Oregon Open and Oregon Team Invitational Bring Separate Storylines To Hayward Field

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Tavan Smith photo

The Oregon Open and Oregon Team Invitational this weekend in Eugene will weave together a couple of different formats, but its Saturday's team scored meet that is likely to draw the most interest. 

The Oregon Team Invitational is the Ducks' first scored regular season home meet since 2018. 

Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Wichita State, Utah and Oregon State are part of the lineup that will compete from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday evening. 

The Oregon Open will serve a a wider array of athletes, including small schools, mostly on Friday. (Only the hammer is Saturday). 

WATCH THE OREGON OPEN LIVE ON RUNNERSPACE+

WATCH THE OREGON TEAM INVITATIONAL LIVE ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK

The scored meet allow each team to enter two athletes in 11 events: the 100, 400, 800, 1,500, 5,000, 110/100 hurdles, 4x400 relay, shot put, discus, long jump and high jump. 

First-year Kansas State head coach Travis Geopfert didn't need convincing when asked to be part of something new. 

Not only is he bringing a full team to Eugene this weekend but some of the school's alums and boosters are part of the travel group as well. 

"We want to experience Hayward Magic," Geopfert said. "Team scored competitions, they get lost sometimes. I like that this is bringing it back to the forefront and pushing that agenda."

There are some intriguing matchups with this combination of schools. 

The men's 800 meters will see Oregon's NCAA Indoor champion Matthew Erickson racing against Texas A&M's NCAA Outdoor runner-up Sam Whitmarsh and the Ducks's highly touted freshman Koitatoi Kidali. 

Oklahoma State's Ryan Schoppe is entered in the 5,000 meters along with Oregon's Quincy Norman and Texas A&M's Victor Kibiego. 

The women's 800 meters lineup includes Oklahoma State's Kaylie Politza, Oregon's Ella Clayton and Wichita State's Farrah Miller. 

Oregon's Klaudia Kazimierska is expected to race in the 1,500 meters, which would mark her return to the track for the first time since her 10th place finish at the Olympic final in Paris last summer. She hasn't competed for Oregon since cross country season. 

In the 5,000, Oregon's Silan Ayyildiz and newcomer Juliet Cherubet will face Oklahoma State's Victoria Lagat and Utah's Erin Vringer. 

A strong women's high jump field includes Kansas State's Sharie Enoe, Wichita State's Destiny Masters, Oregon State's Dede Norman and Texas A&M's Milena Chevallier. 

Some athletes will be doubling back from competing in Friday's Open. 

Friday's men's 1,500 meters field could be one of the best of the weekend, with Oklahoma State's Fouad Messaoudi and Laban Kipkemboi due to race Oregon's Simeon Birnbaum and Nike's Duncan Hamilton.