EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon track and field team picked up six wins Friday at the Oregon Preview. The Ducks’ winner’s circle included a lifetime-best performance by Giuliano Scasso in the steeplechase, the last event of the night. Oregon also collected wins from Maddy Elmore (5,000 meters), Shelby Moran (hammer), Kohana Nakato (javelin), Jack Normand (high jump) and Cheyla Scott (high jump).
Scasso knocked more than four seconds off his previous best, stopping the clock in 8:49.80 to end day one of the Preview. He came into the season with a steeplechase PB of 8:54.57 from last year’s Bryan Clay Invitational. The redshirt sophomore was an NCAA West Preliminary qualifier a season ago to go along with a fifth-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships.
Moran made it 2-for-2 with her winning performance in the hammer, backing up her outing from last weekend’s OSU PNW Invite. She led through three rounds, and then after fouls in rounds four and five, she extended her day’s best to 66.62m/218-7 which doubles as a season best.
In a sweep of the top-four spots in the women’s 5K, Elmore and Anika Thompson had nearly identical finishing times (16:13.00 to 16:13.02). Silan Ayyildiz crossed closely behind in 16:13.19 while Melissa Berry (16:36.26) rounded out the UO quartet. With her performance, Thompson recorded an outdoor best to take down her previous time of 16:46.28 by more than 33 seconds.
Nakato backed up last weekend’s runner-up finish at Oregon State with a victory Friday afternoon. She bested the field by nearly 13 feet with a toss of 49.84m/163-6, also good for a season’s best. All five of her legal measures would have won the competition. Nakato was joined in the top five by teammates Josephine Krohn and Annika Williams in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Shortly after Nakato’s victory lap, Normand added a win for the UO men in the high jump. He had a first-attempt clearance at 2.10m/6-10.75 to clinch the win. With the top spot secured, the Bend, Ore., native raised the bar but had three unsuccessful attempts at a would-be 2.15m/7-0.5 clearance. Normand led a 1-3 Oregon finish with freshman teammate Osawese Agbonkonkon.
Scott, in her outdoor debut for the Ducks, posted a final clearance of 1.75m/5-8.75 to take first in the high jump. She did so with a third-attempt clearance at the height.
In the first result of the day, Mason Strunk was the top collegian—and second overall—in the hammer. The Salem, Ore., native posted a day’s best of 63.97m/209-10 in the fifth round. Needing a legal throw to remain in the competition after two fouls, Strunk got the hammer out to 62.56m/205-3 to move up into second.
Gavin Korkeakoski led the Ducks’ charge in the men’s javelin by way of a lifetime best of 61.69m/202-4 on his first attempt. The measure was good for fifth place and was his first to eclipse 200 feet. He came into the day with a best of 197-9 from his freshman season at Colorado Mesa.
Notable: Oregon legend Bill Dellinger was named a member of the latest USTFCCCA Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame class. Previously inducted into the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998, Dellinger won two NCAA titles—mile in 1954, 5,000 meters in 1956 during this collegiate career at Oregon, and was a three-time Olympian. Dellinger was the 1964 bronze medalist over 5,000 meters. This year’s 14-person Hall of Fame class will be enshrined Sunday, June 2, 2024, at the Hult Center in Eugene. Dellinger is the third Oregon legend to earn a spot in the USTFCCCA Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame, joining past greats Steve Prefontaine (2022, inaugural class) and Dyrol Burleson (2023).
Up Next: The Oregon Preview resumes Saturday at 12 p.m. with the women’s pole vault, and continues into the start of running events at 2:30 p.m. The final event of the day—4×400 relay—starts at 6:15 p.m. Members of the UO sprints and hurdles group will be competing Saturday at the Aztec Invitational.
Full Team Results
Oregon Preview
MEN
3,000m Steeplechase
1. Giuliano Scasso – 8:49.80 (PB)
4. Benjamin Balazs – 8:53.70
7. Vincent Mestler – 9:17.23
High Jump
1. Jack Normand – 2.10m/6-10.75
3. Osawese Agbonkonkon – 2.00m/6-6.75
Hammer
2. Mason Strunk – 63.97m/209-10
Javelin
5. Gavin Korkeakoski – 61.69m/202-4 (PB)
6. Zach Young – 59.37m/194-9
10. Asher Krauel – 56.13m/184-2
14. Arthur Katahdin – 37.36m/122-7
WOMEN
5,000 Meters
1. Maddy Elmore – 16:13.00
2. Anika Thompson – 16:13.02
3. Silan Ayyildiz – 16:13.19
4. Melissa Berry – 16:36.26
2. Kendall Martin – 10:40.05
1. Cheyla Scott – 1.75m/5-8.75
1. Shelby Moran – 66.62m/218-7 (SB)
1. Kohana Nakato – 49.84m/163-6 (SB)
4. Josephine Krohn – 42.00m/137-9
5. Annika Williams – 40.25m/132-0
10. Taylor Chocek – 34.64m/113-7
11. Gianna Bullock – 31.91m/104-8
14. Colleen Uzoekwe – 23.69m/77-8
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