TerryM9 No. 1 Share Posted June 22 As I am sitting here watching ( on tv) the Olympic Trials in the best facility in the world, I am curious about Duck Track and Field. It just makes me sick how bad it has been for the past few years I have been searching for recruiting for track and have found a few items but not much, I thought I would put it out there and see if anyone has any info about Track. It just seems that for track having the best facility, and maybe the best weather for track, we should blow people away recruiting, particularly distances. Cole Hocker is trying to qualify right now in the 1500. Thanks, Terry 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryM9 Author No. 2 Share Posted June 22 Hocker was first in his heat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCDuck1 No. 3 Share Posted June 22 Home | TrackDucks TRACKDUCKS.BOARDS.NET Visit our forum at: trackducks.boards.net VR, KCDuck1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryM9 Author No. 4 Share Posted June 22 Thanks KC Duck1! That is more information than I have found in years. Sounds like both mens and womens track teams are moving along well Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Moderator No. 5 Share Posted June 22 The current team is listed at goducks.com. There is not recruiting info, but at least it lists people’s personal bests on the track, or in the field. Freshmen and sophomores generally have a small paragraph regarding high school accomplishments. Btw…Oregon has a freshman by the name of Simeon Birnbaum, who looks to be another solid 1500 meter runner. Not fast enough to qualify for the Olympics this year, but could contend in another 4 to 8 years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCDuck1 No. 6 Share Posted June 22 Drake, Simeon Birnbaum is really a terrific athlete. He was the Gatorade National T&F Athlete of the Year, and if he did not have a stress-related fracture in his tibia region, he would be running in at least the NON and/or the US U20 championships (there are four different championships this week). Another one to watch is Ben Hill. Ben is the U20 National Champ in the shot put with a throw of over 67' (he has thrown 75'). He will be a Duck freshman on the track team. Another Duck freshman from Tenn (a decathlete) just came back at the US U20 Champs with a personal record exceeding 7200 points. I believe the Duck women will once again score in T&F (indoor/outdoor) in the top four (or higher), and I believe the men should make the Top 7 this next year - we'll see. We have some of the best coaches in the US (Blutreich in the throws) and Shalane in the Women's running, and many more. We are doing much better than it seems, but there is a long way to go, still. VR, KCDuck1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroBurst61 No. 7 Share Posted June 22 Curious? We all hear about the "advantages" of Oregon's NIL program, Division Street, and how it is bolstering recruiting efforts in both football and basketball. Does their reach also get applied to other scholarship sports such as track & field, baseball, softball, etc? My hope is that there is a significant effort to have both Men's and Women's TnF be a top 3 program, annually, in the NCAA's. Climate (both weather and fandom), Facilities, Coaches, NIL(?), should make it a slam dunk for our T&F programs to become so. Go Ducks! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Moderator No. 8 Share Posted June 22 On 6/22/2024 at 12:03 AM, KCDuck1 said: Another one to watch is Ben Hill. Ben is the U20 National Champ in the shot put with a throw of over 67' (he has thrown 75'). He will be a Duck freshman on the track team. Another Duck freshman from Tenn (a decathlete) just came back at the US U20 Champs with a personal record exceeding 7200 points. We just need the Crouser family to get more of their offspring to go to Oregon. Ryan is the World record holder in shot put, and won multiple NCAA Championships, but went to Texas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastBayDuckDad Moderator No. 9 Share Posted June 22 The TV coverage of the trials yesterday was first rate. Great camera angles of the track and the athletes with incredible perspectives of the Hayward architecture. The Swoosh and University of Oregon logos prominently displayed. Motion cameras that followed the runners on the straight and at the tape. All state of the art. Also several overhead views, presumably drone, that showed the McKenzie/Willamette rivers on a beautiful day. Talk about advertising to the sports world and any prospective recruit that Eugene is a great place to be and the U of O is at the pinnacle for facilities. Go Ducks! 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 10 Share Posted June 22 The fact is....Robert Johnson was an exceptional coach, and I am not sure if another will duplicate what he did. In three years (2014-2017) he won more National Championships (Outdoor, Indoor, Mens/Womens, and XCC) than Washington has won in ALL sports and both genders in 130 years. I know there were issues with him, and he lost his top assistants to Washington...but great coaches continue to rehire well, and not get into trouble. Too bad for everyone... Another 'Natty Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 11 Share Posted June 24 A couple $.02 worth comments. Yes, the T & F facilities in Eugene are as fine as I have seen anywhere at the University level in the U.S. I do not follow T & F closely except for Olympic years. But if memory serves me, The Ducks very often had top T & F teams. So is there anyone out there who can give m a quick synopsis on why things have fallen off? Or is my impression (and memory) totally off base? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Moderator No. 12 Share Posted June 24 On 6/23/2024 at 10:13 PM, Nevada Dawg said: do not follow T & F closely except for Olympic years. But if memory serves me, The Ducks very often had top T & F teams. So is there anyone out there who can give m a quick synopsis on why things have fallen off? Or is my impression (and memory) totally off base? It is common for Oregon to be in the top 10 of both men’s and women’s track and field. They have won around 32 National Championships between Indoor, Outdoor, and Cross Country. There was controversy with Robert Johnson, the track coach, regarding the approach to weight and body fat percentages. There were athletes that went public with allegations that the approach led to eating disorders. Oregon did not renew the Coach’s contract in 2022, and Oregon has revised guidelines and training methods. Oregon hired Jerry Schumacher to lead the team. He was the coach for the Nike Bowerman track club and is considered a world class coach in distance running. My take is that the controversy definitely hurt Oregon track and field recruiting. Probably missed out on some top athletes that would have attended Oregon. I believe that Schumacher will definitely recruit top distance runners. To be determined whether he can recruit other athletes in the sprints, and field events. You need more than just distance runners to win the National Championship. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
