The Duck women have developed a great history in the 5,000 meters (5k) similar to the men.  Nicole Blood was the US junior champion as a junior in high school.  She came to Oregon just after Vin Lananna and his coaching staff came to Oregon.  She has become one of Oregon’s top distance runners ever and with seven all-American (a-a) awards close to becoming the most decorated female Duck ever (Leann Warren has ten a-a awards). 

            Blood’s freshman year with the Ducks was slowed by a stress fracture incurred during the summer.  She gradually improved over the season and was the top freshman at the NCAA meet in the 5,000 meters.  To finish the summer she won the US junior title in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters and then won the Pan Am junior title over 3,000 meters.

            In her sophomore and junior seasons she had top twelve finishes at the NCAA cross country meet to help Oregon’s teams to runner-up finishes, won a Pac-10 title at 5,000 meters and finished third and second in the last two NCAA 5,000 meter finals.  She had a tough time at this year’s NCAA cross country meet but did earn her seventh all-American award. 

            Top 5,000 meters runners of the ‘00s (top time, UO ranking, indoors, all-American awards in event and years of career)

1.      Nicole Blood, 15:38.61, #4 UO a-t, second ’09 NCAA, third ’08 NCAA, ’08 Pac-10 champion, seventh ’09 US championships, two-time 5k a-a (seven including three in XC), ’07-

2.      Lindsay Scherf, 15:55.67i, #8 UO a-t ind/out, UO indoor SR, NCAA indoor qualifier for 5k (injury prevented her from running), ’08 World Championship XC competitor, US junior record holder in 10k, ‘09

3.      Mattie Bridgmon, 16:09.29i, #3 UO a-t, ’09 NCAA indoor 3k and 5k competitor, seventh ’09 NCAA 10k, two-time a-a - ’08 XC and ’09 10k, ’09-

4.       Magdalena Sandoval, 16:04.40i, #10 UO a-t ind/out, #2 UO a-t ind, 6^th ’05 Pac-10, ’03-‘05

5.      Sara Pearson, 16:28.59, 16:34.73i, #7 UO a-t ind, ’08 NCAA finalist, third ’08 MPSF, third Pac-10 10k, ’05-’06, ‘08

            Top athletes of other decades (including other NCAA champions if there are more than one)

            90s – Lucy Nusrala, 16:01.69, #9 UO a-t, tenth ’01 NCAA, two-time a-a (eighth ’91 XC), ’92 Pac-10 3k champion, two-time US XC champion and world championship competitor, ’90-‘92

            80s – Kathy Hayes, 15:23.03, UO SR, #2 a-t Pac-10, held collegiate record for 18 years, #9 Collegian a-t, ’84 NCAA 10k champion, second ’82 and ’83 NCAA 5k, third in ’85, nine time a-a, (three times in 5k), ’85 World Cross country competitor, ’82-‘85

                     Annette Hand, 15:34.55, #2 UO a-t, #7 a-t Pac-10, ’88 NCAA 5k champion, second ’87 NCAA, 5x a-a (2 at 5k), ’87 Pac-10 champ (four total), set 5k US record, ’92 Olympian, 3x World Championships competitor, 4x World Cross competitor, ’93 US cross country champion, ’87-‘88

                     Eryn Forbes, 15:37.01, #3 UO a-t, third ’82 NCAA, sixth ’81 AIAW, eighth ’84 NCAA, seven time a-a (three in 5k), ’80-’82, ‘84

                     Penny Graves, 15:50.41, #5 UO a-t, fourth ’88 NCAA, sixth ’87 NCAA, six time a-a (three times in XC), ’85-‘88

            The Oregon women have won 16 all-American awards and one NCAA championship.