University of Oregon
Don Kirby Elite Invitational
Ducks Eye Qualifying Marks This Week
02/09/17 | Track and Field, @GoDucksMoseley
The Oregon track and field team is split between two meets this weekend and looking for qualifying marks to NCAA Indoors.
Two weeks ago, the bulk of the Oregon track and field program was in New York, and the Ducks generally had themselves a good time.
There were subway rides, and the team watched street performers on crowded city blocks. At the Armory Track and Field Center, the UO women set a collegiate record in the distance-medley relay, one of five school records that were a pleasant surprise on a weekend in which notable performances weren't generally expected.
The Ducks are back in action this weekend, split between meets in Seattle and Albuquerque. And the team's mindset has shifted accordingly. There won't be subways or street performers to distract the Ducks in either location, which is the way they want it.
The Oregon teams are generally split between distance runners and throwers at the Husky Classic in Washington, and sprinters and jumpers at the Don Kirby Elite in New Mexico. After this weekend, there's only one more chance to get qualified for NCAA Indoors — at the MPSF Championships in two weeks — and the Ducks made it clear to each other in a team meeting Tuesday that they don't want to let things linger.
"It's been fun until this time — and we want to keep it fun moving forward," UO coach Robert Johnson said Wednesday, relaying the tone of the team meeting the night before. "However, we want to take a large crew to NCAAs. We need to focus in and make this even more of a business trip than in the past to get that done."
Several Ducks already seem safely assured of spots in the field for the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, next month. Along with the distance-medley relay, Oregon women have NCAA-best marks in the 60 meters (Hannah Cunliffe, 7.13), the 200 (Deajah Stevens, 22.65), the 800 (Raevyn Rogers, 2:01.75) and the 60 hurdles (Sasha Wallace, 7.91). The UO men also have the best time in the nation in the distance-medley relay.
Oregon runners have top-five marks nationally in five other events, and top-10 marks in 11 more on top of that. But several Ducks are on the bubble to qualify for nationals, and looking to change that this week.
Case in point: senior Tim Gorman, a graduate transfer from Dartmouth. Gorman ran 4:01.93 in New York two weeks ago, and probably needs to shave four seconds or so to ensure he'll be competing in College Station.
"If I want to go, that's the goal," Gorman said. "… I've been running well and feeling good. It's going to show, I hope."
Gorman could have another chance to run 3:58 or better at the MPSF Championships. But that would be his third competitive mile of the indoor season; he'd prefer to run the 3,000 at MPSFs, and save his legs for a fast mile at NCAA Indoors.
"I've never trained this hard this early before," Gorman said. "I've been in the best shape I've been in for early February. I'm ready to do something."
For someone like Wallace, there's a different pressure. She posted the top time in the nation in New York, and though that should secure her a spot at NCAA Indoors, she doesn't want to take her foot off the gas.
"For me, I'm always going to try to do better than I did the week before," Wallace said. "I don't want to get too comfortable. I've been running how I've been running, but there's always talented competitors out there. For me, I've been trying to do what I've been doing — don't change anything, don't get comfortable, but enjoy myself at the same time and take advantage of the moment."
That was the theme of the Ducks' team meeting Tuesday. The vibe was positive — the Ducks began as usual by noting victories and personal bests accumulated two weeks ago in New York and Seattle — but it was also businesslike.
"It started out with a celebratory tone, because we started the meeting with that," Johnson said. "But at the end, before they wrapped up with a 'Go Ducks,' that was the cry — let's make sure we continue to keep our eye on the prize, and get as many people on this trip (to nationals) as possible."
Players Mentioned
