Oregon has had great 10,000 meter runners in the past but the focus of Duck athletes was on shorter events.  The six-mile/10,000 meter NCAA championship was not first contested until the 1970s.  Two of the best Ducks at this distance ran in this recently completed decade. 

            Galen Rupp was expected to be great at the 10,000 meters.  As a freshman and junior he finished second at the NCAA meets.  During his junior year he set the US collegiate record of 27:33.48.  In late June he finished second at the US championships and finished eleventh at the world championships.  In 2008 he redshirted the track season after finishing second at the NCAA cross country championships.  He finished second at the Olympic Trials after battling injuries all spring and finished 13^th at the Olympic Games. 

            This last year he dominated collegiate competition and won five individual titles and helped win the distance medley relay (DMR) indoors.  He carried on his dominance and won his first US 10,000 meter title.  Injuries plagued him between the US championships and the world championships and he still had his best finish at an international championships with an eighth-place finish.    

            Top 10,000 meters runners of the ‘00s (top time, UO ranking, all-American awards in event and years of career)

            1. Galen Rupp, 27:33.48, UO SR, US junior record holder, ’09 NCAA champion, second ’05 and ’07 NCAA, ’07 and ’08 US runner-up, ’09 US champion, ’05 US junior XC champion, 3x 10k a-a (14 a-a total, seven-time indoor a-a)

            2. Jason Hartman, 28:31.96, #5 UO a-t, third ’01 NCAA, fourth ’02 and ’03 NCAA, (seven-time a-a, four in XC), second ’02 and ’03 Pac-10, sixth ’07 and seventh ’06 US championships, ’00-‘03

            3. Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, 28:28.83, #4 UO a-t, eighth ’09 NCAA 5k, ninth ’07 NCAA 10k, three times top ten XC, four time a-a, ’07-‘09

            4. Luke Puskedra, 28:34.17, #6 UO a-t, eleventh ’09 NCAA, fifth ’08 NCAA XC,  four time a-a,  ’09-

            5. Ryun Andrus, 28:56.67, 13^th UO a-t, seventh ’04 NCAA indoor 5k, 2x a-a, 34^th ’02 NC XC, ’02-‘04

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

            90s – Karl Keska, 29:10.40, eighth ’96 NCAA,  ’95 and ’96 Pac-10 champion, ’00 Olympian, ’99 and ’03 World Championship competitor, ’00 and ’01 World Cross country competitor, (four-time a-a, three XC), ’93-‘96

                      Matthew Davis, 28:38.86, #7 UO a-t, ninth ’96 NCAA, (five time a-a, four in XC), ’95-’96, ’98-‘99

            80s –  Bill McChesney, Jr, 27:50.82, #2 UO a-t (held record for 25 years), #5 a-t Pac-10, Third ’80 NCAA 5k and fifth ’82 NCAA 5k, ’80 Olympic Team member, six time a-a including four in XC), ’78-’80, ‘82

                      Mark McMonigal, 29:00.72, second ’86 NCAA, ‘86

            70s – Alberto Salazar, 28:06.12, #3 UO a-t,  ’78 NCAA XC champion, ’79 and’81 Pac-10 champion, six time a-a (three in XC), ’80 and ’84 Olympian, ’81 US 10k champion, ’83 World Championship competitor (10k), ’82 and ’83 US Cross country champion, three-time US record setter, ’77-’79, ‘81

                     Steve Prefontaine, 27:09.4 6-mile (US record at the time), UO SR, seven time NCAA champion (three in XC and four in 3-mile/5k), fourth ’72 Olympic 5k, 13 time US record setter (three times in 6 mile/10k), three-time US champion in 5k, ’70-‘73

                     Rudy Chapa, 28:51.1, #10 UO a-t, in high school set US junior record of 28:32.7 second only to Galen Rupp (broke by Rupp 29 years later), seven time a-a, (four x XC a-a), ’77-’79, ‘81 

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