Posted on May 11, 2022
|
After a few years of coming close, the USC women snapped the Oregon streak in 2018.
Utilizing an impressively talented and deep corps of sprinters, the Trojans emerged victorious in 2019 and 2021 (2020 was a covid-canceled season), holding the Ducks at bay.
Heading into the Pac-12 Meet this week on May 13-15, the Ducks are looking to regain the magic that propelled their nearly decade-long run as conference champs.
It won’t hurt that the meet will take place at the track palace that is Hayward Field on the UO campus.
The high-level Duck-Trojan battles that determined the title over the past decade might not be the same this year, given the departures of several Trojan stars.
To name just two of them, superlative sprinter Twanisha (TeeTee) Terry and 2021 Olympian Anna Cockrell have graduated.
Terry never lost a 100 final at Pac-12s and led several 1-2-3 USC finishes in the sprints which were a gut punch for the Ducks.
Cockrell was unbeatable in the 400 hurdles and became a force in the 100 hurdles and relays, as well.
Perhaps even more significant is the departure of Head Coach Caryl Smith Gilbert, who has taken her considerable talents to Athens, Georgia.

Quincy Watts will be the one leading a still-talented but somewhat diminished Trojan team to Eugene, where a powerhouse Oregon women’s team will be waiting.
Oregon holds four of the top seven conference times in the 100, as well as four of the top five wind-legal marks in the century race.
The Ducks also have four of the top marks in the 200, the two best triple jumpers, the top time in the 4 x 100 relay, the top 400-meter hurdler, the top long jumper, and the top steeplechaser.
In addition, the Ducks have their usual quality depth in the distance races and the throws.
If the Oregon women are on their game, it will be next to impossible for any team to surpass them, but it should be great fun to watch it unfold, even if the team race for second is more competitive than for first.
In the USTFCCCA rankings, which are based on a point system for top marks, Oregon is the only Pac-12 team in the national Top 10, coming in at No. 9 behind a host of SEC teams.
Pac-12 schools are not far back in the rankings, either, with Washington at 15, ASU 16, Stanford 18, USC 21, Cal 24, and Colorado 25.
Here’s a look at some of the standouts who will be competing.
Hammer Throw

Her teammate Anna Purchase is third nationally at 231-9. (In second is former UCLA thrower Alyssa Wilson, who now competes for Texas State and has a best mark of 240-2.)
5,000 Meters

Abby Nichols leads a talented and veteran group of Colorado distance runners. Nichols stands Number Two nationally in the 5000 (as of 5-9-22) at 15:15.95.
Discus

Heptathlon

1500 Meters

3000-meter Steeplechase

Four of the top 12 nationally will likely be competing: Oregon’s Aneta Konieczek has the leading time by a hair over Oregon State’s Grace Fetherstonhaugh.
Colorado Buff Madison Boreman and OSU’s Kaylee Mitchell are right on their heels as well.
It will be interesting to see if one of the Beavers can get the win, which would be Oregon State’s first individual title since their program was resurrected in 2005.
400 Hurdles

She will be pushed by senior Shannon Meisberger of Arizona, who was third last year and has a season-best of 56.45 and a life6me best of 55.70.
—More from Steve Ritchie—
- Ritchie: Next UO T&F HC Must Bring Back Hayward Passion
- Cal’s Rogers Makes History at Her Last NCAA Championship
- NCAA Track & Field Preview: Pac-12 Women Underdogs
- NCAA Track & Field Preview: Stanford Men could Crash Party
- 2022 Pac-12 Track & Field Men’s Championships Preview
- Ritchie: 5 Keys to a Duck Victory in the Alamo Bowl
- Ritchie: With Cristobal Gone, What’s Next for Ducks?
- Ritchie: Why UO’s Joe Moorhead May Jump to Akron
- Ritchie: Where are All the Standout Pac-12 QBs?
- Ritchie: Oregon-UW Rivalry Always at Fever Pitch
- Anthony Brown, Duck Passing Key to Beating Bruins
- Oregon’s QB Dilemma: Bench Brown or Let it Ride?
- Ritchie: The Future of Oregon’s Mario Cristobal
- Will Flowe, Depleted LB Unit Hold Up vs Ohio State?
- Pac-12 Men’s T&F Olympic Preview & Results
- Past & Present Pac-12 Women’s T&F Olympic Preview
- Three Pac-12 Olympians Among New-Guard Youth
- Pac-12 Part of Historic Day Nine at Olympic Trials
- Friday’s 1500 Semis Set Stage for Epic Sunday Final
- Breakthrough Lands UCLA’s Alyssa Wilson in Hammer Final
- USC’s Jewett Snatches His Ticket to Tokyo in the 800
- Pac-12 Athletes Shine on Day Three of T&F Olympic Trials
- Pac-12 Athletes Edge Closer to Olympic Berths in Day Two
- Pac-12 Athletes Off to Solid Start at Olympic Trials
- 2021 Pac-12 Athletes Olympic Track & Field Trials Preview
- Ritchie: Key Takeaways from Track & Field NCAAs
- NCAA 10k Title Sweet Redemption for Oregon’s Baez
- Women’s Pac-12 Track Teams Take Center Stage at NCAAs
- Men’s Pac-12 Track Teams Look to Make a Splash at NCAAs
- Fans at Hayward Field a Treat for NCAAs and Olympic Trials
-
Ritchie: Next UO T&F HC Must Bring Back Hayward Passion
These are big shoes to fill—Bill Bowerman, Bill Hayward, and Bill Dellinger are legends - July 5, 2022 -
Cal’s Rogers Makes History at Her Last NCAA Championship
The senior hammer thrower ended her collegiate career with a third-straight NCAA hammer title - June 11, 2022 -
NCAA Track & Field Preview: Pac-12 Women Underdogs
For the first time in a while no Pac-12 women’s team is expected to challenge for the title - June 9, 2022