As we wait patiently for the 13th straight Oregon victory over the Huskies, I thought that I'd switch to the sport in which Oregon wins national championships.
The new 2016/2017 track roster has been released. There are some big surprises.
On September 30 Oregon's superstar JC sprint LOI signee, Cravon Gillespie announced that he had decided to go pro instead of competing for the Ducks. This is really bad news. Also Oregon horizontal jumpers Nate Moore and Travonn White do not appear on the roster. Moore was ranked #1 in both the triple jump and the long jump in high school. White was the junior college national champion in the long jump....and top ranked in high school. Obviously that is more bad news.
There is some unexpected great news on the roster. 200/400 sprinter Elexus Guster is listed as a senior transfer from Iowa. She was a Big Ten Conference Champion and a second team All American. UO track fans were not expecting this. With the return of Olympic finalist Dejah Stevens, two time NCAA 800 champion, Raevyn Rogers, incoming California 400m high school champion, Hannah Waller, and Georgia State 400m champion Mackenzie Dunmore, the UO women's 4x400 relay team will be in strong contention for a national title!
Perhaps the biggest and most exciting surprise on the men's roster is a junior transfer long jumper, Demarcus Simpson from Chadron State. He has jumped 26'3! This makes him an immediate threat to score at the NCAAs. Demarcus is the NCAA div II national champion in the long jump. He was the Georgia state high school long jump champion as a prep.
The women also picked up a transfer long/triple jump star in Portland State sophmore transfer Chaquinn Cook. Chaquinn placed 3rd in the triple jump at the USATF Junior Championships! She won the Big Sky conference triple jump title as a freshman at PSU.
There are a couple of "near" surprises that actually leaked out a few weeks back. The men are getting Western Kentucky Senior Redshirt 100/200 sprinter Khyree King. He isn't a Cravon Gillespe, but he is a sub 10.3 100m and a sub 20.6 in the 200.
Another recent leak that is on the roster is redshirt senior transfer from Georgetown, distance star and three time All American, Samantha Nadel.
There are other unexpected new names on the roster. Many of them will not be factors in the NCAA Championships. Some might develop and end up becoming factors. I've named the ones that are most likely to have an impact on the program.
Take it from a guy who is a long time devoted Oregon track and Oregon football fan....Oregon football might pay the bills, but Oregon track delivers the thrills!
It's great to be an Oregon track fan!
The new 2016/2017 track roster has been released. There are some big surprises.
On September 30 Oregon's superstar JC sprint LOI signee, Cravon Gillespie announced that he had decided to go pro instead of competing for the Ducks. This is really bad news. Also Oregon horizontal jumpers Nate Moore and Travonn White do not appear on the roster. Moore was ranked #1 in both the triple jump and the long jump in high school. White was the junior college national champion in the long jump....and top ranked in high school. Obviously that is more bad news.
There is some unexpected great news on the roster. 200/400 sprinter Elexus Guster is listed as a senior transfer from Iowa. She was a Big Ten Conference Champion and a second team All American. UO track fans were not expecting this. With the return of Olympic finalist Dejah Stevens, two time NCAA 800 champion, Raevyn Rogers, incoming California 400m high school champion, Hannah Waller, and Georgia State 400m champion Mackenzie Dunmore, the UO women's 4x400 relay team will be in strong contention for a national title!
Perhaps the biggest and most exciting surprise on the men's roster is a junior transfer long jumper, Demarcus Simpson from Chadron State. He has jumped 26'3! This makes him an immediate threat to score at the NCAAs. Demarcus is the NCAA div II national champion in the long jump. He was the Georgia state high school long jump champion as a prep.
The women also picked up a transfer long/triple jump star in Portland State sophmore transfer Chaquinn Cook. Chaquinn placed 3rd in the triple jump at the USATF Junior Championships! She won the Big Sky conference triple jump title as a freshman at PSU.
There are a couple of "near" surprises that actually leaked out a few weeks back. The men are getting Western Kentucky Senior Redshirt 100/200 sprinter Khyree King. He isn't a Cravon Gillespe, but he is a sub 10.3 100m and a sub 20.6 in the 200.
Another recent leak that is on the roster is redshirt senior transfer from Georgetown, distance star and three time All American, Samantha Nadel.
There are other unexpected new names on the roster. Many of them will not be factors in the NCAA Championships. Some might develop and end up becoming factors. I've named the ones that are most likely to have an impact on the program.
Take it from a guy who is a long time devoted Oregon track and Oregon football fan....Oregon football might pay the bills, but Oregon track delivers the thrills!
It's great to be an Oregon track fan!
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