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June 4, 2010

Baker, Eaton, Wheating Highlight Track Awards Banquet

Dr. Stan James receives the Hall of Fame Award.

      EUGENE, Ore. -- Three outstanding seniors, Keshia Baker, Ashton Eaton and Andrew Wheating, were recognized for their career achievements and four-year contributions to the Oregon track and field programs at the teams’ annual banquet held Friday night at Autzen Stadium

      The three seniors were honored with the Bill Bowerman Award for outstanding career achievement in track and field.

      Baker, from Fairfield, Calif., is the only woman to win three consecutive Pac-10 400 meter titles. Additionally, she holds six school records, was the NCAA runner-up indoors at 400 meters this winter and led Oregon’s first-ever women’s national champion indoor 4x400 meter relay team. Her time in the 400 at this year’s Pac-10 championship, 50.76, set school, stadium and meet records. She also ran the third leg on Oregon’s 2010 Pac-10 champion 4x100 meter relay team that broke USC’s meet record by running 43.27, and was the runner-up at 200 meters. In her career, she is a four-time All-American and a 10-time Pac-10 scorer.

      Eaton, from Bend, Ore., is the current world record holder in the indoor heptathlon, having scored 6,499 points in winning the 2010 NCAA title. He is a four-time NCAA champion (twice each in the decathlon and heptathlon), a five-time Pac-10 champion, and was a 2009 Bowerman Award Finalist. At the 2010 Pac-10 championships, he won the decathlon, long jump and 110 hurdles and was second in the 100 meters. The seven-time All-American scored a wind-aided personal best 8,310 points in the decathlon at the Texas Relays earlier this season. Last weekend at the NCAA West Regional, he jumped 26-4.5 in the long jump, which was the second-best leap in school history.

      Eaton was also chosen as the team’s Harry Ritchie’s Jewelers Award winner, which is presented to a member of the men’s team in recognition of his great contribution to the University of Oregon track and field program.

      Wheating, from Norwich, Vt., is the defending NCAA Champion in the 800 meters and also has a pair of indoor distance medley relay titles to his credit. The 2008 Olympian is a six-time All-American, three-time Pac-10 champion and the school record holder in the indoor 800 meters.

      Other honorees from Friday night included senior Nicole Blood, who was named both the Lynne Winbigler Performer of the Year and the Tom Heinonen Cross Country award winner. Blood, from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., was the 2009 Pac-10 cross country champion and the 2010 Pac-10 champ at both 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

      Sophomore Amber Purvis, who won the Pac-10 100 and 200 meters, shared the Lynne Winbigler award with Blood.

      Junior Brianne Theisen was named the Mary Officer Award winner, which is presented to a member of the women’s team in recognition of her great contribution to the University of Oregon track and field program. Theisen was the NCAA indoor pentathlon champion and successfully defended her Pac-10 heptathlon title.

      The George Scharpf Outstanding Athlete Award, presented in recognition of outstanding athletic achievement by a male track and field athlete, went to two-time Pac-10 javelin champion Cyrus Hostetler.

      Juniors Jamesha Youngblood and Melissa Gergel shared the Harry Ritchie’s Inspirational Award, which goes to the female track & field athletes whose athletic achievement and leadership provide inspiration to their teammates. Youngblood became just the second woman ever to win back-to-back Pac-10 long jump and triple jump titles, while Gergel was the NCAA runner-up indoors in the pole vault.

      The Dow Wilson Inspirational Award, presented to the male track & field athletes whose athletic achievements and leadership provide inspiration to their teammates, was shared by sophomore Matthew Centrowitz, who won the Pac-10 1,500 meter title, and senior captain Chad Barlow.

      The Women’s Newcomer of the Year Award went to freshman Jordan Hasay, while the Perry Holloman Men’s Newcomer of the Year Award was shared by freshmen Mac Fleet and Elijah Greer.

      Cited for the Coaches Award, given to recognize athletic achievement, dedication and determination, were seniors Marshall Ackley and Zoe Buckman, junior A.J. Acosta and freshman Anne Kesselring. Buckman was the 2010 Pac-10 1,500 meter champ and Buckman was the Pac-10 800 meter champ, while Acosta took second in the 1,500, third in the 5,000 and fourth in the steeplechace at the league meet. Ackley was the Pac-10’s third-place finisher in the decathlon.

      Also on Friday, the University of Oregon Track and Field Hall of Fame Award was presented to Dr. Stan James.

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