T&F Preview: Women's Distance

Breaking down the Oregon track and field program by event groups entering the start of the indoor season (Jan. 14)

Head Coach Robert Johnson: "It feels like it was just a few days ago that this group was celebrating the biggest upset in NCAA history. Bringing home that (cross country) trophy will be a lasting memory for the Women of Oregon, and it has already set the tone for the track season. Like the men, we are excited to see how the cross country season will translate onto the track this indoor season."

WOMEN'S MIDDLE DISTANCE (800m, Mile, Distance Medley Relay)

Who's back: Four-time All-American and three-time national champion Raevyn Rogers returns to lead the Women of Oregon in the 800 meters along with three-time All-American Brooke Feldmeier, as highlighted in the long sprints preview.

The Ducks enter the indoor season with a strong mix of returners and newcomers among the distance runners, with many coming off the cross country national championship they earned in the fall.

Lilli Burdon enters her sophomore season after earning All-American honors in the distance medley relay at the NCAA Indoor Championships last season. Burdon was also an NCAA Championships and World U20 qualifier at 1,500 meters in outdoors. Jessica Hull returns for the Ducks looking to build an increased role on the track after competing sparingly last season. Hull finished 79th overall at the NCAA Cross Country Championships and also competed in three meets during indoors last season.

Kelly O'Neil comes back for the Ducks after seeing limited action in indoors last year in the 800 and 1,000 meters. Junior Emma Abrahamson returns for her second indoor season after running the mile at the MPSF Championships last season.

Who's new: Freshman Katie Rainsberger enters her first track and field season with Oregon after a tremendous cross country debut for the national champion Ducks. Rainsberger led Oregon to the national title with a fourth-place finish (19:51.1) at the NCAA Championships, the best finish among all freshmen in the field. Rainsberger's stellar performance earned her Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors, first-team All-Pac-12 recognition and a spot as a Honda Award finalist for cross country. Rainsberger brings excellent range to the track after an accolade-filled high school career in Colorado that saw her claim the CHSAA 4A state championship in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters as well as the 4x800 meter relay as a senior.

WOMEN'S LONG DISTANCE (3,000m, 5,000m)

Who's back: Redshirt junior Alli Cash leads the way among a large group of returners as a four-time All-American. Cash finished 14th overall at the NCAA Championships for the Ducks while helping them to the cross country national championship, and was a scorer in the 3,000 meters during the NCAA Indoor Championships last season. Cash will be counted on once again in the 3,000 meters as well as the 5,000 meters.

Also returning is senior Maggie Schmaedick, whose final kick at the NCAA Cross Country Championships secured the national title for the Ducks and continued a recent trend of Eugene natives pulling through in big spots for Oregon. Schmaedick will compete in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters during the indoor season for the Ducks before taking on the 10,000 meters in the outdoor season.

Brianna Nerud did not compete in indoors last year, but was a Pac-12 qualifier in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during outdoors and broke the school record on her way to qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Sarah Baxter also did not compete in indoors last season, but was a Pac-12 qualifier in the 5,000 meters in outdoors and was a three-time state champion in the 3,200 meters in high school. Frida Berge has competed in only three indoor meets since arriving at Oregon in 2013, but she will be counted on after her success in cross country and outdoors as an All-American.

Who's new: The Women of Oregon welcome a senior transfer along with a pair of freshmen to the longer distances in 2017. Redshirt senior Samantha Nadel will compete for the Ducks after helping them to the cross country title in the fall with a 21st-place finish. A three-time All-American while at Georgetown, Nadel owns Big East titles in both the 3,000 meters and the distance medley relay and should be a solid contributor for the Ducks.

Joining Nadel are freshmen Rennie Kendrick and Perrin Xthona. Kendrick is a local product out of Grant High School in Portland, and was a part of the Oregon 6A state champion 4x400 relay squad while also qualifying for the state meet in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters. Xthona will make her Oregon debut on the track after competing sparingly during the cross country season. Xthona was he Oregon 4A state champion at both 1,500 and 3000 meters for Yamhill-Carlton High School as a senior in 2016, and could make an impact in multiple events.