By the end of the day at the Millrose Games, Oregon track and field had put on quite the performance. Three current Ducks, one future recruit and countless alumni competed well in their respective events Saturday afternoon in New York.

Edward Cheserek ran a blistering time in the 3000. The junior crossed the line in 7:40.51 (sixth), setting the second fastest time in NCAA history. The mark also gave Cheserek the indoor school record in the 3000 to go along with his other record in the mile, which was set last year at this meet.

Cheserek’s running mate from last season, Eric Jenkins, was able to beat him, finishing third (7:39.43).

Not to be outdone by her teammate, Raevyn Rogers set a school record of her own in her season debut in the 800. Rogers ran the second fastest time in NCAA history in 2:00.90 for fourth place. Former Duck Laura Roesler crossed the line just ahead of her for third (2:00.49).

Oregon recruit Drew Hunter continued to impress on the track by yet again breaking his own high school record in the invitational mile. The senior, who said after the race he was feeling under-the-weather, topped his indoor mile record with a time of 3:57.81.

Former Duck Johnny Gregorek won the race with a time of 3:56.57.

Decathlon and indoor heptathlon world record holder Ashton Eaton competed in two events. His first was the men’s 60-meter hurdles, where he finished second with a time of 7.53. Eaton then took sixth in the long jump with a mark of 23-5.5 after passing his final four attempts.

Jenna Prandini ran a 7.22 in the women’s 60 meters, which was good for third place. She finished behind Allyson Felix (7.15) and Tianna Bartoletta (7.20).

Blake Haney was the last Oregon athlete to compete in the meet, and he was able to make it a perfect three-for-three in setting school records. After running 3:56.36, Haney now is the indoor mile school record holder and the collegiate leader this season.

He finished eighth against a loaded field that included a rematch of the duel between Matthew Centrowitz and Nick Willis that headlined the event last year. Centrowitz was able to again pick up the victory by running 3:50.63. Willis crossed second with a time of 3:51.06.

Click here for a complete list of results.

The Ducks will next compete at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) championships. It is a two-day meet in Seattle that will begin on Friday, February 26.

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Oregon lacrosse was able to start 2016 on the right foot as they topped Michigan in Ann Arbor 12-11 Friday night at Oosterbaan Field House.

Senior Holly Johnson, who tied her career-high in goals with four, led the Ducks.

Carly O’Connell, Bella Pyne and Cambi Cukar also played key roles: each added two goals and one assist.

The win marks the third consecutive season opening win for Oregon (1-0).

The Ducks took the first goal as Pyne found the back of the net a minute-and-a-half into the game. Things devolved quickly as the Wolverines came surging back to take the 5-2 lead after converting two free position shots.

Pyne scored again at the 10:28 mark and freshman Shannon Williams found her first goal as a Duck to put the team back within one.

Both squads continued to battle, with Michigan enjoying a 9-7 lead heading into halftime. Each team finished the game with 22 shots.

In the second half, Oregon solidified on defense, preventing the easy goals that plagued the team in the first. Jenna Morris played all 60 minutes in goal and saved six shots, earning her first win of the season. Morris also collected three groundballs.

The Wolverines made a late push in the final five minutes by scoring two goals, but Oregon was able to hold on for the win.

With her assist Cukar moved into the top 10 in program history, tying Jana Drummond. Morris is now seventh on the all-time program list for saves.

Next on the schedule for Oregon is a match against Detroit Mercy on Sunday. The start is scheduled for 9 a.m.

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While most of Oregon track and field will take time to recover during an off-weekend, a trio is flying east to participate in the Millrose Games.

In one of the most prestigious indoor meets in the country, Edward Cheserek will be running the 3000. Raevyn Rogers will be in the 800 and Blake Haney will take part in the Armory Invitational Mile.

“We get the chance to go to The Big Apple, the media capital of the world, and display the ‘O’ there,” Oregon head coach Robert Johnson said. “An exciting time.”

Many former Ducks will also be competing at the Games. Familiar names like Ashton Eaton, Matthew Centrowitz, Jenna Prandini, Jordan Hasay, Laura Roesler and Phyllis Francis are just a few who will be taking part.

For Cheserek, the meet will serve as a chance to return home. He is from Newark, New Jersey. Cheserek expects to see many friends and former coaches cheering him on at the meet. In addition to the faces in the crowd, Cheserek will also have the chance to run alongside past teammates Eric Jenkins and Johnny Gregorek.

“Its always fun to meet up with alumni and old teammates and just go with them and enjoy the ride,” Cheserek said.

Cheserek’s goal is to earn his qualifying time for Nationals so he can go and help Oregon score points in the team competition. He also has the chance to open things up and push himself against a tough field.

“We wanted to put him in a situation where he can continue to improve and continue to learn,” Johnson said. “At some point in time, he will be competing at this level full time, so for him to get a taste of it this year is definitely a blessing.”

Cheserek hasn’t yet broken down for his teammates what to expect at the Armory, a place where he ran many meets in high school. Rogers expects they can use the long flight to talk about the quirks of the track.

She will be trying to get her qualifying time in the 800 — something she isn’t used to waiting so long to do. But Rogers has been running well this year and expects to have a good time by the end of the weekend.

“Stay focused and don’t forget what I am running for,” Rogers said of her plan for the race. “Don’t get caught up in the pressure.”

For Haney, receiving the invite to run at the Games is just another stepping stone in what is quickly turning into an impressive, albeit short, career so far with Oregon. The redshirt freshman will look to build off his sub-four time at the Razorback Invitational (3:59.10) and continue to push toward the end of the season.

“Its an opportunity for him to go and help secure his place at Nationals,” Johnson said, “because I think he is a lot lower on the list and they only take the top-16.”

Cheserek will also have some advice for his young teammate.

“I’ll tell him ‘just go there, have fun and try to run as fast as you can,” he said.

Click here for a complete list of entries.

The Millrose Games will take place on Saturday, February 20. Haney is scheduled to run at 3:29, Cheserek at 4:56 and Rogers at 5:34.

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Competing at the Millrose Games is a pretty big deal — especially if you are only a redshirt freshman. Not just anyone can go to the longest-running indoor track meet; you have to receive an invitation. Limited spots means the Games can pick the top athletes from around the world, so, for Oregon’s Blake Haney to receive a summons speaks volumes to his development.

“There are only so many spots there, and of course they have everybody in the world who wants to get into that meet,” Oregon head coach Robert Johnson said. “I think its just another stepping stone for Blake.”

A highly touted recruit out of Bakersfield, California, Haney redshirted indoors last season to recover from an injury. Making his outdoor debut that spring, he quickly established himself as one of Oregon’s top middle distance runners. As he ran, he continued to improve his standings in the 1500. At the Pac-12 Championships, he finished fourth, in the NCAA Championships he fought for third, and then after the collegiate season, claimed first at the USA Junior Championships and the Pan American Junior Championships.

So far this year, he has been just as good. In his season opener at the Razorback Invitational, he finished second in the mile (3:59.10) and picked up a win as part of the Duck men’s distance medley relay team (9:30.95). Haney was the 16th Duck athlete to finish under the prestigious four-minute mile mark.

“I think it was a really successful meet for me, and I am excited to build going forward,” Haney said.

At the Millrace Games, he will be running in the Armory Invitational Mile, an event that features a tough field. Though the competition is stiff, Haney isn’t nervous because it is something he has grown used to running in Eugene.

“Being on Oregon, there are so many elite guys I am running with every day, so I am pretty used to it in that sense,” Haney said.

Two of those elite athletes will be traveling with Haney to New York for the Games: Edward Cheserek will run the 3000, while Raevyn Rogers will compete in the women’s 800.

Haney will also be running alongside future Duck Drew Hunter, a high school senior who has been setting the track world on fire. Hunter has run back-to-back record-setting races — first breaking the American junior record in the 3000 (7:59.33) formerly held by Cheserek and then topping Alan Webb’s American junior record in the mile (3:58.25).

“Drew has been doing a fantastic job,” Johnson said, “he is definitely a special runner.”

For Haney, the biggest difference this season has been his confidence. Being a year into his college experience lets him be more comfortable in the Oregon system. This means the wins and honors should keep coming for a runner on the rise.

“Everything has been going really well for me and I know what to expect going forward,” Haney said.

The Millrose Games will take place Saturday, February 20, in New York. The starting time for the Armory Invitational Mile is 6:29 p.m.

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Oregon track and field is heading into a busy weekend, as the Ducks will be splitting the team between competing at the Don Kirby Elite and the Husky Classic, both two-day meets held Friday and Saturday.

The Don Kirby is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, while the Husky Classic is in Seattle, Washington. Oregon’s goal at both is to continue to qualify athletes for the Indoor National Championships. The Ducks are highly ranked, with the men at No. 1 and the women at No. 5.

“Last weekend we went to Arkansas and had a lot of good things happen there,” Oregon head coach Robert Johnson said.

The Ducks will be building on a performance that saw three new school record holders be crowned against some of the top competition in the country.

“We are all doing well,” redshirt freshman Blake Haney said. “From my point of view I think our team is in great shape.”

The throwing pair of Brittany Mann and Itohan Aikhionbare will be competing in the shot put, Edward Cheserek will run the 5000 and freshman Matthew Maton is entered in the 3000.

“Our freshmen are coming along fine,” Johnson said. “We are asking them to basically just learn the system — learn what it takes to be successful. Those are the only requirements we ask of those guys.”

The football players will also be showcasing their speed on the track, with Tony Brooks-James, Charles Nelson and Kirk Merritt all in the 60-meter dash.

Redshirt sophomore Devon Allen will also be sprinting the 60 meters, as well as the 60-meter hurdles.

“The plan is to just stay consistent and continue to work hard,” Johnson said. “We are starting to come together and gel as a team.”

The Don Kirby is set to begin Friday at 3 p.m. and the Husky Classic at 4 p.m.

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For the second straight season, Oregon football will add a graduate transfer on the offensive line, DuckTerritory.com first reported Tuesday afternoon.

EXCLUSIVE: #GoDucks Sign Dayton University OT Transfer Zac Morgan – Full Interview ($) https://t.co/kSdgMqIQQR pic.twitter.com/ArazIyKUgB

— Justin Hopkins (@JHopkins247) February 9, 2016

6-foot-7, 280-pound tackle Zac Morgan from Dayton will join the Ducks. Morgan started 10 games at left tackle last season and all 11 the previous year at right tackle.

The senior from Mokena, Illinois, was named Dayton’s top lineman in each of his past two seasons.

Morgan follows in the footsteps of Montana State quarterback Dakota Prukop, who transferred to Oregon earlier in the year.

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-Oregon men’s basketball is fighting to stay atop the Pac-12 standings as games against talented teams loom on the schedule. The No. 16 Ducks are looking to capture their first regular season conference title in 14 years. Helping to pave the way is guard Dillon Brooks. He has emerged from the shadows this season to throw his hat into the ring for Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. If he were to claim the trophy it would be back-to-back for Oregon after Joseph Young claimed the award last season.

— Oregon won its fifth consecutive game in dominant fashion Thursday night. Oregon beat Colorado, 76-56, and remains atop the Pac-12. Elgin Cook led the way with 18 points and the Ducks held the Buffaloes to just 33 percent shooting.

-Oregon football wrapped up National Signing Day by inking 19. The program was able to satisfy its most immediate need at linebacker and quarterback. Check out the Emerald’s coverage for a breakdown of the key signings.

-One player the Ducks whiffed on was four-star running back Vavae Malepeai. After committing last June, Malepeai decided to flip to USC after a visit to Los Angeles last weekend. He was the only running back in the recruiting class for the Ducks.

-On the subject of football, two former Ducks, who are gearing up to play in Super Bowl 50, took the time to praise former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly. Panthers leading rusher Jonathan Stewart and backup tight end Ed Dickson both spoke about how much they learned from the latest San Francisco head coach.

-Thriving for Oregon women’s tennis is veteran Marlou Kluiving. The junior is only one of two upperclassmen on the team this year, and the only member from the original 2013 squad — including coaches. So far this season Kluiving has put together a 13-8 doubles record.

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This season Oregon track and field has another talented thrower joining the ranks, after redshirt senior Itohan Aikhionbare decided to transfer to the school from UC Irvine.

Aikhionbare, shot put and discuss, was impressive for the Anteaters, earning recognition as the Big West Field Athlete of the Year and the UCI/Big West Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year during the 2014 outdoor season. She spent last year competing unattached before deciding to make the move North.

As a Duck she has already made her mark. At the season opener she won the women’s shot put with a throw of 55-2.25, an indoor personal best, meet record and second all-time on the Oregon list. She then followed it up by finishing fourth at the Razorback Invitational this past weekend.

Aikhionbare took the time to speak with the media about why she transferred and what she hopes to accomplish at Oregon.

How is life in Eugene treating you so far?

It’s treating me pretty well. You know we got a little more of a rough winter than I’m used to, but other than that I love it out here.

Can you take us through your transfer?

Well I had just graduated and it worked out better for me to transfer schools. Oregon is like the Mecca, so I was really happy they wanted me once all the paperwork was done. It was just really exciting to be able to come up here. Down there I was doing some training as a redshirt last year. Had some meets, was doing a lot of explosive training. Coming up here it was really cool because it still had that element in the training.

Is it a different environment up here in that the team has its eye set on the National Championship?

It’s a very competitive training environment that I am really benefiting from. Being pushed every day in practice, training with All-Americans, it’s really exciting. This team is on a whole other caliber.

Obviously a great start to your season, is that validation for you in why you moved up here?

I was really excited to open up with that — I was actually gunning for a mark around there. It’s been really nice since its so early in the season, its definitely validation. I am excited to see how I do this season and help the team gain some points and win another Championship.

What’s it like having Brittany Mann as a training partner?

It’s great — she is such an amazing thrower and an even better person. Her and the whole group really took me in as a transfer. We get along and click really well inside and outside of practice. She is pushing me every day in the weight room — she is a lot stronger than me, so I am trying to get up there with her.

You competed unattached last year, why did you take that redshirt year?

I actually redshirted because I wanted to improve my mark. Becoming an All-American has been my goal since I started college, and I just wasn’t too happy with where I ended my junior year. It worked out for me to redshirt and I had a decent year, so I was happy.

Looking ahead what are your goals for this season?

Personally I would love to become an indoor and outdoor All-American. I am gunning for some higher marks, duking it out with Brittany. Would be good to go one and two in Pac-12s with her. Trying to score as many points as I can in as many meets as possible.

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Early in Robert Johnson’s coaching career, Oregon track and field had a star sprinter named Keshia Baker. Baker dominated meets running the 400 and 4×400 relay. Johnson coached her to three consecutive conference titles and six school records. Baker was one of those big time athletes who are hard to replace, so when she left after the 2009-10 season, there was a question as to who would pick up the scoring slack.

“Low and behold we found a way to continue to get it done,” Johnson said.

This season, the Ducks face a similar problem: star sprinter/jumper Jenna Prandini decided to begin her professional career early, forgoing her senior season.

“I would be crazy to think you can replace the leadership and intangible qualities Jenna Prandini brought to the Duck program over the last few years,” Johnson said. “She was invaluable in not only the stuff you see on the track, but also off the track.”

In Prandini’s final season, she was the most prolific NCAA Championship point scorer in history, collecting 49 points between the indoor and outdoor Championships. She claimed the second-fastest time in collegiate history in the 100 (10.92 seconds) and the fourth-fastest time in the 200 (22.21 seconds). Prandini also provided invaluable leadership for her teammates, keeping a strong work ethic in training and competitions.

The most obvious candidate to step up is redshirt junior Jasmine Todd — who has filled in for her former teammate in the past. At last year’s Pac-12 Championships Todd had to step up when Prandini was unable to compete due to an illness. She took part in five events — the long jump, triple jump, 100, 200 and 4×100 — helping the Ducks claim two individual titles, two second place finishes and 35 team points.

For her efforts, she earned recognition as the Pac-12 women’s field athlete of the year.

“You got a glimpse of it at the Pac-12 meet last year when we asked her to go above and beyond and do what she is capable of,” Johnson said of Todd. “You will see more of those types of things this year.”

Todd is a charismatic athlete who isn’t afraid to take on the challenge of leading the program, and she has the speed and talent to match.

But the way to replace Prandini’s production isn’t by putting it all on a single athlete, but rather by spreading the load amongst the team. With another year of maturity and training under their belts, several Ducks should be able to help shoulder the load and ensure the women are as competitive as ever.

“Jenna was a great addition to our team, but at the same time we brought in a lot of talent and have a lot of talent,” Todd said.

The Ducks are as deep as they have ever been – Molly Grabill and Waverly Neer (distance), Raevyn Rogers and Annie Leblanc (middle distance) and Brittany Mann (throws) – so while losing Prandini is tough, it’s nothing new.

“We will do it how we have always done it in the past,” Johnson said. “We will have a cast of characters who step up their game and have more seasoning.”

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Going into the game against Arizona Sunday afternoon in Eugene, Oregon women’s basketball found itself in a tough spot. The Ducks only had nine players on the roster.

Two of the five starters were out with injuries, with both senior Lexi Petersen and redshirt junior Jacinta Vandenberg sporting boots on their right feet.

Petersen went down in the final moments of the loss against Arizona State on Friday, limping off the court into the locker room.  It was her first missed start since January 17, 2014 — snapping a run of 66 straight games in which she was in the opening lineup.

Vandenberg got hurt during practice leading up to the game.

“I kid her, its that two inch vertical, she got too high and rolled the ankle,” Oregon head coach Kelly Graves said after the game.

The other player missing was backup forward Liz Brenner, who was with her family after her father passed away on Saturday.

“We love Liz, love her family,” Graves said. “We are thinking and praying about them.”

Despite all of this, Oregon was pulled out a 76-54 win over Arizona thanks to a team effort across the board.

“Especially with everything that has been going on, it was a big game for people to step up,” senior Kat Cooper said.

Cooper was one of the keys to the win. The senior stepped up as a replacement starter and scored 18 points. She shot 6-of-9 from deep.

In some ways the forced shakeup in the depth chart could be a blessing in disguise. It allowed several players to gain valuable minutes that will be important if more injuries occur later in the year. Freshmen Oti Gildon and Lauren Yearwood recieved extended time and made some important plays, with Yearwood pulling down rebounds and Gildon providing tough defense.

Mar’Shay Moore continued to improve, pushing the tempo and bringing a bulldog mentality to the defensive end, while Jordan Loera stepped up to play out of position at point guard.

“I’ve always thought injuries and things like that in the short term — its funny, they don’t really hurt you,” Graves said. “Kids step up, they find something within themselves.”

Right now there is no timeline for the injured players returning, and in the long run the lack of depth could be an issue. But for now the Ducks will take the win, experience and confidence.

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