Kansas State, Oklahoma State Among Those Competing Against Host Oregon

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Bobby Goddin Photo

It was something of a novel experiment when the Ducks hosted their first Oregon Team Invitaitonal with a "fan scoring" format that had been absent in the regular season since 2018. 

Friday and Saturday, the event returns. Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Weber State, Wichita State, Gonzaga, Oregon State and Utah will compete in a slate of events against the Ducks. 

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In order to remain within the NCAA rules, the meet is officially not scored. Oregon uses "fan scoring" for the sake of engaging spectators in-stadium and on the broadcast. 

With five teams in the men's meet and two entries per team across 11 events, all 10 places scored: 10 points for first, nine for second, and so on. 

The meet format has been expanded a bit, with teams competing in 18 events instead of the 11 last year. 

The men's and women's 5,000 meters will get things started on that front on Friday evening. 

Also Friday, Open events will serve a a wider array of athletes, including small schools.

Saturday's men's 1,500 meters might be the most compelling of the weekend.

Oregon's Elliott Cook, Simeon Birnbaum, Tomas Palfrey and James Harding will race against Oklahoma State's NCAA champion in the 5,000 meters, Brian Musau, plus Laban Kipkemboi and Alex Riley. All seven of them own personal bests under 3:39.0. 

Oregon newcomer Daniel Thrana from Norway will compete for the first time for the Ducks in the men's javelin. 

Kobe Lawrence and Benjamin Smith will give Oregon some added firepower in the throws. 

Kansas State is loaded in the jumps and expects to pile up points in the long jump, triple jump and high jump events. 

Hurdlers Josh and Jason Parrish lead Wichita State. 

In the women's 1,500 meters, Oregon's Silan Ayyildiz and Juliet Cherubet are entered and Oklahoma State's Kaylie Politza and Elyse Wilmes lead the 800. 

Oregon freshman Alicia Khunou from South Africa will make her Hayward Field debut in the women's shot put and discus.