Oregon distance runner Edward Cheserek has been named one of three finalists on for the Bowerman Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in collegiate track and field.

U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) and the Bowerman Advisory Board made the announcement Wednesday via webcast.

Cheserek dominated the 2015 season, winning the national outdoor titles in the 5,000 and 10,000. He also ran anchor on Oregon’s winning indoor distance medley relay team.

Akron pole vaulter Shawn Barber and Florida jumper Marquis Dendy are also finalists for the award.

First introduced in 2009, the Bowerman Trophy is named after legendary Oregon track and field coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman, who led the Ducks to four NCAA team titles between 1962 and 1970.

Three Ducks have won the award previously: Olympic silver medalist distance-runner Galen Rupp in 2009, Olympic Gold Medalist and world record-holding decathlete Ashton Eaton in 2010, and two-time NCAA champion distance runner Laura Roesler last year.

Cheserek was also a finalist for last year’s Bowerman Trophy.

Here’s the announcement video:

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– Oregon receiver Byron Marshall and recently-converted cornerback Charles Nelson were two of 44 players named to the 2015 Paul Hornung award watch list on Monday. The award, given to college football’s most versatile player, has eight Pac-12 players on its watch list – the most of any conference.

Marshall was a 1,000-yard rusher two seasons ago as Oregon’s feature running back prior to the emergence of Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner. He proved his offensive versatility last season with another 1,000-yard year – this time, as a receiver.

As a true freshman, Nelson was a special teams star, returning two punts for touchdowns and making plenty of big hits on kickoff and punt coverage teams. Later in the season, Nelson saw more time on offense. He had a combined 428 yards and five touchdowns from scrimmage.

His next project is defense, where he is battling through the summer for a starting cornerback spot.

– Former Oregon offensive lineman Andre Yruretagoyena spoke to Tyson Alger of the Oregonian about his decision to step away from football after breaking his leg against Michigan State early last season. Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“It was time to retire. And unlike players who retire because of injury or due to performance, Yruretagoyena decided to go out conceivably before he had played his best football. If healthy in 2015, Yruretagoyena would have likely been a starter. Instead, he chose to walk away.”

– Oregon men’s basketball point guard Ahmaad Rorie is transferring from the program. According to Justin Hopkins from 247sports, the University of Montana appears to be Rorie’s likely landing spot. As a freshman, Rorie appeared in 36 games with 15 starts. He averaged 4.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

– Vernon Adams is one step closer to becoming a Duck. The former Eastern Washington quarterback, who is expected to compete for the Ducks’ starting spot, has been admitted to the University of Oregon and can now enroll in graduate classes. Adams has yet to enroll in classes, however, but will be able to do so again on Aug. 5. Once enrolled, Adams can start participating in team-organized workouts and practices.

– The Eugene Emeralds shut out the Vancouver Canadiens 6-0 Sunday evening at PK Park. Justin Marra’s solo home run in the third inning extended the Emeralds’ lead 3-0. The Emeralds and Canadiens continue their five game series tonight at 7:05 p.m.

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Oregon men’s basketball point guard Ahmaad Rorie will transfer from the program, according to a report from 247sports.

Rorie informed 247sports of his intentions to transfer on Friday. Justin Hopkins of 247 said the University of Montana appears to be the front-runner to land Rorie.

As a freshman, Rorie appeared in 36 games with 15 starts. He averaged 4.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

A three-star recruit from Tacoma, Wash., Rorie chose Oregon over Washington and Washington State in May 2014 after de-committing from Cal a month earlier.

Rorie was expected to compete with sophomore Casey Benson and incoming four-star recruit Kendall Small for minutes at point guard in the upcoming season.

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The recent successes of Oregon men’s basketball hasn’t translated into success in the NBA for the program’s players.

In the last 15 years, seven former Ducks have played in the NBA. Only two, Luke Ridnour of the Toronto Raptors (2000-2003 with the Ducks) and Aaron Brooks of the Chicago Bulls (2003-2007), remain in the league today.

Ridnour made headlines today after being traded four times in six days.

Assuming recently-drafted Joseph Young (Indiana Pacers) can make an NBA roster in the upcoming NBA season, he will become the third.

Luke Jackson (2000-2004) and Fred Jones (1998-2002) were picked 10th and 14th respectively in past NBA Drafts, but each was out of the league within five years.

Malik Hairston (2004-2008) was a second-round draft pick in 2008. He played just two years in the NBA before being released by the San Antonio Spurs.

Alex Scales (1998-2000) and Ivan Johnson (2006-2007) each went undrafted and had to fight their way to the NBA through stints on international teams and the NBA Developmental League. Neither lasted past their second year in the NBA.

So how is it that, in a 15-year period in which Oregon men’s basketball has made eight NCAA tournament appearances and won four Pac-12 championships among countless other achievements, so few Oregon players have gone on to have successful NBA careers?

Each player had his own circumstances, but at least part of the reason can be attributed to the small ball brand of basketball the Ducks have traditionally played in the past decade and a half.

Ernie Kent, Oregon’s basketball coach from 1997-2010, was notorious for playing a lineup of three guards and two forwards without a traditional center. This personnel was an ideal fit for Kent’s uptempo offense that emphasized three-point shooting, but it undoubtedly hurt the the chances of some players making a career in the NBA.

In terms of roster breakdown, not much has changed since Dana Altman took over head coaching duties in 2010.

Last season’s starting front court was often a combination Jordan Bell, Elgin Cook and Dillon Brooks. Bell, the tallest of the three, is listed at 6-foot-9 — shorter than most NBA centers.

At 6-foot-2, Young was Oregon’s starting shooting guard the last two seasons. He had question marks going into the 2015 NBA Draft about his size as well.

A few years ago, these players, perhaps unfairly, would’ve been intensely scrutinized over their lack of size once entering the league. This scrutiny followed the likes of Hairston, Scales and Jones when they entered the NBA.

But the NBA size trend is changing rapidly. This year’s champion, the Golden State Warriors, ran lineups deep into the playoffs with 6-foot-7 Draymond Green sometimes playing center. While the Warriors were an extreme case that cannot be emulated by most teams, their dominance this season represents a continual shift of power in the NBA towards the perimeter.

As guards with shooting and distributing capabilities, it’s no coincidence that Brooks and Ridnour are the only two Ducks left in the NBA. Young has the potential to fit this profile as well, and it bodes well for him that the team that selected him, the Indiana Pacers, want to ramp up the offensive tempo next season.

Many years of Oregon’s small-ball lineups might finally pay off for their players at the next level.

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Justin Marra hadn’t seen the plate all game. Trading time with the likes of Matt Rose and Tyler Alamo, Marra hadn’t started since Saturday, as a designated hitter.

Then, on Monday afternoon in the bottom of the ninth inning with a 4-4 tie and the bases loaded, Eugene Emeralds manager Gary Van Tol called on Marra to pinch hit in place of Ian Rice. Facing Tri-City Dust Devils reliever Luis Hernandez, Marra was ready.

“I’ve played for Gary before and he always has us prepared for that kind of situation,” Marra said. “Seventh, eighth and ninth inning, you always gotta be ready. That’s just part of the job – you’re on the bench, but you’re never out of it.”

On a 1-1 count, Marra eyed a changeup and connected, drilling the ball into the first base gap that sent lead-off hitter Donnie Dewees home for the game-winning run.

The Emeralds won Monday’s game against the Tri-City Dust Devils 5-4, clinching a series win.

“Nothing against Rice – he’s been doing a great job in the short time he’s been here – but it just came down to the matchup,” Van Tol said. “Right-handed pitcher on the mound, we have a veteran guy on the bench who swings from the left side who’s played with me for a long time.”

The Emeralds (6-6) hit their offensive stride early with two runs in the bottom of the first. On an infield single from Matt Rose, Ian Happ scored from second to take an early lead.

Two batters later, Adonis Paula drove in Rose from second. Two more runs in the bottom of the third followed, and the Emeralds looked well on their way to victory.

But the Dust Devils slowly chipped away at the deficits, scoring one run each inning from the sixth to the eighth. Then, with runners on second and third in the top of the ninth, Emeralds reliever Alexander Santana gave up an RBI single to Nick Vilter, tying the game at four apiece.

The Dust Devils threatened to comeback in late innings for the second consecutive game, but Santana put an end to the comeback, getting the next two batters out.

“We didn’t panic,” Van Tol said. “What’s been hurting us in the past is giving up big innings late. For us to keep things under control and keep the game tied heading into our last at-bats, that’s what we were trying to get to.”

Dewees’ lead-off double, followed by a Eloy Jimenez walk and a Happ intentional walk, loaded the bases for the Emeralds. After Rose struck out looking, Marra came in for the walk-off single.

The Emeralds and Dust Devils will conclude their five-game series tomorrow night. 

Shortly after the game, a fire engulfed Civic Stadium — the Emeralds’ home from 1969-2009. According to Steve Mims of the Register-Guard, the Ems will wear throwback uniforms dating back to when they played at the stadium at tomorrow night’s game.

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Another late kick proved to be the difference for Nike Oregon Project and former Oregon distance runner Matthew Centrowitz on Saturday at Hayward Field.

With 600 meters left in the USATF Championships men’s 1500 meter final, Centrowitz knew this was the point to make a move.

Centrowitz moved past the likes of Will Geoghegan and Robby Andrews  into first, running the last 400 meter frame in 51.95 seconds for a finish of 3:37.25.

“Winning wasn’t good enough,” Centrowitz said. “I wanted to dominate the field. Going into that home stretch, I wanted the race to be won already, and that was the main goal coming in.”

It was his third U.S. title and his fastest finish at the outdoor championships.

“I can’t remember in a long time how hungry I wanted to be coming into a meet,” Centrowitz said. “A mix of finishing second in the US rankings last year, I wanted to retain that title.”

Nike Oregon Project, a distance-running group led by Alberto Salazar, has been the subject of controversy in the last month as Salazar and Galen Rupp, another former Oregon and current Nike Oregon Project distance-runner, were accused of doping.

“Obviously with everything going on, I wanted to win this one for my team,” Centrowitz said. “I wanted it bad.”

Centrowitz, who got bronze at the 2011 Word Championships and silver in 2013, now has another opportunity to win a gold medal at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

Robby Andrews and Leo Manzano, who placed second and third in the men’s 1,500 final, will join Centrowitz on Team USA in Beijing.

Andrews appeared to fall too far behind to overcome in the last lap, but a late surge propelled him to a 3:38.75 finish.

“Honestly with 200 to go, I kind of thought I missed the boat and my dad is at the 150 yelling ‘don’t wait!’” Andrews said. “I’m like, ‘it’s not over yet,’ and I just went for it.”

Manzano, who has traded victories with Centrowitz in the 1500 every year since 2011, finished just behind Andrews at 3:38.76. It was Manzano’s 10th straight top three finish

“It was a super intense race,” Manzano said. “The last 100 meters I buckled down and grinded through the end. I’m glad I listened to my coach and pushed through the finish line.”

Manzano acknowledged he wasn’t immediately sure if he made the top three when he reached the finish line.

Centrowitz’s victory marked yet another dominant performance for the Nike Oregon Project, following Rupp’s win in the men’s 15,000 meter final on Thursday night. Centrowitz is close to both Rupp and Salazar, and he was asked after the race if he ever witnessed any wrongdoing on the team.

“I can safely say if I ever saw one thing that I felt was wrong, I would’ve been the first to leave,” Centrowitz said. “Like I said, I’ve never seen anything from Alberto, Galen or anyone on our team, or anyone on our staff do anything wrong.”

Centrowitz and company will now prepare for the World Championships in Bejing. The men’s 1500 heats begin August 26.

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The Indiana Pacers selected former Oregon basketball standout Joseph Young with the 43rd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird said the team coveted Young for months leading up to the draft and was surprised Young was still available at 43. Young becomes the second Duck to be drafted in the Dana Altman era, joining Arsalan Kazemi, who was picked 54th by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013.

Five-star Canadian basketball recruit Jamal Murray announced Wednesday that he will play college basketball for Kentucky. Oregon was previously considered the frontrunner to land Murray. Ducks forward Elgin Cook even welcomed Murray to Oregon a week ago via Twitter before deleting the tweet a few minutes later.

Amid continuing doping allegations, former Oregon distance-runner Galen Rupp dominated the 10,000 at the USATF Championships at Hayward Field. Rupp crossed the finish line at 28:11:61, while Ben True finished second with a time of 28:14.26.

The Eugene Emeralds claimed their first series win of the season with a 3-1 victory over the Boise Hawks on Thursday. Left-handed pitcher Justin Steele delivered six strong innings for the Emeralds before relievers Corbin Hoffner and Sam Wilson finished the job. Emeralds manager Gary Van Tol said after the game that Steele “has no fear” when stepping on the mound.

Tennessee Titans and former Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota remains one of just three players selected in the NFL Draft who has yet to sign a contract. The holdup has reignited Mariota to Philadelphia rumors for a reunion with Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. Whether the rumors hold any weight, however, is another question.

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Former Oregon Ducks basketball guard Joseph Young might be the biggest anomaly going into the 2015 NBA Draft.

On one hand, you have an instant-offense, 20-point career scorer at Oregon who led the Ducks to two NCAA tournament appearances. On the other, you have an undersized two-guard, at six-foot-two, who was sometimes criticized for not distributing the ball often enough. Unfortunately for Young, the latter is more likely to determine his draft fate. His offensive potential is first-round worthy, but his size may keep him waiting into the second round.

With the exception of a few, most draft experts project Young as a mid-second round pick. The projection appears to be a slight to the Pac-12 player of the year. There is concern that some of Young’s attributes won’t translate well to the NBA.

It starts with his lack of size. Young measured 6-foot-2 without shoes at the NBA Draft Combine. In his two years with the Ducks, Young played with a score-first mentality, as he was often the most threatening scorer on the floor.

Oregon head coach Dana Altman gave Young more opportunities this past season to be the team’s primary ball-handler. Young showed stretches of promise as a point guard, but overall, he remained an inconsistent distributor, averaging 3.7 assists per game. He’s a shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body.

Defense remains another question mark for Young. If a team were to plug in Young as a scoring guard off the bench, he would either have to guard a bigger shooting guard or match up with the opposing point guard and probably assume ball-handling duties on offense.

This isn’t to say that Young is destined for failure in the pros. Teams will have to carefully consider what Young’s role will be. As a result, Young’s draft position likely won’t reflect his college accomplishments and accolades.

Despite his lack of size and defensive shortcomings, however, some teams reportedly value Young’s offensive upside enough to select him late in the first round, according to ESPN NBA Insider Chad Ford. Ford reports that Young’s lack of team workouts since the combine suggests a team in the late first round promised Young they would pick him if he’s still available. Ford’s latest mock draft projected Young as the last pick in the first round, going to the recently-crowned NBA champion, Golden State Warriors:

With the 30th pick, the Warriors select Joseph Young, Oregon #FordBilasMock

— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 23, 2015

Other mock drafts haven’t been so kind. CBS Sports projects Young as the 42nd pick to the Utah Jazz. Draft Express has him going to the Washington Wizards at 49. NBA.com also predicts Young going to the Jazz, but with the 54th pick.

Bottom line: Young has first round talent, but most teams will shy away from his less-than-ideal NBA size.

Instant offense off the bench is always in high demand across the league. Young will have to adjust to coming off the bench and touching the ball less. Still, his offensive potential remains high. Spending a second round pick on him is a low-risk, high-reward option for teams in need of scoring depth.

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A late offensive surge combined with pitching errors allowed the Eugene Emeralds to come back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Boise Hawks 8-3.

It was the Emeralds’ first home win of the season in front of a sold-out PK Park crowd.

The Ems (2-5) and their offensive fortunes dramatically flipped in the bottom of the sixth inning when Hawks starting pitcher Javier Palacios was pulled in favor of Logan Cozart.

The Hawks (3-4), trying to protect a 3-0 lead, quickly saw their pitching go south.

Lead-off batter Ho-young Son put the Emeralds on the board when cleanup hitter Justin Marra drove in the RBI single. Then, with two outs, Frandy De La Rosa delivered another RBI single to cut the Hawks’ lead 3-2.

“I think it was just coincidence,” Emeralds manager Gary Van Tol said of the pitching change. “A lot of time at this level, the matchups late in the game, you just gotta be lucky.”

The Emeralds were certainly lucky in the bottom seven following inning, when the Hawks’ pitching became even more erratic.

Cozart’s walk of Adonis Paulus forced Hawks manager Frank Gonzales to bring in reliever Tyler Matzek.

After Varonex Cuevas grounded out, Matzek hit Son with a pitch and one wild pitch later, advanced runners to second and third with one out. The next four batters: Jimenez, Ian Happ, Marra and Tyler Alamo were all walked, suddenly giving the Emeralds three runs in the inning without a single hit.

With the bases still loaded, De La Rosa stepped to the plate and drilled a low pitch to the right field wall. Three baserunners scored, and De La Rosa slid safely into third. De La Rosa finished the game with four RBI’s, blowing the game wide-open for the Emeralds.

“When we got some help with some walks and got the lead, then it was a matter of, ‘let’s get a big knock here and close it out,’” Van Tol said. “What Frandy did, coming in to get that triple, was a huge boost for him. All the guys were fired up for that. That’s what builds confidence going into tomorrow.”

In a no-decision, left-handed pitcher Carson Sands gave up three earned runs over six complete innings. His replacement, Jae-Hoon Ha, kept the Hawks offense at bay and picked up his first win of the season for the Emeralds.

“Pitching was really good,” Van Tol said. “Sands scuffled there a little bit, but came out and finished the sixth. Ha did an outstanding job out of the bullpen and [Alexander] Santana finished it. When guys are doing well, it’s a snowball effect.”

Thursday’s rubber-match with the Hawks at PK Park will begin at 7:05 p.m.

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Four days after winning both the men’s and women’s 2015 Outdoor National Championship, two Oregon track and field coaches took home more hardware.

Head coach Robert Johnson was named men’s and women’s outdoor coach of the year and his distance coach, Andy Powell, was named men’s assistant outdoor coach of the year.

U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) member coaches from NCAA Division I programs cast votes for the awards.

Led by Johnson, Oregon men won their second straight outdoor title by an 89-point margin. It’s their second biggest margin in history, only trailing that of last year’s team.

This was the second consecutive year Johnson won men’s outdoor coach of the year, but his first time winning the award for both the men’s and women’s teams.

Powell won his second consecutive men’s outdoor assistant coach of the year award due in large part to contributions from distance runners Edward Cheserek and Eric Jenkins throughout the 2015 season.

Southern Illinois’ John Smith was named women’s outdoor assistant coach of the year.

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