— Just seven months out from graduation and turning professional, former Ducks golfer Caroline Inglis has earned LPGA golf status for 2017. She is the first Oregon native to attain LPGA status since Allison Hanna, who went on tour for nine years before switching jobs in 2013.

— Vin Lananna, the associate athletic director of Oregon Track and Field and president of TrackTown USA, won the USATF presidency last week at the national track and field organization’s annual meeting. He had initially been up against Jackie Joyner-Kersee for the presidency, but she withdrew at the last moment, leading to his election by acclamation.

— The Oregon women’s basketball team recorded a 95-55 win in a exhibition game against Vanguard on Sunday. Their third quarter score of 32-11, along with the fact that they outscored their past three opponents 79-28 in the third quarter, indicates that the Ducks truly shine in the third period.

— After the Oregon football program fired its head coach Mark Helfrich, the athletic department has put an end to its trend of promoting from within, opting to branch out nationally instead. The Oregonian’s John Canzano reports that the search is now headquartered in New York.

— The Oregon men’s basketball team set new school records of 128 points, 36 assists and 54 field goals as the Ducks went on to defeat Savannah State 128-55 to notch their 30th straight home win. Though the Ducks were predicted to win the conference, No. 11 UCLA may be the team to watch after the Bruins upset Kentucky, the top-ranked team in the nation, by a final of 97-92.

Follow Romaine Soh on Twitter @mainetainpls

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TrackTown USA president Vin Lananna was voted president of USA Track & Field during a meeting on Thursday in Orlando, Florida.

Initially, it had been a two-person race between Lananna and former Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee. The latter later withdrew her name from consideration, leading to a Lananna win by acclamation.

Thank you to all of the athletes and members of the Track and Field Community for the support. I am humbled by your confidence:

— Vin Lananna (@vinlananna) December 1, 2016

The 63-year-old will succeed Stephanie Hightower, whose term has expired. She held the presidency for the past two terms and was un-eligible to run again. Leading up to the election, several professional athletes had tweeted their support for Lannana, namely Greek Olympian Alexi Pappas, who drafted a long letter detailing how he had identified her potential.

Now that Lananna has achieved his goal, athletes have been quick to congratulate him on his new position.

Congrats to @vinlananna for being named @usatf President!

— Lauren Fleshman (@laurenfleshman) December 1, 2016

The future of @usatf is very, very bright! https://t.co/wHCv4ics3T

— Deena Kastor (@DeenaKastor) December 2, 2016

The USATF presidency is an unpaid position. As the president, Lananna leads the board of directors in setting policies, guiding the direction of the organization and has hiring power over the CEO.

According to a Runner’s World article, the core issues that Lananna aims to tackle are resolving the differences between the youth committee and the USATF leadership, improving communication and transparency of the organization’s thought process, relooking elite athlete compensation and promoting the sport.

The athletics community recognizes Lananna as a visionary constantly striving to improve the status of athletics in the U.S. Most recently, he served as the men’s head coach of Team USA at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where the contingent bagged 32 medals – the highest ever in a non-boycotted Games.

Ever since Lananna stepped foot into Eugene in 2005, he has been at the forefront of the athletics scene. He owned leadership roles in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials hosted at Hayward Field and served as the University of Oregon’s track & field head coach from 2005-2012.

He then moved on to become the TrackTown USA President, during which he organized the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships, brought the 2016 World Indoor Championships to Portland and won the bid for the 2021 IAAF World Championships to be held in Eugene.

The TrackTown Summer Series held last July at Hayward Field is the latest of his efforts in making track and field more visible to Americans.

“We have all these people out there who run and there’s no connection between those who run and those who are fans of the sport,” Lananna said in the Runner’s World article. “I think athletes are fantastic entertainers. We have to make sure they are compensated. The only way to do that is to have a better broadcast of our meets.”

Currently, Lananna will continue with his duties as the TrackTown USA president and the university’s associate athletic director.

Follow Romaine Soh on Twitter @mainetainpls

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Five-time NCAA champion. Three-time NCAA Cross Country champion. Three-time Bowerman Award Finalist.

These are just some of the numerous achievements that unashamedly take up a solid chunk of space on Edward Cheserek’s bio on the University of Oregon’s athletics roster.

His social media handle, King Cheserek, aptly describes the senior’s stellar report card with regards to his achievements on both the track and the dirt surfaces of cross country routes. As a high schooler, he set multiple records and had a dominant streak in cross country. In college, he has garnered 15 NCAA titles across cross country, indoor and outdoor track, and he is tied for the NCAA all-time record.

Though he was a heavy favorite to become the first man in NCAA history to own four individual cross country titles, a tight hamstring prevented him from doing so.

No matter. Cheserek is still in the same league as Oregon’s Steve Prefontaine and Washington State’s Henry Rono for winning three NCAA Cross Country titles and is undeniably the most decorated runner of his era.

Seeing Cheserek continue to attack the daily grind has delayed the Oregon coaching staff from reflecting on the significance of his contributions to the program.

“I don’t think we as a community will ever really realize how special that guy is until he’s gone,” Oregon head coach Robert Johnson said. “Ten years from now, we’ll start to go like, “Hey, he’s pretty good.” When you start talking about distance running, his name will be in there.”

“The longer he’s removed, the bigger that legend is going to grow.”

Cheserek is now left with two seasons – the indoor and outdoor track seasons – to don an Oregon singlet. But his coach is looking forward to the future without a Cheserek topping the charts in almost every other race.

“It will be a new challenge,” associate head coach Andy Powell said in a Flotrack interview. “We want him to graduate too. I think it’s nice sometimes to have a different number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 all the time. You can potentially have a good mix.”

Duck sophomore Matthew Maton has watched Cheserek lead by example both on and off the track. Maton has been training partners with Cheserek for just over a year, and consistency is one of the things that he has picked up from his teammate.

“He’s always at practice early, always has his schoolwork in on time, always focused when he gets here,” Maton said. “He went from high school quality to international quality through college just by not missing a workout, almost. I couldn’t think of a day that he has missed practice.”

Besides his athletic achievements, Cheserek is also known for his humble and helpful character. When the team was in Tucson, Arizona, for the Pac-12 championship meet, Cheserek was one of the three who helped to move the coaches’ and trainers’ bags as well as the massage table. As the team prepared to leave for the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, it was Cheserek again who loaded the massage table onto the bus.

“This is the guy that just “completed history,” Johnson said. “But he’s the one out there on the curb carrying all the extra bags. To see someone that could easily have the biggest head, justifiably so, on our team that’s still willing to do the grunt grass work layman type things – those things are what we appreciate about Edward Cheserek.”

Of his stellar career, the one thing that Cheserek will never get to experience is a cross country team victory. Throughout his cross country career, the highest his team ever finished in the nationals was fourth in 2015.

Yet, Cheserek would be willing to trade it all in for that elusive team championship.

“My main focus is on the team,” Cheserek said in an NCAA press conference. “That’s why I run out there.”

His team-oriented approach is so widely known that even his rivals think it is the only way to take him down.

“We all know Cheserek has been one of the greatest NCAA runners to come through college,” Northern Arizona’s Futsum Zienasellasse said. “Hearing him in interviews, I think the best way to beat Cheserek is by beating his team. He seems like a team player, so that’s the way to beat him.”

As the Ducks embark on their track season, Cheserek’s team mentality will definitely come in handy as Oregon strives to defend both the women’s and men’s titles at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Last year, he was called upon to run the mile-leg in the distance medley less than half an hour after he’d won his second title of the championship in the 3,000 meters.

He then went on to become just the second man to win the NCAA cross country title, the indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters and the distance medley relay, and the outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 meters in the same academic year. Former Duck Galen Rupp is the only other man to have won this string of titles.

“Once again, another nugget, another example of who he is as a person,” Johnson said. “To have that humbling spirit, that mindfulness to be true, be humble, to be kind, to be respectful, I think it’s really, really sets him apart from most. He’s a phenomenal kid.”

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When Oregon freshman Katie Rainsberger won the accolade of Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year in 2015, she was also awarded a grant of $10,000 by the Gatorade Play It Forward Fund.

The Air Academy High graduate has since directed that money to the Colorado Springs Youth Sports Inc. to benefit the El Pomar Youth Sports Park, a place where she started playing sports in her youth.

“I grew up playing soccer at El Pomar and spent nearly every weekend, and many weeknights, running up and down those grass fields,” Rainsberger said in an El Pomar Youth Sports Park press release. “All the time I spent at the Park inspired me to help pay it forward to the kids who now have taken my place there. Playing there laid the foundation for my athletic career and I hope to help inspire the next generation of youth athletes through this grant.”

Rainsberger started playing soccer when she was 2 or 3 years old. During her soccer days, she bagged the United States Youth Soccer State Cup MVP as a forward in 2012.

Then, she took up running in seventh grade. She was a dual-sport athlete until her sophomore year of high school when she decided to focus on running.

“The reason I started out so strong in running is that I had such a good base from soccer,” Rainsberger said in an interview with the Gazette. “The two sports definitely help each other.”

The Colorado Springs Youth Sports Inc. is an independent nonprofit organization that focuses on building community and youth development through sports. They house multiple sports fields such as baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and hockey.

The funds will be used to upgrade the soccer fields at the park to provide a better experience for frequent users such as Pride Soccer, Colorado Rush Soccer and various other groups in the Colorado Springs area.

“We are incredibly grateful for the gift Katie has directed to the El Pomar Youth Sports Park,” Colorado Springs Youth Sports Executive Director Steve Czarnecki said. “Katie is an outstanding young woman and personifies the qualities that youth sports help instill in young people.”

While representing Air Academy, Rainsberger won seven CHSAA state championship titles in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200 meters as well as the 4×800 relay. Last year, she was crowned the Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) champion in a race featuring many of the top runners in the nation, and she was undefeated in the 5,000 meters. She first represented the U.S. in 2014 at the IAAF World Junior Cross Country meet.

Since joining the Ducks this fall, she has emerged as the fastest on the team in four out of her five appearances. So far, she has earned the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year award. At the NCAA Cross Country Championships, she placed fourth, establishing herself as the fastest freshman in the nation as well as guiding her team to its fourth championship title.

“Katie has this kind of maturity where she just kind of knows that it’s a process and she just needs to kind of get better each week and get better throughout her time here at Oregon,” associate head coach Andy Powell said. “She’s okay sitting in the back of the pack with her teammates and finishing strong. A lot of freshmen that have come in and have won a lot of NXN titles, it’s hard for them to understand that. They want to be up in the front. It’s hard to sit back like that.

“But for whatever reason, [Oregon assistant coach Maurica Powell] has been able to help her understand that, ‘Hey, you know, if you can finish X amount of place and not necessarily win it, it’s a big deal.’ And I think she understands that.”

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After the Oregon women claimed their fourth NCAA championship title in a huge upset last Saturday, the distance program is already in the works of building on their depth to keep their championship hopes alive for the future.

The first woman of the recruiting class of 2017 is high school senior Kate Murphy. The Lake Braddock student made headlines last season when she reached the semifinals of the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials in the 1,500 meters.

Murphy said Oregon had been on her radar since sophomore year, and it had been a toss-up between Oregon and Villanova. Ultimately, the appeal of the west coast, along with Oregon’s deep history of the Olympians that it had produced, won Murphy over.

“Oregon is the place I’d want to be,” the Virginia native said. “Tracktown USA is just different. They have a supportive running culture as compared to other places where they don’t know running as much.”

Murphy holds a personal record of 4 minutes, 7.21 seconds in the 1,500 meters, 4:42.31 in the mile and 10:33.93 in the two mile event.

In her hometown of Burke, Virginia, the only trail in the vicinity is the 4.5 mile Burke Lake Trail, where the team has to drive to if they want to run there. Eugene, on the other hand, boasts a four mile long Pre’s Trail that is just a stone’s throw from the UO campus. Additionally, there are other trails such as the Amazon Trail within running distance of campus.

Another factor that had attracted Murphy to Oregon’s athletic program was her close relationship with associate coach Maurica Powell, who Murphy described as a genuine person.

“It makes a big difference,” Murphy said. “It can really benefit your running.”

Murphy said she and Powell had known each other since the summer going into her junior year, and they have known each other for a little over a year.

Alumni are sharing in Murphy’s joy of joining the Ducks as well.

@GoTrackTownUSA @trackmurph @OregonTF @Run4Ducks YAY KATE YOU JUST MADE THE BEST DECISION OF YOUR LIFE SO FAR! welcome to the family!!!!!!

— Alexi Pappas (@AlexiPappas) October 14, 2016

Previously, Murphy said she only knew Pappas as a really fast runner and a really cool person. Last year, Pappas went to Virginia for a road race, where the two met each other for the first time.

“I don’t talk to her that often, but whenever I see her, I think that’s pretty cool getting to know the Oregon alumni,” Murphy said.

Last summer, she represented the U.S. at the IAAF World U20 Championships in the 3,000 meter event, where she finished 17 seconds behind current Oregon freshman Katie Rainsberger. Murphy said her friendship with Rainsberger was another factor that drew her to signing with the Ducks.

The next race on Murphy’s schedule is the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland on Dec. 3, where she placed third last year. If her schedule allows her to, she said she may squeeze in a trip down to Eugene.

Follow Romaine Soh on Twitter @mainetainpls

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It was a shocking morning for the Ducks in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course on Saturday.

Throughout the season, the women had not indicated that they were favorites to win the NCAA Cross Country Nationals. They finished fourth in both the Pac-12 Championships and the NCAA West Regionals and were only granted entry to the Nationals after they were awarded an at-large bid.

They entered the competition ranked 12^th. They finished 1^st in the nation.

On the men’s side, senior Edward Cheserek was unable to claim his fourth national title as he faded in the last kilometer to finish third in 29 minutes 48 seconds over the 10,000-meter course.

“It’s kind of disappointing, because this is my last year; it was a good race and everybody was tough out there,” Cheserek said in a press release. “My hamstring was a little bit tight, but I was like, I’m going to try my best for my teammates.”

The day before, six favorites from each category were selected to participate in a press conference, including Cheserek. A reporter had asked how the three-time champion could be taken down, and the rest of the five remained silent for a long time before Syracuse’s Justyn Knight, who eventually finished second, spoke up.

“When you talk about how to beat Edward Cheserek, there’s no real plan,” Knight said. “He’s a talented guy. His records speak for themselves. He can win with sit-and-kick, or he can win by stringing out the race. I think the best thing is to prepare for both, and then just go out and have fun.”

Villanova’s Patrick Tiernan won his first title in 29:22.

Not only did the Australian native’s win derail Cheserek’s attempt to make NCAA history, it also snapped the seven-year streak of Kenyan-born athletes dominating the championship. Liberty’s Sam Chelanga first started the trend in 2009, then continued it in 2010 before handing off the baton to Arizona’s Lawi Lalang in 2011, Texas Tech’s Kennedy Kithuka in 2012, and finally Oregon’s Cheserek from 2013-2015.

Leading the women to the win was freshman Katie Rainsberger, the first of the Ducks to complete the 6,000-meter race in 19:51. Her fourth place result awarded her the highest finish by an Oregon freshman and also established herself as the fastest freshman in the nation.

The other four members who contributed to the team score of 125 were Alli Cash (14^th), Samantha Nadel (21^st), Ashley Maton (61^st) and Maggie Schmaedick (65^th).

Rounding out the traveling team were Jessica Hull (79^th) and Emma Abrahamson (112^th).

The actual team score is lower than all their positions combined because there were some independent runners who finished in between the Ducks that did not rack up team points, so a lower position is assigned to those who finish behind the independents.

While the fifth counting member is not usually given the most attention, they were given the eye today. Oregon’s and Michigan’s last runners had finished within a tenth of a second of each other, and a video replay was required as the two teams anxiously awaited a re-tally of the team score.

Ultimately, the Oregon women emerged victorious by just one point, and they jumped out of the tent screaming as they celebrated the end of a three-year drought. The last time the women won the championship was in 2012.

When you find out you're NCAA champs. #GoDucks #NCAAXC pic.twitter.com/2IwNF3Z0Ne

— Rob Moseley (@GoDucksMoseley) November 19, 2016

Assistant coach Maurica Powell said the Ducks’ pacing and placing through the first two kilometers led her to think they had a shot to win.

“It was like, they’re either going to go big or go home,” Powell said. “And they held on.”

The No. 12 women became the lowest-ranked team to win an NCAA title. The previous record was set when No. 4 Georgetown won in 2011.

It did not prove to be as nail-biting a finish for the men’s team, who finished ninth with 282 points. Matthew Maton was the second counting member in 29^th, a massive improvement from last year’s 85^th finish.

The rest of the counting members were Tanner Anderson (69^th), Sam Prakel (104^th) and Travis Neuman (151^st). The rest of the team included Jake Leingang (189^th) and Levi Thomet (241^st).

The Northern Arizona men won their first-ever championship title with 125 points after playing second fiddle for three years.

The Ducks will have a brief respite from their competition schedule before embarking on their indoor track season. Their first race is scheduled for the University of Washington Indoor Preview in Seattle, Washington on Jan 14, 2017.

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Edward Cheserek is one step away from making NCAA history.

On Saturday morning, the senior will attempt to become the first man to have four NCAA Cross Country Championship titles under his belt. Currently, he ties with three others for winning three NCAA titles: Washington State’s Gerry Lindgren (1966, 1967, 1969), Oregon’s Steve Prefontaine (1970, 1971, 1973) and Washington State’s Henry Rono (1976, 1977, 1979).

Cheserek is the only athlete among the bunch to have won three consecutive titles.

If he accomplishes this feat, it will be his 16th NCAA individual title between cross country, indoor and outdoor track, effectively putting him in a league of his own. He is tied with Suleiman Nyambui, who represented Texas El-Paso, for owning 15 individual titles.

The showdown will take place over the 10,000-meter course at 9 a.m. PST on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Indiana. The women will contest the 6,000 meters at 8 a.m.

The road to cross country history will not be a cakewalk. Some of Cheserek’s biggest rivals include Syracuse’s Justyn Knight, who has been undefeated in his region, Northern Arizona’s Futsum Zienasellassie and Villanova’s Patrick Tiernan, who was last year’s runner-up.

Though Cheserek has three individual cross country titles under his belt, he has yet to celebrate a team championship. The last time the Oregon men hoisted the championship trophy was in 2008.

Along with Cheserek, the other Ducks who seek to improve from last year’s fourth place are seniors Tim Gorman and Jake Leingang; juniors Bryan Fernandez, Travis Neuman and Sam Prakel; sophomores Tanner Anderson and Matthew Maton; and freshmen Jackson Mestler, Austin Tamagno and Levi Thomet.

Of the line-up, five of them — Cheserek, Leingang, Neuman, Anderson and Maton — have NCAA experience, which will be beneficial in guiding the No. 13 men to the podium.

Additionally, Maton ran a career-best race at the NCAA Regionals last week, where he placed second behind Cheserek. He could build on this momentum to easily improve from last year when he placed 85th.

Meanwhile, the No. 12 Oregon women last won the championship in 2012. Although half of last year’s team — which placed third — has graduated, the team still retains its nucleus of seniors Ashley Maton and Maggie Schmaedick; juniors Emma Abrahamson, Frida Berge and Alli Cash and sophomore Jessica Hull.

Adding to the depth of the NCAA-seasoned runners are senior Samantha Nadel, sophomore Kelly O’Neill and freshman Katie Rainsberger.

Rainsberger has emerged as Oregon’s top runner in three out of her four appearances this season as well as the top freshman in the Pac-12 and Regionals.

Maton, who will be donning an Oregon singlet for the last time, has been described by the coaches as the women’s squad’s most improved runner. Her steady improvement this season shone through in the regionals when she jumped 40 places from last year’s result to finish 41st.

A live stream of the event is available on NCAA.com.

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After the Ducks fizzled in the scorching heat of the Pac-12 Championships at Arizona, both the men’s and women’s teams bounced back to place fourth at the NCAA West Regionals on Friday morning at Haggin Oaks Golf Course in Sacramento, California.

Edward Cheserek won his third regional title in a time of 29 minutes, 23.7 seconds over the 10,000-meter course. This is the first time that the men have contested the 10,000 meters this season.

Oregon sophomore Matthew Maton stepped up to take second in his regionals debut, crossing the line 21 seconds after Cheserek.

Though Alli Cash had a late start to the season due to a strain in her hip flexor, she came back strong in just her third race this year to lead the women with her fifth place finish in a time of 18:32 over the 6,000-meter race.

Only the top two teams at regionals, however, are guaranteed spots in next week’s NCAA Championships. Only 31 teams across the nation are accepted into the championship, with 18 of them having already automatically qualified. Oregon will find out tomorrow by noon if the NCAA has granted it a berth in next week’s nationals.

“Great job by Edward and Matthew on the one-two finish,” associate head coach Andy Powell said in a press release from GoDucks.com. “Obviously we would have liked to get an automatic bid, but we’re optimistic about our chances to make the NCAAs. We’ll make a few adjustments and look to improve on today’s performance.”

At-large bids are awarded based on the team’s performance during its regular-season competition, with a priority on their regional position. During the regular season, if a team has more head-to-head wins than another battling for the same spot, they are more likely to be selected to the NCAA Championships.

Last year, the Oregon men finished third at regionals, and were granted a berth in the NCAA Championships, where Cheserek went on to win his third national title.

The Oregon men tallied a fourth place finish with their total of 122 points, just 10 points behind No. 8 UCLA.

Contributing to the team score were Tanner Anderson (32^nd), Tim Gorman (43^rd) and Jake Leingang (46^th). The rest of the team included Travis Neuman (50^th) and Levi Thomet (78^th).

Stanford scored automatic qualifiers for both the men and women with its sweep of the West Regional titles. The No. 4 Washington women and Portland men are also nationals-bound with their runner-up finishes.

The women, who rank 11th in the nation, were unable to keep up their Regionals winning streak from 2014. Throughout the race, Oregon was locked in battle with No. 16 San Francisco for the top three positions, but the latter ultimately edged out the Ducks by just six points. Oregon had to settle for fourth with 107 points.

The women’s team scorers were Cash (5^th), Samantha Nadel (12^th), Katie Rainsberger (15^th), Jessica Hull (37^th) and Ashley Maton (41^st). Rainsberger emerged as the top freshman in the West region after securing similar honors in the Pac-12.

“We ran hard and I was pretty happy with Alli (Cash), Katie (Rainsberger) and Sam (Nadel) being a great one-two-three,” assistant coach Maurica Powell said. “They were better than our top three at this meet last year – and those were three all-Americans – so I think that’s encouraging as we look toward NCAAs.”

Rounding off the traveling team were Maggie Schmaedick (44^th) and Emma Abrahamson (64^th).

Washington’s Amy-Eloise Neal continued her dominant streak this season, taking the win in 18:21.

“I think we took some good steps forward from the Pac-12 meet, and I think we’re in pretty good shape for an at-large bid,” Powell said. “Our region is so tough. There could be six teams that get in from the West.”

If the Ducks get the nod from the NCAA tomorrow, they will be headed to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Nov 19, where Edward Cheserek will seek to become the first man to win four NCAA titles.

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If you saw Justin Gallegos on the street, you’d think he looks just like any other loyal Ducks fan.

The Santa Clarita, California, native is almost always decked out in a green beanie with the iconic yellow ‘O’ emblazoned on the front. He usually sports a Nike shirt marked with the running clubs he idolizes – Bowerman Track Club, Nike Oregon Project Oregon Track Club Elite – and a pair of Nike Pegasus shoes.

Even before he got to the University of Oregon, Gallegos was inspiring runners across the country. Gallegos has cerebral palsy, which affects coordination and muscles, slowing movement. While more advanced CP can render the need for the use of a wheelchair and affect the ability to speak, Gallegos has a milder form of the condition. But he doesn’t let that stop him from competing for the UO Running Club. He is able to walk without assistance and run competitively.

When Gallegos was representing the club for the first time at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational in Salem on Oct. 1, he lost his shoe within the first 50 meters of the race in the chaos at the start. He stopped to pick it up, but the combination of the ticking clock and his desire to do well in his first collegiate race convinced him to continue with just one shoe.

“He was about to run the whole damn race holding his shoe until everyone started yelling at him to just stop and put it on,” said teammate Kylen Fleishman. “He didn’t even waste a second. He just kept going.”

Gallegos finally paused to put his shoe on and went on to finish the 8-kilometer course in 42 minutes, 12.9 seconds.

Although Gallegos finished last out of 208 competitors, his presence never fails to make an impact on those watching him perfect his art. Fleishman, a sophomore, is one of many who feel inspired just by watching him run.

“I’ve always been the guy on my team who would cheer for every member of the team, regardless of where they’re finishing,” Fleishman said. “But for Gallegos, it’s just another level.”

Gallegos, a freshman, started walking at the age of 2 but used a walker until kindergarten. He underwent physical therapy for many years, visiting the doctor two to three times a week to straighten his gait.

“My feet are turned in because of the way I walk, and I’d fall every day or every other day,” he said.

(Courtesy of Justin Gallegos)

Gallegos initially considered joining his high school football team, but his father, Brent Gallegos, persuaded him to try out for cross country. After Gallegos found his passion for running during his freshman year of high school, he grew stronger and more confident — and began dreaming of running at UO.

“Before high school, I wasn’t as strong as I am today,” the Hart High graduate said. “I wasn’t as active and social as I am now. I’m glad running has led me here.”

Gallegos was inspired by the running culture in Eugene, where Nike was founded. His former assistant coach went to UO as well as many former UO runners Gallegos admires.

Gallegos’ first order of business after enrolling at the university was joining the UO Running Club. In the first three weeks of the term, Gallegos showed up for almost every day of practice, even though attendance was not mandatory.

Sophomore Jake Willard, a coordinator for the running club, said Gallegos quickly became a source of inspiration for the club.

“You can see how much he loves and enjoys the club,” Willard said. “You can see it in the way he runs, the way he acts, the way he interacts with people. He’s a really heartfelt guy, and it’s really awesome to see how much he’s already brought to the club.”

(Courtesy of Justin Gallegos)

Gallegos said he feels lucky to attend UO. He almost didn’t fulfill his dream of coming to Eugene because out-of-state tuition, housing and living expenses amount to around $50,000 a year, nearly eight times more than what it would cost for him to stay close to home.

Gallegos is no stranger to press coverage. Established sports journalism websites ESPN and FloTrack wrote about him. His high school classmate produced a documentary about him titled “No Such Thing As A Disability.” Since then, Gallegos has tagged all his Instagram photos with #NoSuchThingAsADisability.

It was Gallegos’ press coverage that caught the eye of John Truax, who works in the Nike running department. Truax offered to work with UO administration to help him raise funds for school. His first piece of advice for Gallegos was to set up a GoFundMe page, which has so far netted $10,970, enough to see him through his first quarter of college.

With Gallegos’ interest piqued, he and his father visited Oregon to meet some of the people who were supporting his cause.

It was “like a Disney movie,” Gallegos’ father said. They toured the Nike Beaverton campus and met the Nike-sponsored Olympians who trained there. The company also presented Gallegos with a check to supplement his college fund and tickets to the final day of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene.

“We realized that there were enough people wanting to make this happen, and that was the turning point,” Gallegos’ father said. “It started out on faith. We still need to figure things out … when the second quarter rolls around, but there are some really good people that are on his team trying to make this happen.”

Gallegos hopes to have a scholarship set up under his name for those with disabilities who wish to represent the university’s sports clubs.

(Courtesy of Justin Gallegos)

He is on track to declare journalism as his major, but his long-term goal is to become a sponsored athlete and someday represent the U.S. at the Paralympics, preferably in the 1,500 meters. Gallegos would need to shave around two minutes off his personal record to meet the qualifying standard at the Paralympics.

“He’s game for anything, and that impresses me,” said Tom Heinonen, UO running club’s volunteer coach.

Earlier this year, the California Interscholastic Federation Track and Field State Championships introduced the Paralympic Games. Though Gallegos’ love for running lies in mile-and-above distances, the longest race hosted was the 400 meters. He ran anyway and emerged the champion for his division.

“The rise of disabled sport is bigger than people think it is,” Gallegos said. “I believe there’s going to come a time in high school athletics and the NCAA when they are going to integrate disabled athletes.”

Follow Romaine Soh on Twitter @mainetainpls

The post A lifelong race: Justin Gallegos doesn’t let Cerebral Palsy keep him from running appeared first on Emerald Media.

**Correction: A previous version of this article stated Oregon was eliminated from postseason contention, when in fact the Ducks can still clinch a postseason berth with a win over Oregon State in their final game.**

The Oregon women’s soccer team hadn’t had to enter overtime since they last played Hawaii in August.

After playing through two overtime sessions on Sunday afternoon, the Ducks tied with Washington State 1-1 at the Lower Soccer Stadium in Pullman, Washington. The draw pulls the Ducks’ record to 8-9-2, which means they must win their final match against Oregon State to qualify for an NCAA tournament berth.

Goalkeeper Halla Hinriksdottir returned to the fold for Oregon after a collision with an Arizona player took her out of action 10 days ago. Main players such as defenders Caitlyn Wong and Ashlee Schulz were missing from today’s line-up.

Things looked good for Oregon as they drew first blood in the 19th minute of play. Midfielder Baylee Bruner scored her third goal of the season off an assist from midfielder Marissa Everett.

However, Washington State retaliated in the 76th minute with a goal of their own. By the time the whistle blew at 90 minutes, both teams were locked in a stalemate of 1-1, and the match went into two overtime sessions.

Neither side scored during extra time, and the match was declared a draw.

“We showed great team effort and grit today,” Oregon head coach Kat Mertz said in a release. “We were able to create some good goal-scoring opportunities and were able to capitalize on one of them. Players stepped up for injured teammates and played extremely well.”

The Ducks will play their last match of the season against Oregon State on Nov 4, 3 p.m. at Pape Field.

“I am proud of our team and looking forward to coming home for the Civil War and to honor our outstanding senior class,” Mertz said.

Follow Romaine Soh on Twitter @mainetainpls