No. 14 Oregon concluded their final regular season tournament with a second place finish in the Western Intercollegiate. The Ducks shot a combined 16-over 1066 at the Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif. No. 3 Texas finished first by a wide margin, shooting a combined two-over 1052.

Zach Foushee led the way for the Ducks, as he shot three-under for the weekend on the par-70 course, including five-under in the third and final round.

Another bright spot for the Ducks came in the form of Brandon McIver. Although his third round four-over hurt his overall score, McIver tied the the all-time course record at the Pasatiempo Golf Club with a seven-under 63 in round two. McIver became just the third golfer in the course’s history to shoot a 63.

Aaron Wise and Thomas Lim each finished with nine-over 219 score for the weekend.

Oregon now has two weeks to prepare for the Pac-12 Championship, which begins April 27th at the Palouse Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Wash. If the Western Intercollegiate was any indication of how well the Ducks will play come championship season, they must like their chances. Seven other Pac-12 teams competed in this weekend’s tournament, and the Ducks finished first among them.

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Oregon men’s golf head coach Casey Martin first learned about Aaron Wise’s demeanor on the golf course years before Wise became a Duck. It was after a tournament when Wise played poorly.

“I had one of the representatives that follows junior golf and he saw him at a tournament,” Martin said. “He came up to me and he goes, ‘I still think [Wise] is the best kid here.’ Just because of how he handled losing and the maturity factor.”

Martin started formally recruiting Wise by Wise’s junior year of high school. Wise’s demeanor was solid, but even more importantly, Martin saw many of Wise’s scores that “jumped off the page.” In November of 2013 Wise verbally committed to play golf at the University of Oregon.

Fast forward two and a half years and Wise is nearing the home stretch of arguably the most successful season by an Oregon freshman since Martin began coaching the men’s team in 2006. His stellar season has been highlighted by first place finishes at the Desert Mountain Invitational and the Ka’Anapali Intercollegiate – only his third-ever collegiate tournament.

“To win twice as a freshman, it’s the most I’ve ever had,” Martin said. “I’ve never had a a freshman win before. I thought he was an amazing player coming in, so it doesn’t really catch me by surprise, but I think he’s done a phenomenal job.”

Although Wise has not played like a typical college freshman this season, he is still adapting to college. Wise acknowledged his biggest challenge this year is not being able to see his family, only seeing them over winter break and a quick trip to Palm Springs.

But whenever Wise faces a challenge, whether its on the course or off of it, teammates have noticed his ability to work through it.

“He carries himself well,” said Brandon McIver, a junior on the men’s golf team. “He gets upset with himself when he hits bad shots, but he’s literally the first one to bounce back and make a couple birdies in a row. It’s like he plays with a controlled rage.”

Martin added: “When he plays golf he doesn’t show a lot of emotion. He’s emotionally mature, which has been a big tell of my players that have been able to do things.”

Even more remarkable about Wise’s freshman campaign, several of the courses he’s played this season were his first time as well. McIver and other upperclassmen on the team have helped guide Wise through these unfamiliar courses.

“A lot of that comes from the way we practice with the team,” Wise told the Emerald in the fall. “We’re able to draw on the experience we get from our practices and perform the shots properly.”

Their guidance will be especially important during this weekend’s Western Intercollegiate at the Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Cruz, Calif., the team’s last tournament before the Pac-12 Championship.

“Zach [Foushee], Thomas [Lim] and myself have all played it,” McIver said. “There’s certain holes out there that you need to play a particular way. We’ll definitely help [Wise] out this weekend and once we give him info, I think he can take it from there.”

Martin said these last few tournaments will ultimately determine where Wise’s season is regarded among other freshmen he’s coached, but doesn’t have any added expectations for him. As for Wise, he’s hungry for more.

“I want to win them all,” he said with a smile.

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Only a day after a close defeat against Stanford, the no. 51 Oregon Ducks men’s tennis team suffered a similar fate against no. 33 Cal on Saturday. They lost 5-2 on the outdoor courts of the Student Tennis Center.

Daan Maasland and Simon Stevens won the first doubles match 6-3, but Cal claimed the doubles point after getting wins on courts two and three. Head coach Nils Schyllander said afterwards that doubles is one area his team need to improve on going forward.

“Singles is there,” Schyllander said. “It’s a lot easier when you have that [doubles] point. It takes a little pressure off. When you don’t have to win four out of six three-setters, it makes a big difference.”

Jayson Amos gave the Ducks their first point after defeating Oskar Wikberg in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Amos leads the team this season with 20 wins overall in singles.

Freshman Stevens continued his scorching-hot streak in singles, extending his perfect spring singles record to 13-0. He defeated Gregory Bayane in three sets: 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

“I got some confidence I didn’t have during the fall,” Stevens said. “I know I trust myself more. When I have a problem on the court I try to find a solution, and I know I’m able to do it. It’s all about the confidence.”

Maasland faced no. 56-ranked Andre Goransson on court one and although he was dominant in the 6-0 first set, Goransson clawed his way back to win in three sets.

On court two, Daniel Sardu battled with no. 100-ranked Filip Bergev, but eventually fell to Bergevi in three decisive sets.

Cormac Clissold also started strong in his match against J.T. Nishimura, but ran out of momentum late as he fell in three sets: 6-3, 2-6, 3-6.

After facing the top four teams in the Pac-12 in the past two weeks, the Ducks are still looking for their first conference win.

“We’re playing some of the best in the country and we’re right there to win,” Schyllander said.

The Ducks now look ahead to a couple of conference matches to be played away from Eugene, beginning with a meeting at Arizona on April 10th and ending at Utah.

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When Byron Marshall was injured while returning a kickoff against Utah, it was just another instance of an important offensive player hurting himself on special teams.

Oregon running back Thomas Tyner injured his shoulder while returning a kickoff against Washington last season. He opted to have surgery in August, ending his 2015 season before it ever began.

On the opening kickoff of last season’s Rose Bowl, Devon Allen tore his ACL while trying to make a cut on the return. His injury sidelined him for much of the offseason, and although he has recovered, Allen is still reentering the fold of the Oregon offense.

Injuries to talented offensive players returning punts and kicks have become widespread at Oregon over the last year, which is why, when Marshall was carted off the field, many expected the worst. As it turned out, Marshall’s undisclosed injury required surgery, likely ending his senior season prematurely.

“If players get hurt on special teams, I feel just sick to my stomach,” special teams coach Tom Osborne said. “But guys get hurt playing football all over the place.”

Still, the number of Oregon players injured while playing special teams as of late is noteworthy– if not alarming.

“We have had a number of guys hurt in the last couple years – that is unusual,” Osborne said. “I’ve done this a long time and we’ve had more returners hurt than I can remember in years.”

To a certain degree, injuries on special teams are inevitable. Players such as Allen recognize the risk of speed and strength running full speed at each other.

“In special teams in general, it’s pretty dangerous,” Allen said. “It’s a hard thing because athletic trainers argue all the time to take special teams out of the game. The majority of injuries we see in football are on kickoff and punt return.”

Oregon’s coaching staff has long maintained an approach to put the best athletes on punt and kick return, regardless of their role on offense or defense. But is the risk of a focal player getting injured on special teams greater than the reward?

“That’s a great question, and we debate it all the time around here,” University of Washington head coach Chris Petersen said. “When there’s a guy that’s really special with the ball in his hands, you’d like to put him back there… But you probably have to minimize them on other special teams because they’re probably a starter already.”

Marshall’s injury has opened the door for several players to return punts and kicks. Charles Nelson took Marshall’s vacated spot last week against Colorado. Osborne also hinted at Tony Brooks-James and Kirk Merritt getting into the rotation.

And then there’s Allen, who expects to be returning kicks again as early as Saturday’s game against Washington State. Some players in Allen’s position would be hesitant to return to special teams, doing the exact same thing that got them injured in the first place. That’s not the case with Allen.

“[Kickoff] is a big part of the game,” Allen said. “That’s a huge play. And I feel like, if I catch the ball on kickoff return, I’m gonna score every time I get it.”

The Oregon men’s golf team was in the midst of transition when Zach Foushee came to Eugene as a freshman in 2012.

From 2010 to 2012, the Ducks finished third in the NCAA Championships twice, led by future PGA tour golfers Daniel Miernicki and Eugene Wong.

The run was unprecedented for Oregon, but it was about to come to an end. Miernicki, Wong and two other seniors graduated after the 2012 season, just as Foushee and the rest of the 2012 recruiting class were set to arrive.

“We didn’t have the team, we were young in certain areas and had some older guys that were on their way out,” said Brandon McIver, another 2012 Oregon recruit. “There just wasn’t much flow or chemistry.”

As expected, the Ducks took a step back in the 2012-13 season, only winning one regular season tournament before ending their season with an eighth place finish in the NCAA regional round. During his freshman year, Foushee appeared in eight tournaments, trying to find his place on a team in transition.

“As a freshman, you just sit back and play your game, and you don’t really say much,” Foushee said.

Now a senior, Foushee is one of the Ducks’ key rotation players and leaders of the team. Far removed from Foushee’s freshman season, head coach Casey Martin and the Ducks have retooled to build a formidable, deep unit. According to Foushee, individuals on the team seldom need advice on or off the course. When necessary, however, Foushee has embraced his leadership role.

“Brandon and I are always there for them if they need advice,” Foushee said. “We’ve been through it for four years now.”

Though Oregon seemed like a natural fit for the West Linn, Ore. native, Foushee initially favored Brigham Young University. His father, Sean, wanted him to go to BYU, but ultimately Foushee was drawn to Martin and the Ducks.

“I had a little change in heart,” Foushee said. “When it came down to signing the letter, I was like, ‘I don’t know if I can do this.’ And I knew Casey had a spot for me.”

Martin’s teams from 2010 to 2012 caught Foushee’s attention enough to come to Oregon. Though the Ducks took a step back in that 2012-13 season, they’ve been on an upward trajectory since. Adding junior Thomas Lim and sophomore Aaron Wise, Oregon solidified the team’s lineup with Foushee and McIver.

“We built a more stable team than we had – at least my freshman year,” Foushee said.

The Ducks took another positive step as a team last season, winning all four of their fall tournaments, highlighted by an NCAA record 30-under in last November’s Ka’anapali Classic. At the end of the season, Foushee, McIver and Wise were each named to the Pac-12 second team.

This season has brought a slower start. After finishing tied for first and third in their first two tournaments, the Ducks finished tenth in their most recent tournament.

Foushee and McIver have seen these ups and downs in previous years. With more experience than anyone else on the team, the two have remained level-headed throughout, even when they’re struggling themselves.

“They haven’t maybe played their best recently, but that’s just the ebbs and flows of golf,” Martin said. “They’re pursuing golf and trying to get better.”

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Russell Arkin didn’t play ultimate frisbee until he was a sophomore at South Eugene High School.

Arkin grew up playing soccer through middle school, but took a year off from the sport during his freshman year due to leg injuries. He found ultimate frisbee soon after, which he had never played previously.

“I didn’t really know ultimate was a thing when I was in middle school,” Arkin said. “It wasn’t really an option for most kids.”

Arkin continued playing ultimate through high school and at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Upon graduating from Whitman last May, Arkin returned home to Eugene. One of his high school teammates, Vinh Bui, asked Arkin to be a counselor for a week long summer ultimate camp run by Eugene Middle School Ultimate, a non-profit organization recently started by Bui and a few other Eugene-area players.

Arkin accepted.

Since, EMS Ultimate’s summer camp has continued its goal of making ultimate more accessible to middle schoolers by starting a structured league this fall. Five Eugene-area middle schools: Cal Young, Kennedy, Roosevelt, Spencer Butte and Waldport, each formed co-ed teams for the inaugural fall season. Arkin, now the Executive Director of EMS Ultimate and coach of the Spencer Butte team, said he and the rest of the organization were surprised how quickly ultimate has caught on among middle schoolers in Eugene. Anywhere from 70 to 100 kids show up on Saturdays at Century Field behind Roosevelt, where all of EMS Ultimate’s games are held.

“We were going into the fall hoping we would get 10 kids per school,” Arkin said. “Our biggest problem, which isn’t really a problem, is how do we keep track of all of these kids? It’s been more successful and popular than we were anticipating.”

The tight-knit ultimate community in Eugene has shown a willingness to get involved as well.

Former Oregon Fugue and Ego players, Lillian Weaver and Trevor Smith, and current players Jesse Shofner, Hope Zima, Will Watkins and Ty Livingston all coach fall league teams. Ego head coach Jay Janin serves on the board of directors, as well as former Ego standout Cody Bjorklund, who secured deals with Five Ultimate and Friction Gloves to cover jersey costs for the fall.

Still, EMS Ultimate is trying to develop a sustainable budget. Going into the summer camp, they were operating at a deficit. The organization continues to raise money through a GoFundMe page, which Bui created in early September.

“It’s an uphill battle, but if kids get a chance to play (ultimate) competitively at an early enough age, they’re going to pick it over other sports,” Bui said.

EMS Ultimate’s fall season concludes with a tournament on Nov. 21. According to Arkin, the organization is already in talks to start another league for the spring, and expand on last summer’s summer camp with several more sessions.

For EMS Ultimate volunteers like Arkin, they continue to strive to provide middle schoolers with an opportunity they didn’t have: to discover the sport of ultimate early.

“Getting the kids exposed to ultimate, so they can fall in love with it like we all did, that’s really the goal,” Arkin said.

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Oregon’s defense was only responsible for five sacks through the first four games of the 2015 season.

Of the five, 1.5 came from the Ducks’ defensive line. In three games since (Colorado, Washington State and Washington), the Ducks combined for 16 sacks on opposing quarterbacks – more than tripling their previous output.

Most importantly, Oregon’s defensive line totaled 10 of the team’s last 16 sacks, including all four in its most recent victory at Washington.

Although Oregon’s secondary has drawn criticism in nearly every game this season because of its 121st-ranked pass defense, the defensive line’s lack of pressure at the beginning of the year is partially to blame. Without a consistent pass rush, opposing quarterbacks have been allowed too much time in the pocket. Sacks don’t tell the whole story, but much of the defensive line’s increase in production over the last three games can be attributed to more hits on quarterbacks. As a result, Oregon’s pass defense is slowly becoming more well-rounded.

Senior defensive end DeForest Buckner is responsible for a large portion of the unit’s improved pass rush. Buckner’s five sacks are a team-high, and he’s been unstoppable in stretches this season.

Early in the third quarter against Washington, Buckner sacked Huskies quarterback Jake Browning on back-to-back plays, singlehandedly halting a promising scoring drive.

“He’s just that factor, he’s going to get through that line of scrimmage,” said cornerback Ugo Amadi, who grabbed the game-clinching interception against Washington.

Defensive coordinator Don Pellum believes his defensive line has been similar all season. The major improvement over the last few games has come from the secondary.

“I don’t know if the [pass rush] has changed a lot,” Pellum said. “What we’re doing overall between the front and the back, I think we’re playing better coverage behind them and allowing a little more time for our guys to continue to rush.”

However, interior defensive linemen, particularly senior nose tackle Alex Balducci, have stepped up for the Ducks. Balducci has two and a half sacks on the season, all of which came during the last three games.

Combining Buckner and Balducci with a rotation of Tui Talia and fast-emerging Henry Mondeaux at the opposite end position, Oregon has a formidable defensive line.

Still, the Ducks are weary of plays left on the field. Sixteen sacks over the last three games is an improvement, but the Ducks feel like they should have more.

“We’re doing well, but we just need to finish,” Balducci said. “There’s a lot of tackles outside the box and a lot of sacks that we could’ve gotten.”

Oregon’s pressure against Washington almost wasn’t enough, as the Huskies nearly came back and spoiled a 26-20 victory.

Thursday’s game at Arizona State won’t be as forgiving. Quarterback Mike Bercovici is protected by an experienced offensive line of four seniors and a junior. The unit also hasn’t given up more than one sack in four of its seven games. Oregon’s defensive line, its anchor, will be tested once again.

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When Oregon men’s club soccer coach Alex Riley looked at the roster going into this season, he knew he needed a center back to play opposite senior Zach Donner.

Going into double days and tryouts in September, Riley looked for someone to emerge.

“I really wanted someone who would complement Zach in the back,” Riley said. “I was looking for someone who was obviously tall, aggressive and could work with Zach to communicate. At double days, I was looking for someone exactly like that and, luckily, Kevin was there.”

Kevin Cotter, a towering 6-foot-4 freshman from Palos Verdes, California, came into double days intending to make a strong first impression. Cotter’s size and how physical he played with the older guys caught Riley’s attention.

“He was pushing me around and getting the ball off me, which I love to see,” Riley said.

Cotter made the team and learned just prior to the season that he would be starting — only one of two freshmen to do so this year. Starting as a freshman is rare, particularly as a center back, according to Donner. Cotter, Donner and the rest of Oregon’s back line haven’t allowed more than two goals in any league games this season and have three clean sheets.

Although far from the fastest player on the soccer field, Cotter’s size is his greatest advantage. But Cotter didn’t always embrace the physicality of the game before coming to Eugene.

“They used to call me the gentle giant because I really avoided [contact],” Cotter said. “My club coach back home whipped me into shape and was like, ‘Kevin, you’re big, freakin’ use it. Hit people.’ “

Cotter answered his coach’s challenge and became a different player.

Seasoned Oregon men’s soccer players like Riley and Donner are impressed by this year’s freshmen class as a whole. But Cotter’s consistent play, in his precarious position in front of the goal, makes him a reliable option for the defense.

“You can go with inexperience on the wings and get away with it,” Donner said. “But at center back, you make one mistake and they’re through on goal. Seeing Kevin starting as a freshman, what’s amazing is he just doesn’t make many mistakes … That’s extremely rare as a freshman.”

Away from soccer, Cotter is reserved and maybe even shy at times. When he’s on the field though, Cotter makes his voice heard.

“I’m quiet as hell,” Cotter said. “But on the soccer field, you kind of have to throw that away. Even though the guys are four or five years older than you, you have to yell at them. It’s what you have to do as a center back.”

Oregon clinched first place in its league last weekend with a 1-0 victory over Portland State and a 2-2 draw against University of Portland. Now the team heads to Phoenix for the 2015 NIRSA National Soccer Championships, beginning with pool play on Thursday.

The team lost to Central Florida 3-0 in last year’s semifinals, but players insist this year’s team has a different feel. With the addition of impact freshmen, emerging return players and veteran presence, expectations are high for this year’s nationals, Riley said.

“During the game, everyone’s goal is to win, and I haven’t seen that from a lot the teams I’ve been on the past four years. For nationals, we have a good run this year.”

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Few sports are more reliant on weather than alpine ski racing.

Every winter, the amount of snowfall directly correlates with how many days skiers have to train and compete in races.

The Pacific Northwest is expected to experience “El Nino” conditions this winter, characterized by warmer temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. Though El Nino creates varying weather patterns around the continental United States, the Pacific Northwest most commonly experiences drier winters in El Nino years, according to a Weather Channel study conducted in November.

This could mean another dry year for the University of Oregon club alpine ski team, already coming off two consecutive seasons with below-average snowfall. The team normally trains at Hoodoo Ski Area, 80 miles northeast of Eugene, but has been unable to do so in the last two seasons due to low snowfall.

“We set gates, get hill space and teach fundamentals to these kids,” co-captain Jake Railton said. “It’s hard to just jump in … there’s things that get thrown at you in a race where you’re expecting everyone to train, and most teams have. We’re usually one of the only teams that hasn’t.”

While snowfall, or lack thereof, could deter the Oregon alpine ski team from training, it won’t make or break a successful season. Being underprepared for competitions has obvious disadvantages, though the team has dealt with it before. Instead, they embrace being able to travel around the region, bond with each other and compete against fellow collegiate skiers.

“The UO ski team offered an opportunity for me to join people who also like to ski, enjoy the snow, travel and continue racing at the same time,” captain Megan Ganim said. “Having this outlet in college, even now in my senior year, is really beneficial.”

Railton, a Utah native, competed for the Park City Ski Team in high school. Racing against some of the best skiers in the country, Railton invested countless hours in trying to get better, but eventually got burnt out.

“In high school, it was really all I cared about,” Railton said. “I was a head case, taking it very seriously. I wasn’t getting the results I wanted, and that made me not want to ski for an NCAA school.”

Instead, Railton came to Oregon and tried out for the alpine ski team.

“I came here, and it was just perfect for me,” Railton said. “It became the thing I love about it, which is ski racing itself.”

Ganim and Railton have seen firsthand the effects of sub-par snowfall.

“Coming to a race and not having training is pretty frustrating,” Ganim said. “It would be awesome to get more snow this year.”

There is still optimism among the team that this year’s snowfall will be better than years past. The El Nino doesn’t automatically guarantee less snowfall, and in some years, can actually mean the opposite.

“You really don’t know until you’re actually in the season,” senior Stephan Splitstoser said. “I’m really hoping that we get a lot of snow, and can go up and do as much training as possible.”

Weather is out of their control, but the alpine ski team will make the necessary adjustments come racing season.

“The show goes on,” Ganim said.

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