Handful of East Coast's Top Mid-Distance Runners Coming To Challenge Oregon's Best In 1,500

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The fourth meet of the spring in the new stadium at Hayward Field, Friday's Oregon Twilight meet, features an exciting lineup in the men's 1,500 meters and the return of a few former University of Oregon stars. 

Villanova is flying out Casey Comber and Sean Dolan and Notre Dame is sending Yared Nuguse to Eugene to race against Oregon's Cole Hocker, Cooper Teare, James West and Charlie Hunter in the 1,500. That third section also includes Talem Franco of BYU and Furman's Ryan Adams. 

Hocker has not lost in three races at Hayward Field, all in April. 

WATCH THE OREGON TWILIGHT MEET LIVE WITH A RUNNERSPACE +PLUS SUBSCRIPTION

START LIST

In a news development Thursday, the OTC Elite club pulled out of the meet due to a contract tracing issue.

The loss of OTC Elite and the nine athletes that were entered scrambles the start list, which will have to be reassembled. 

The college-only third section was supposed to come after a section section that included OTC Elite athletes Hassan Mead, Vincent Ciattei, Patrick Tiernan, Will Paulson and Jake Heyward, Canadian Olympian Charles Philibert-Thiboutot, Rob Napolitano of NYAC and Tripp Hurt of Team Boss. 

Devon Allen, a three-time NCAA champion and fifth-place finisher at the 2016 Olympic Games, is returning to Eugene try out the new stadium and run the 110-meter hurdles. 

Allen has competed once so far in 2021, placing second at the Drake Relays in 13.76 seconds. 

Allen is among a handful of notable former Ducks who will be on the track for the first time, a list that includes Jasmine Todd, Johnathan Cabral, Daniel Winn and Travis Thompson. 

BYU's women are coming back to Hayward Field after making a big splash there April 2 at the Hayward Premiere. 

Whittni Orton-Morgan and Courtney Wayment are on the start list, but only as pacers, for the women's 1,500 meters. 

Angel Piccirillo of Oiselle Littlewing is the top entries in the 1,500, as well as Oregon's Carmela Cardama Baez. Adams State's Roisin Flanagan, the NCAA Division 2 leader, and Portland's Laura Pellicoro, are also entered.

Anna Camp-Bennett and sisters Lauren Ellsworth Barnes and Alena Ellsworth are in the 800 meters, along with Oregon alum Susan Ejore and Canadian Addy Townsend.

Zach Holland, who attends Umpqua Community College but competes unattached, is returning to Hayward Field as the top entrant in the men's javelin. He won with 231-6 (70.57m) at the Oregon Relays. 

The annual meet, on hiatus since 2018, serves as a Senior Day for Oregon track and field athletes and points to the beginning of the postseason.