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Ducks Add Three Champions, School Record on Day Two

May 14, 2022

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon track and field team added three Pac-12 champions and a school record on day two of the 2022 Pac-12 Championships at Hayward Field. Max Vollmer won a third-consecutive title in the decathlon, Alysah Hickey successfully defended her crown in the women's long jump and Eugene native Pierce LaCoste won the men's long jump for his first-career conference title.
 
On her way to a runner-up performance in the shot put, Jaida Ross broke the school record with a mark of 17.55m/57-7 in the opening round. Ross surpasses the previous record of 17.49m/57-4.75 by Brittany Mann at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
 
At the end of day two, the Men and Women of Oregon lead the team standings with 67 and 60 points, respectively. The Ducks will carry a seven-point lead over Washington into Sunday's final on the men's side while the UO women have a 16-point edge over the field with Colorado (44) sitting in second place.
 
Between their efforts in the preliminary rounds, both teams have advanced 14 to Sunday's finals. The Oregon men advanced seven from Saturday's heats including three each in the 100 and 800 meters. On the women's side, the Ducks secured nine more scoring chances including four in the 100 meters.
 
Advancing to Sunday Finals
MEN
100m: Micah Williams (10.08), Xavier Nairne (10.35), Ryan Mulholland (10.41)
800m: Matthew Erickson (1:49.39), Tomas Palfrey (1:50.18), Elliott Cook (1:50.20)
110mH: Will Mundy (14.33)
WOMEN
100m: Kemba Nelson (11.23), Jadyn Mays (11.38), Jasmine Montgomery (11.57), Jasmin Reed (11.59)
400m: Ella Clayton (53.09), Katriina Wright (53.66)
800m: Carly Kleefeld (2:04.94), Ella Nelson (2:05.02)
100mH: Alexandra Webster (13.04)
 
Williams and Webster were the fastest qualifiers in their respective events with Webster lowering her lifetime best to 13.04—previous was 13.24—and moving into a tie for No. 3 on the UO all-time list.
 
Vollmer becomes the fourth UO man to win three-consecutive decathlon titles in the Pac, joining Craig Brigham (1973-75), Ashton Eaton (2008-10) and Dakotah Keys (2012-14). Vollmer tallied four personal bests over the two-day competition and finished with 7,961 points. He capped the win with a lifetime best of 4:30.98 in the 1500 meters.
 
A day removed from racking up 22 points in the javelin, the Men of Oregon had another haul of points (21) in the decathlon. Vollmer led the UO trio with Jett Kinder accounting for eight points as runner-up and Nathan Poff adding three in sixth place.
 
Hickey becomes the first back-to-back conference champion in the women's long jump since past UO standout Jamesha Youngblood won consecutive titles in 2009 and 2010. Hickey secured the win early with a first-round measure of 6.41m/21-0.5, and followed with two more marks that would have won the competition.
 
Rounding out the 1-2 UO finish, Dominique Ruotolo put together a four-jump series that included a new lifetime best. She was in fifth place after three jumps but in the fourth round, Ruotolo—defending triple jump champion—got out to 6.24m/20-5.75 to move up three spot into second.
 
Both Hickey (high jump) and Ruotolo (triple jump, high jump) are slated to make an appearance or two Sunday.
 
LaCoste's victory continues a current trend with the Men of Oregon winning four of the past five Pac-12 titles in the long jump. On his fifth attempt, he jumped in at 7.73m/25-4.5 to set a new lifetime best and stretch his lead over teammate Emmanuel Ihemeje who was second in 7.64m/25-0.75, another personal best.
 
Both men will return to competition Sunday with LaCoste entered in the high jump and Ihemeje on the hunt for his first conference title in the triple jump. Ihemeje is the current NCAA leader in the event with his 17.00m/55-9.25 showing at the Mt. SAC Relays (April 16).
 
Between Ross and Mine De Klerk, the UO women tallied 13 points in the shot put. The pair will be back at it Sunday in the discus at 11 a.m.
 
In the steeplechase, Aneta Konieczek came away with third place in 9:50.80 and Malia Pivec took nearly 10 seconds off her lifetime best, stopping the clock in 10:01.93 for fifth. That time also moves Pivec from ninth to sixth on the program's top-10 list.
 
Taylor Chocek started day two of the heptathlon with lifetime bests in the long jump (5.70m/18-8.5) and javelin (40.92m/134-3). From finishing in 13th place at last year's conference meet, Chocek improved her personal-best score to 5,523 points to finished fourth in her hometown. She also moves to No. 4 on the Oregon all-time list in the heptathlon.
 
Day three of the 2022 Pac-12 Championships will air on the Pac-12 Network beginning at 1 p.m. (PT).
 
Saturday Results
MEN
100 Meters – prelim*
1. Micah Williams – 10.08Q
5. Xavier Nairne – 10.35Q
7. Ryan Mulholland – 10.41q (PR)
11. Rieker Daniel – 10.61 (SB)
 
400 Meters – prelim*
10. Evan Mafilas – 47.03 (SB)
 
800 Meters – prelim*
3. Elliott Cook – 1:50.20Q
4. Matthew Erickson – 1:49.39Q
8. Tomas Palfrey – 1:50.18q (SB)
10. Luis Peralta – 1:50.50
 
110m Hurdles – prelim*
4. Will Mundy – 14.33Q
 
3,000m Steeplechase – final
15. Quincy Norman – 9:14.86
--. Steven Neumaier – DNF
 
Long Jump
1. Pierce LaCoste – 7.73m/25-4.5 (PR) [10 points]
2. Emmanuel Ihemeje – 7.64m/25-0.75 (PR) [8 points]
10. Jonah Tactay – 7.12m/23-4.5
 
Hammer
13. Mason Strunk – 61.35m/201-3
 
Decathlon
1. Max Vollmer – 7,961 points [10 points]
              1. 110m Hurdles – 14.83 [870 points]
              3. Discus – 40.33m/132-3 [671]
              3. Pole Vault – 4.61m/15-1.5 [793]
              1. Javelin – 64.84m/212-8 (PR) [811]
              3. 1500 Meters – 4:30.98 (PR) [738]
2. Jett Kinder – 7,124 points [8 points]
              6. 110m Hurdles – 16.49 [679 points]
              4. Discus – 39.38m/129-2 (SB) [652]
              4. Pole Vault – 4.61m/15-1.5 [793]
              2. Javelin – 62.76m/205-11 (SB) [779]
              6. 1500 Meters – 5:14.02 [482]
6. Nathan Poff – 6,398 points [3 points]
              7. 110m Hurdles – 22.29 [191 points]
              5. Discus – 37.48m/122-11 [614]
              6. Pole Vault – 4.01m/13-1.75 [620]
              5. Javelin – 47.82m/156-10 [556]
              1. 1500 Meters – 4:25.90 [772]
 
WOMEN
100 Meters – prelim*
3. Kemba Nelson – 11.23Q
4. Jadyn Mays – 11.38Q
6. Jasmine Montgomery – 11.57Q
8. Jasmin Reed – 11.59q
 
400 Meters – prelim*
4. Ella Clayton – 53.09Q (PR)
6. Katriina Wright – 53.66Q
 
800 Meters – prelim *
8. Carly Kleefeld – 2:04.94q (PR)
9. Ella Nelson – 2:05.02q (PR)
12. Mia Moerck – 2:07.58
 
100m Hurdles – prelim*
1. Alexandra Webster – 13.04Q (PR) [=No. 3 UO]
 
3,000m Steeplechase – final
3. Aneta Konieczek – 9:50.80 [6 points]
5. Malia Pivec – 10:01.93 (PR) [4 points] [No. 6 UO]
10. Harper McClain – 10:20.22
 
Long Jump
1. Alysah Hickey – 6.41m/21-0.5 [10 points]
2. Dominique Ruotolo – 6.24m/20-5.75 (PR) [8 points]
 
Shot Put
2. Jaida Ross – 17.55m/57-7 (PR) [No. 1 UO] [8 points]
4. Mine De Klerk – 16.98m/55-8.5 [5 points]
 
Heptathlon
4. Taylor Chocek – 5,523 points (PR) [5 points] [No. 4 UO]
              4. Long Jump – 5.70m/18-8.5 (PR) [759 points]
              3. Javelin – 40.92m/134-3 (PR) [685]
              6. 800 Meters – 2:22.58 [789]
 
* placing ranked by qualifying policy, not time
 
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