Oregon cross country continues to make a mark on the national stage, as both the men and women’s teams find themselves ranked No. 7 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll.

Both the men and women slipped one spot from their preseason rankings. The men tallied 293 total points while the women had 297.

On the men’s side, Colorado leads the Pac-12 in overall ranking with the No. 1 spot for the 12th-consecutive poll. Stanford claimed the second spot for the second week in a row. Rounding out the top 30 for the conference are UCLA (13), Washington (21), Arizona State (23) and California (29).

Colorado again holds the highest rank for the Pac-12 on the women’s side, moving up to No. 3. Stanford sits one spot, No. 6, above the Ducks while Washington sits at No. 14 and California at No. 30.

The Ducks are coming off a season-opening sweep of the Bill Dellinger Invitational — the only home meet of the season.

Click here for a complete list of the women’s poll, and here for the men.

The next meet for Oregon will be on Oct. 2, when the team travels up to Seattle to participate in the Washington Invitational.

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Oregon senior quarterback Vernon Adam’s played last week’s game against Michigan State with a broken index finger on his throwing hand, according to a report from Aaron Fentress of Comcast Sports NW.

Ducks QB Vernon Adams Jr. playing with broken index finger #goducks http://t.co/SGEDcqOq05 pic.twitter.com/znwVtw4VYD

— Aaron J. Fentress (@AaronJFentress) September 15, 2015

The injury occurred during the Ducks’ season opener versus Eastern Washington on Sept. 5. Adams left the game early, holding a bag of ice against his hand. However, at the time, questions were directed towards a possible concussion after he took a late hit from a Eastern Washington defender.

The injury doesn’t appear serious enough to keep Adams from playing, but it may have affected his ability to grip and throw the ball in a 31-28 loss against Michigan State. He also wore gloves to protect his hands.

Adams has repeatedly contended that he is fine. He appeared at the post-game press conference Saturday with his right index finger wrapped in a splint, but said his finger was “all right.” Regardless, this injury will likely bother him for several weeks, according to Comcast Sports Northwest.

Oregon will next take the field this Saturday in a rebound game against Georgia State.

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The University of Oregon has self-reported eight secondary violations to the NCAA that were committed by the athletic programs during the 2014-15 school year — news that was first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Most of the violations, which span across multiple sports, seem innocent enough to the casual fan, though they still represent a breach of conduct to the NCAA. Some include returning a phone call from a recruit’s mother, transporting a player to Corvallis, allowing a player to compete before being cleared and several errors in scouting.

Due to the three-year probation placed upon Oregon after the Willie Lyles case, the university has been extra diligent in being compliant with all of the NCAA rules. All of the self-reported violations fall under Level III or IV, meaning they should be dealt with quickly and no further punishment will be issued.

The number of transgressions is down from the previous year, when Oregon had 14 violations.

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Oregon track and field star Jenna Prandini made the decision Thursday to sign with Puma and turn professional, a story which was first reported by The Oregonian. This will forgo her final year of eligibility with the Ducks.

Prandini has been a versatile star for Oregon, turning in big performances across multiple events in championship meets. At the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships she won the 100 meters while finishing second in both the 200 and long jump.

Prandini also was one of two women sent by the Ducks to partake in the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Beijing, where she was eliminated in the semifinals of the 200.

Earlier this season — after she had qualified for Beijing — Prandini said that she planned to return for one more season with the Ducks, though later adding she still had some thinking to do before the big decision.

According to TrackTown USA, Prandini will continue to train locally while finishing school.

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Oregon football will face off against North Dakota State at Autzen Stadium during the 2020 season, according to an announcement Friday morning. The game will be played on Sept. 5.

The game will feature two of the most successful college football teams in recent years, as the Bison are the four-time defending FCS national champions and the Ducks have won four straight bowl games.

North Dakota State has made a name for itself by taking down FBS programs. They beat Kansas 6-3 in 2010, Minnesota 37-24 in 2011, Kansas State 24-21 in 2013 and, most recently, notched a 34-14 victory over Iowa State last season.

Oregon will open the next three seasons against FCS opponents, including Eastern Washington, UC Davis and Southern Utah. The Ducks will play their two other non-conference games in 2020 against Ohio State and Hawaii.

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Oregon’s Raevyn Rogers had quite the day at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Competing in the 800, the true freshman was able to win the title by crossing the line in 1:59.71. That time is the fourth fastest in school history. After the event Rogers took time to speak with members of the media about the excitement of her individual win and helping the Ducks claim the team title.

Congratulations, you guys won the team title, how does it feel?

It feels amazing. I’m so blessed to be a part of this team and to have an amazing coach and supporters. Everything has been great.

When you came in did you expect this is how you would cap your freshman year?

At the beginning of the season our coach asked us to record in a notebook what we wanted to accomplish. At first writing down accomplishing Pac-12s in August and winning Nationals in August, I was a little nervous. But I somehow figured to write it down.

What was your mindset today?

I really had to stay focused and in control of my race. I had to trust my coach because he gave me a race strategy and I just had to relax and run my race. He told me instead of going at the steeplechase like in prelims, to go after the steeplechase because there was a little more competition.

Did the Clemson runner jumping out ahead throw you at all?

I just had to focus on myself. With good competitors like that you just have to trust in your race.

What was going through your head when you crossed the finish line?

I was so excited because it happened. I prayed about it, I almost threw up twice before my race — super nervous. The fact that it happened, I was just blessed and God really worked with me this whole year. Coaches and my team were all really supportive.

What about the sub-two?

I still can’t believe that happened. I just wanted to win; I was going to accept whatever. I wasn’t aiming for 1:59, I was just happy it came with me trying to focus on myself.

Were you following the team race with the DQ in the relay?

Our team has each other’s back. I just wanted to give back the happiness to those girls; they worked their butts off. Those are my teammates, those are my sisters, and I want to work hard for them.

When Jenna Prandini won the 100, did that reinvigorate everybody?

I was in the warm-up tent, so excited for her. Jenna is a really good leader and role model; I just tried to focus on having the same ethics she has.

Did you have a sense of how loud it was?

Oh I felt it … it was a roar. It just lifted me up, and I was like ‘ok, just get to the finish line.’ You know when the crowd starts roaring its either bad or its good. I was just trying to get to the finish line to see which it was.

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Jenna Prandini walked off the track, adorned in championship gear. As she neared the edge, she looked up into the grandstands at  Hayward Field. Before her stood a packed crowd, all on their feet as they acknowledged what the junior had just accomplished alongside.

Prandini raised her hand, waving to the 11,734 fans that had thundered for the Ducks throughout the meet. They’d had plenty of opportunities to cheer, as the Oregon women were able to complete the sweep by capturing the first NCAA Outdoor National Championship since 1985.

“The crowd is going nuts, my family is all here,” Prandini said, “couldn’t have asked for a better day.”

Oregon won the meet with 59 points, holding onto their lead from Thursday. The Ducks finished ahead of Kentucky (50) and Texas A&M (47).

“Woooo,” yelled Oregon head coach Robert Johnson as he stood in front of the media after the meet. “Don’t have to say anything else, great day for the Ducks.”

Johnson was operating on just a few hours of sleep, as the mix of the excitement of the men winning yesterday and the nerves of the women’s competition combined for the ultimate insomnia.

“One bad thing about this format is it will shorten a coach’s life expectancy for sure,” Johnson said.

Not helping the matter was Oregon’s rough start to the meet in the 4×100 relay. The timing was off on the second exchange between Jasmine Todd and Ashante Horsley, with the exchange appearing to happen outside the zone. The team was disqualified, erasing a sixth place finish and putting the home team in a hole early.

“Those girls practice a lot, and to have that mishap is definitely unfortunate,” Johnson said. “But that is what championships are, there is ebb and flow.”

It was Prandini who was able to right the ship and provide the spark for the rest of her team. She was qualified in four events, the most of any competitor at the meet.

First was the 100. Prandini was sluggish out of the blocks, but was able to power through. She moved up through the pack and got the win with a lean at the line, edging out second place finisher Morolake Akinosun by 0.01 seconds.

“My coach just said as long as you are within striking distance, trust that in the last 80 meters my top speed can catch them,” Prandini said.

She pumped her fist as the time came up — 10.96 wind aided.

The start was better in the 200, as Prandini was able to overcome tired legs to put together another solid performance. It was a close finish, with multiple runners hitting the line at the same time. She was able to take second, crossing in 22.21. That time is the fourth fastest in the world and broke Prandini’s school record.

By the end she was able to collect 26 points for her team, a total that would have tied for 11th in the team competition.

“She is phenomenal,” Johnson said. “To be able to take on the task that we ask her to do coming into this Championship is monumental — I wish we had 10 more like her.”

Oregon freshman Raevyn Rogers had a big day of as well, winning the 800 in 1:59.71. She was able to respond to an early kick from Natoya Goule of Clemson, staying relaxed and sticking to her game plan.

“I just had to focus on myself,” Rogers said. “With good competitors like that you just have to trust in your race.”

Her final time was the fourth fastest in school history.

Both Championships mean a lot to this program, and the sweep speaks a lot about the depth and poise of the team. For Johnson, the women’s win means a lot because they have been close the past couple of years.

“To be able to finally break through and get this one is really special,” Johnson said.

Now the Ducks can finally celebrate as a team, two National Championships in hand.

Click here for a complete list of results.

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Oregon sophomore Marcus Chambers stood under the canopy of the media tent at Hayward Field, listening as the roars of the 11,168 crowd spurred on the action back out on the track. He just placed second in the 400 meters at a time of 45.59. Chambers took the time to speak with members of the media on how the day went before heading back out to the track to cheer on his teammates from the stands.

What happened in the last sprint?

My game plan, I knew the wind was going to be a factor on everybody. I knew I’d have a really good kick at the end, so I saved a little bit at the end to be able to outkick everybody. Kept it smooth, gave it all I had.

Interesting two days, how did you feel about your meet?

It feels great. From the start of the year I told myself every race I want to get faster. Everything I worked for was for this moment right here — NCAA Championships. I wanted to score as much points as I could for our team. I ran a great time, made sure I got into the finals. I am happy with my results.

Where did you find the speed?

Hard work, dedication. We work hard at practice everyday. Every time I practice I implement what I do to my race. I’ve been working hard for my kick, so I happened to have it when I needed it most.

How’d it feel crossing the finish line?

It felt great. All year long I wanted to score points for my team. I wanted to try to win, didn’t, came up a little short. That is just giving me more focus for next year, actually trying to come out on top.

Blake Haney, Johnathan Cabral, were you able to build on their performances?

Definetely. Blake had a great race — I was excited for him. Cabral came out and ran a great race. That just gave me more energy for my race. We’re all just doing what we can, feeding off each other.

How does it feel to get so many points as a team?

It feels great. We think we can score in every event. We all support one another; we want everybody to do the best we can. It just feels great to finally see all of our hard work at practice come off at the biggest stage of our career.

What would being repeat Champions mean for the program?

It means a lot. Some of us were part of last year’s team and some of us weren’t. We all just want to try to get that feeling again, us who already got it and those who haven’t got it yet want to be a part of what we’re doing. We just want to keep it going every year. As long as I’m here I want to keep trying to help this team win championships, I know everyone else is on the same mindset.

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History has a funny way of repeating itself.

One year ago, the men of Oregon track and field picked up their head coach, Robert Johnson, and carried him against his will towards the rippling water of the steeplechase pit. Despite his best efforts to break free, Johnson was tossed into the water.

Johnson once again found himself soaking wet after his team dumped two buckets of ice water over his head. It was in celebration of winning the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Friday afternoon at Hayward Field for the second time in a row and seventh in school history.

“Believe it or not the steeplechase isn’t half bad,” Johnson joked after the meet, clothes damp. “I am still freezing, shivering.”

The Ducks won the championship with 85 points, enough to hold off late surges from sprint-oriented schools. Florida finished second (56) and Arkansas took third (53). Fellow Pac-12 school USC was the second best finisher in the conference, placing fifth.

“We thought heading into the day that if we could get to 70 plus, that would be enough to make sure we were happy at the end,” Johnson said. “Just got on a roll there, pretty outstanding day.”

Oregon went into the 5000 only needing three points to clench the championship. Edward Cheserek, Eric Jenkins and Will Geohegan were able to come through, combining for 23 points.

Throughout the race the Duck teammates stuck together, running as a pack in the middle of the field. When Cheserek finally made his move, the others went with him. It came down to a sprint around the Bowerman curve, and the crowd thundered encouragement as a 1-2-3 Oregon finish looked to be in the works.

“I wasn’t holding anything back,” Jenkins said. “The last lap was tough, the last 200 was even harder.”

Jenkins pushed, but couldn’t quite catch it at the end as Cheserek held on, spreading his arms wide as he crossed the line in 13:48.67.

“I was looking around to see where my teammates were,” Cheserek said, “trying to score points to help the team.”

Jenkins finished second (13:48.92) and Geohegan placed fourth (13:49.35). At the end of the race all three came together in an embrace.

“We said congratulations,” Cheserek said.

The big difference for Oregon this year was the surprise points across several events.

Freshman Blake Haney was able to finish third in the 1500 (3:55.12), picking up six team points. The winner was Oklahoma State’s Chad Noelle, a former Duck. Most projected that Oregon would only get one point in the event.

“We wanted to fly under the radar this year,” Haney said. “Being overlooked is a little bit to my advantage, a lot less pressure. I got to go out there and run my race.”

Senior Johnathan Cabral took second in the 110 hurdles, crossing in a wind aided 13.22. It was a strong final performance for an athlete who has battled injuries throughout his time at Oregon.

“It’s almost bringing a tear to my eye, it’s like having the last race with the family,” Cabral said. “Just trying to stay positive right now, watch the rest of the team and cheer them on.”

Then, Marcus Chambers came out and finished second in the 400, overcoming a slow start with a big kick down the stretch to capture the victory.

“I saved a little bit at the end to be able to outkick everybody,” Chambers said. “Kept it smooth.”

Chambers finished in 45.59. One of the favorites going into the event, Deon Lendore of Texas A&M, was unable to finish, pulling up during the race.

At the end of the meet the Ducks stood out in the middle of the stadium, huge smiles across their faces as the crowd of 11,168 roared in approval. They began the ‘Go Ducks’ cry, standing arm in arm while wearing their championship hats and shirts. In the middle stood Robert, a little wet, but happy as he hoisted the trophy above his head.

“When you start to compare anything with what we have done in the past, its pretty special,” Johnson said. “This is a pretty special place in terms of history and tradition and legacy go.”

Click here for a complete list of results.

With the men’s Championship, Oregon will now turn its attention to the women’s competition and the final day of the NCAA Championships starting tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.

“That is one of the big changes there,” Johnson said, “you come from a high and you have to get back grounded to go out and do this thing all over again.”

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur

Oregon’s Dakotah Keys just completed his final decathlon as a Duck, capping a five-year career with a third place finish in the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The senior put on a good final performance Thursday afternoon, and as he spoke with the media after the meet he was emotional — talking about his performance, legacy and family.

Based on yesterday, you came into today with some confidence. How did it go?

I think it went pretty well. Little rough in the vault, but its all about the team — that’s what matters.

Relief getting over the first one in the pole vault?

I didn’t think it would be a big deal when I cleared it. My family went crazy, kind of had fun with it. Threw both my hands up like it was the best thing in the world — and it really was. One of those things you have to get rolling again, but yeah I was really excited.

Obviously wanted to win the whole thing, but points wise were you where you wanted to be?

No, I thought I would be a little closer to 8000. But the way the decathlon works, its just one of those things. I’m still really excited about it, 7863, I think its fourth or fifth best score, so I’m happy with it.

Pretty impressive feat these past two years.

Yeah, third place last year and third place this year. Ever since high school I’ve always cared about the team. So it’s the points, six points, that’s what I am excited about. I am excited to hopefully win another National Championship with the team.

Does the result mean more being your senior year?

This has been an amazing five years; I am really blessed to be a part of this team and the community. What we have here is really amazing. You can hear from the crowd, I am just blessed to be a part of this whole thing — the history of Eugene, what they have done for me is amazing.

We can hear the emotion in your voice, how cool was that final bow for you?

I didn’t think I would be emotional about it, but it’s a long time. Five years spent training — I don’t know, almost relieving to be a part of it and be done. The coaches have done a great job getting me ready for what will happen after.

What is the biggest difference in you over these five years?

I would say maturity. I have been married now for five years. I’ve been a team captain for three years. My wife and I am pregnant with our first, we are due in September. I think just maturity wise and confidence, the guys believe in me and I believe in the guys I am training with. Confidence in my faith, confidence in myself.

How do you think you are leaving the decathlon at Oregon?

Coming in after Ashton (Eaton) was big shoes to fill, shoes that I really couldn’t fill. So what I hope I did with this team was just instill what I am off the track, what I mean to the guys. Whether its being a leader, how to practice, how to push yourself, how to do the right things. Just how to do the small things. I’ve never drank, never partied, instilling those things in the younger guys. I’ve won three Pac-12 titles, so hopefully the guys I’ve been training with can step up and do those things too. I totally believe they can.

Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur