control and put the Ducks in a 6-3 hole. Oregon was able to battle back before the break, thanks to goals from Cambi Cukar, Rachel Steinberg and Shannon Williams. The Ducks went on a 3-1 run over the final four minutes to trail 7-6 heading into halftime.

The second half was when everything fell apart, with the lone goal for Oregon coming on a man-up score from Bella Pyne. It was Cuakar’s third assist of the night.

The difference maker was High Point goalie Molly Andrews. She was able to save 13 Duck shots in 60 minutes of game time.

Pyne was able to force a career-high-tying four Panther turnovers, while adding the goal, two ground balls and a draw control. Senior defender Jackie Moccia was also impressive, forcing two turnovers and picking up three ground balls.

Jenna Morris had two saves as Oregon’s goalie in 38 minutes.

Oregon will look to rebound against George Mason as it plays its third game in five days on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

Oregon lacrosse returned to Papé Field for the 2016 home opener, beating LIU Brooklyn, 16-6, Saturday afternoon.

After a close first half, the Ducks (3-1) opened things up in the second with a flurry of shots on goal. They dominated in transition, keeping the Blackbirds (1-3) on their heels. The result was a positive sign for the home team after they lost a heartbreaker last week against William & Mary.

“Its so nice to be back home,” Oregon head coach Jen Beck said. “Its special for the players to be in front of the Duck fans and their families.”

Leading the way for Oregon was junior Rachel Steinberg, who scored four goals on eight shots.

The Ducks got off to a quick start with two goals in just over two minutes of play. First junior midfielder Bella Pyne scored a free position goal from the top of the key, followed by a scoop from senior Carly O’Connell to build a 2-0 lead.

O’Connell had a relatively quiet performance for the team’s point leader. She had one goal and one assist.

“That is the nature of our offense, our team is very selfless,” Beck said of the scoring spread. “They did a good job being balanced — it’s nice its someone different each time.”

Nine different Oregon players recorded at least one goal, and the Ducks outshot LIU Brooklyn 34-12.

The Blackbirds were able to answer with a goal of their own, courtesy freshman Kathryn Harvey.

Oregon was patient in its attack early, able to move the ball behind the goal and find open teammates for quality chances. Defensively the Ducks slowed the opposing attack with high double teams in the midfield. Those allowed the defenders to regroup and find their marks.

LIU Brooklyn broke through with a goal, cutting the lead in half through the efforts of lead scorer Jenn Peters. Peters launched the ball with speed into the top right corner. On the game Peters ended with one goal, bringing her total to 15 on the season. A minute later LIU Brooklyn added another to make it 4-3 Oregon.

The Blackbirds offense worked from the top of the key. They spread things out to force one-on-one situations where their players could generate their own looks. This put pressure on the Oregon defense to not overextend and operate without support.

The Ducks ended the half by outscoring the Blackbirds by two goals to build a 7-4 lead at the break.

“It was a gut check for us at halftime, we knew it could be better,” Beck said.

Oregon opened the second with an increase of pressure, which resulted in an early goal reminiscent of the first. A minute in O’Connell was able to find senior Holly Johnson for the goal. The next Duck possession saw junior Rachel Steinberg used her speed up the middle to net another.

Sophomore Cambi Cukar was an important piece in the Oregon offense. The attacker posted up behind the goal, serving as an outlet for her teammates. She spread the ball and ended with three assists. Cukar also applied pressure when on defense, forcing the Blackbirds into uncomfortable situations.

After the Ducks were able to open up the game in the second, they were able to bring in some bench players to spread valuable minutes and experience. With the subs in the Blackbirds were able to pull back a few late goals, but the end result was never in doubt.

Today’s game was the first of three that will occur in a five-day span. Next on the schedule is a March 7th showdown against High Point.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

Oregon track and field will send a school record 26 entries to the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, on March 11 and 12.

There are 16 Ducks on the women’s side and 10 for the men.

“The Ducks are absolutely excited, geared up and ready to go,” Oregon head coach Robert Johnson said. “We are 100 percent in championship season, which is always a big thing for us.”

The expectations are high for both teams. The men are looking for back-to-back NCAA Indoor titles while the women finished second last season after five consecutive championships.

This year the men are projected to win while the women are expected to place third.

“We will never know until we get there and run,” Johnson said. “The women have proven you don’t have to be ranked No. 1 to go in there and win.”

Johnson believes that several of his athletes on the women’s side should finish higher than predict. Brittany Mann, for example, is likely to top her expected 10th-place finish.

“I know the person and competitor she is — no one wants to do better than her, no matter how she performed to get there,” Johnson said.

Both teams have athletes who have competed on the big stage before, and that experience should help calm the newcomers and freshmen on the team. One of those veteran leaders is Annie Leblanc, who is entered in the women’s 800. She has been involved with two championship teams and finished second at last year’s indoor championships.

“I don’t want to jinx anything,” Leblanc said when asked how this group compares to previous teams. “We can’t predict what’s going to happen, so every person has a job they will focus on.”

Oregon will look to pick up big points in the women’s 800, with Leblanc running alongside Brooke Feldmeier and Raevyn Rogers — whose qualifying time leads the field by more than three seconds.

“Our group this year is really good and its been showing in workouts,” Leblanc said. “We are all really competitive runners but we use each other’s strengths in good ways.”

The men head to the meet top-heavy. Edward Cheserek (3000 and 5000), Devon Allen (60 hurdles) and Blake Haney (mile) all hold the top times in their respective events.

One of the difficulties for the coaching staff was deciding in which events to enter Cheserek, as the junior would place highly in multiple. They tried to balance the schedule and the fields to find the best fit.

“Most importantly, you look at what is best for Edward,” Johnson said. “Try to have him be successful and do what is best for our team.”

For Haney, the pressure of entering the meet with the top time and having a target on his back isn’t something he is worried about.

“I know where I’m at and what I can do,” Haney said. “I’ll just go in there and do my race.”

Click here for a complete list of entries.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur