This completes college track for this school year. It has been a wild ride. The men lost the greatest track athlete in the NCAA, right before regionals, to an injury. The women lost Hannah Cunliffe for regionals. Deja had a bizarre fall in an event that she might have won, and the women's sensational 4x100 team was disqualified due to a passing zone violation. It was all suspenseful right up to the final event. In that event, I think that Raevyn Rogers likely ran her way into college track's top individual honor, the Bowerman Trophy. She certainly ran her way into Oregon Duck fan's hearts.
The women won three national team championships this year, also known as the triple crown. They are the first women's team ever to do so. They did it with talent, but even more so, they did it with heart. It took contributions from stars like Raevyn Rogers, Deja Stevens and Katie Rainsberger, but it also couldn't have happened without the contribution, dedication and determination of athletes like Maggie Schmaedick, Brooke Feldmeier, and Asahante Horsely. All and all, it took a team effort. That is what makes this sport so entertaining. It is a story of individual competition simultaneous with a team competition. Congratulations to this amazing team and coaching staff.
The University has now won 33 team NCAA Championships. 31 of those championships have been won by a track related team. They're not about to stop. It's a school tradition!
Thank you to everyone on DSA who has contributed to making this year's track story so much fun to follow. You have made it more fun for me. Let's do it again. Next year we will have with us the father of a talented freshman men's sprinter on the team. That will make this all the more special.
Go Ducks!
