Erickson Earns B1G Year-End Honors
Oregon senior Matthew Erickson swept the Big Ten and NCAA indoor titles at 800 meters.
EUGENE, Ore. – Matthew Erickson has been voted the Big Ten Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, as announced Wednesday by the conference office. Erickson swept the Big Ten and NCAA indoor titles at 800 meters and helped the Men of Oregon win the Big Ten Championships earlier this month.
Erickson became the third man in program history to win the NCAA Indoor title at 800 meters, joining Elijah Greer (2013) and Charlie Hunter (2021). In the prelims, Erickson ran an indoor best of 1:46.11 to register the fastest opening-round time in NCAA Indoor meet history. With that effort, he became the second-fastest indoor performer in Oregon history.
The Nelson, British Columbia, native accounted for 13 points at the Big Ten Indoor Championships with this victory in the 800 and sixth-place finish over 600 meters. His time of 1:46.58 in the Big Ten prelims moved him into the top 16 to qualify for the NCAA meet. Erickson also split 1:45.35 for the Ducks’ DMR that qualified for nationals at the Arkansas Qualifier.
Erickson got his indoor campaign started with the first sub-4:00 mile of his career—3:59.27—at the BU Season Opener in December. He was the first of eight UO men to dip below four minutes this season.
Following the conference meet, Jerry Schumacher was recognized as the Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year. Oregon swept the Big Ten team titles in its meet debut.
The Ducks’ outdoor season begins this week with the Oregon Preview (March 21-22) at Hayward Field. Tickets for that meet and the entire home schedule which includes the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (May 16-18) and the NCAA Outdoor Championships (June 11-14) are currently on sale.
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