Incoming Freshmen Add to the Men of Oregon's Bright Future

Building a track and field dynasty is one of the hardest things to do for a coach. With only 12 scholarships to give out, he has to choose wisely on who gets those scholarships and not lean to heavily on one event group.

The Ducks men have made mistakes in that area, leaning too heavily on distance runners and not building a deep sprint corps. But things are starting to change.

Head coach Vin Lanana and his assistants Robert Johnson and Andy Powell have started to more evenly distribute those 12 scholarships between the eight event groups, short sprints, long sprints, hurdles, mid-distance, long distance, jumps and throws.

Let's take a look at Oregon's 2011 recruiting class.

No particular order. I will be doing the women sometime next week.

Marques Atkinson: Multi-Events

Personal Records:

100m: 11.50

200m: 23.45

400m: 48.70

800m: 1:56.78

110 Hurdles: 14.95

300 Hurdles: 38.27

High Jump: 6'6''

Long Jump: 20' 5.5"

Atkinson, of Atlee High School of Mechanicsville, Virginia, gives Oregon a replacement to Ashton Eaton.

Atkinson was the high school pentathlon runner-up and is one of the best multi-event athletes in the nation.

Atkinson has good sprinting speed, needs to improve his 100 time in order to get under 11 seconds to make that big leap and just has needs to improve his throws and pole vault time.

Atkinsons will come up huge for the Ducks. He gives them another Decathalete to go along with fellow incoming freshman Alec Fellows and current Duck freshmen Dakohta Keys. Atkinsons will also play a huge role in the Ducks improving relay teams.

Chris Brewer: Distance

Personal Bests:

5000m (Cross Country): 15:05

800m: 2:00.06

1600m: 4:11.12

3200m: 8:59.68

A product of Ramncho Buena Vista High School (Vista, California), Brewer adds to Oregon's impressive line of distance runners. Most likely a 3000m and 5000m runner in the future, Brewer will help add more depth to the Ducks' distance corps.

Jeremey Elkaim: Distance

Personal Records:

5000m (Cross Country): 14:55

800m: 1:56.42

1600m: 4:12

3200m: 8:46

Elkaim, a product of Livingston High School, in Livingston New Jersey, is one of Oregon's top recruits this year. The do-it-all runner can run anything from an 800 to the 5000.

Elkaim finished third in the Millrose Games Boys High School Mile to fellow Oregon commits Chad Noelle and Matt Jablosnki.

It'll be interesting to see what Elkaim will specialize in at Oregon. He has the speed to be a mid-distance runner, but also the endurance to be a long-distance runner.

Alec Fellows: Multi-Events

Personal Bests:

100m: 11.18

200m: 22.35

400m: 49.88

800m: 2:10.25

110 Hurdles: 14.54

300 Hurdles: 41.24

Shot Put: 37' 11.5"

Discus: 113' 10"

Javelin: 161' 4.43"

Pole Vault: 13"

High Jump: 6' 8"

Long Jump: 23' 3.25"

What's better than having a top-notch decathlete? Having two top-notch Decathletes. Fellows and Atkinson together will give Oregon perhaps the best multi-events team in the nation in two to four years.

Atkinson and Fellows both have their strengths. Atkinson is a better long sprinter and hurdler, while Fellows is a better jumper and short sprinter. Both will help give Oregon that push in the decathlon, however.

Fellows most likely will also be a big contributor in the jumps category as well.

Jack Galpin: Long Sprints

Personal Records:

100m: 10.91

200m: 21.74

400m: 48.55

Galpin adds more depth to Oregon's sprint corps that relies on current freshmen Mike Berry. Galpin will contribute hugely in the 200 and 400, and the relays as well, which Oregon needs to start winning in order to win that National Title two to three years down the road.

Elias Gedyon: Distance

Personal Records:

5000m (Cross Country): 14:52

800m: 1:52.24

1600m: 4:07.26

3200m: 8:56.37

One of Oregon's most versatile signees is Elias Gedyon of Loyola High School in California.

Gedyon is the three-time CIF Cross Country Champion and is one of California's most storied runners.

His versatility is what makes him one of Oregon's top recruits.

Gedyon will be able to run anywhere from the 4x400, to the 5000m, and will also be a huge contributor in cross country.

Matt Hidalgo: Jumps

Personal Records:

Pole Vault: 16'

Long Jump:  20' 9.75"

Oregon's lone jumper signee adds to another weak area for the Ducks. In the field.

Hildago is ranked 21st in the pole vault in the nation and will likely improve substantially at Oregon.

Hildago is one of Oregon's most important recruits because he stands alone as the Ducks only jumper. Hopefully with Marquise Atkinson and Alec Fellows, however, Oregon will be deeper in the jumps category.

Russel Hornsby: Mid Distance

Personal Records:

800m: 1:53.3

Hornsby is one of the top 800m runners in the nation and will fit along nicely with current Ducks, freshmen Boru Guyota and sophomore Elijah Greer.

In the absence of Bowerman Award runner-up (College Track and Fields' Heisman) Andrew Wheating, the Ducks lost some luster in the 800m. Hopefully with Hornsby, who finished second at the I.A.C. meet in 2010 as a junior, can fill the void.

Matt Jablonski: Distance

Personal Records:

5000m (Cross Country): 15:18

800m: 1:56

1600m: 4:10

3200m: 8:50

Maryland's top distance runner was a member of a UO recruit sweep at the Milrose Games 1600m. Jablonski, who finished second, gives Oregon yet another miler that will hopefully match the 2010 team's historic one-two-three sweep in the 1500.

Jablonski will help the Ducks' cross country team for years to come.

Joeal Hotchkins: Short Sprints

Personal Records:

100m: 10.25

200m: 21.10

400m: 49.71

Long Jump: 23' 5.75"

Oregon's No. 2 recruit will have an immediate impact for the Ducks. Hotchkins gives Oregon a much needed short sprinter who is already experienced.

Hotchkins will be a junior next year after two years of community college. A 10.25 could beat anyone on the Oregon team right now, even Mike Berry.

His versatility in the long jump will also give Oregon a huge boost.

Matt Melancon: Long Distance

Personal Records:

5000m (Cross Country): 15:10

1500m: 4:02.2

3000m: 8:42

Melancon, the defending Oregon State Cross Country Champion, gives Oregon another long distance runner to go along with current Duck Parker Stinson and fellow recruit Lukas Verzbicas.

Melancon will be yet another one of the historic Duck 5000 and 10000 runners. Melancon will also be a huge contributor in cross country.

Chad Noelle: Distance

Personal Records:

5000m (Cross Country): 15:25

800m: 1:57.43

1600m: 4:11

3200m: 8:52

Yet another miler for the Ducks.

Noelle, along with Matt Jablonski and Jeremy Elkaim, was part of that Oregon recruit sweep in the 1600 at the Milorse Games. Noelle won the race.

Noelle will be huge for the Ducks in the 1500 and most likely the 5000 as well.

Finishing 10th at the Footlocker National Championships, Noelle will benefit the Ducks there as well.

Ryan Pickering: Distance

Personal Records:

5000m (Cross County): 14:55

800m: 2:05

1600m: 4:11

3200m: 9:12

The record holder for the Florida State Cross Country Championships is also the state's top miler.

Starting to see a recurring theme here? Oregon loves their milers.

A versatile athlete that Vin Lanana can't wait to get his hands on, Pickering will most likely run the 1500 and 5000 races for the Ducks.

Greg Skipper: Throws

Personal Records:

Shot Put: 58' 11"

Discus: 169' 5.5"

Hammer Throw: 229' 3"

Oregon's lone thrower signee of this year is going to go great with current Duck Sam Crouser. Pair those two up and you have a great pair of throwers.

Skipper, who is ranked third in the nation in the Hammer, will be making a huge difference at Oregon.

His father, Scott Skipper, was a football player for the Ducks, and his Uncle, Tommy Skipper, was a five-time NCAA Pole Vault Champion.

Lukas Verzbicas: Distance

Personal Records:

5000m (Cross Country): 14:44

1600m: 4:03

5000m (Track): 14:18

The Second Coming of Pre. Verzbicas is Oregon's top recruit this year. Undisputed.

Verzbicas is the first runner to sweep both major Cross Country National Races, the Nike Cross Nationals and the Footlocker National Championships.

At the New Balance Indoor National Meet, Verzbicas pulled off the impossible. The Triple Crown. He won the 5000m in a high school record in 14:18, two mile in 8:40 and mile in 4:04. At the New Balance Grand Prix, Verzbicas finished eighth in a field of proffesionals with a personal record of 4:03.

A triathlete, Verzbicas as a great base and will follow in Pre's, Alberto Salazar's and Galen Rupp's shoes as the great Oregon distance runners.

You can watch Verzbicas on June 4th run the two mile at the Prefontaine Classic as he attempts to break German Fernandez's national high school record.

Arthur Delaney: Short Sprints

Personal Records:

100m: 10.42

200m: 21.28

400m: 48.33

200 Hurdles: 26.24

Long Jump: 22' 11.5"

Another sprinter for the Ducks, Delaney will do it all. The Barlow High School product has an impressive list of events. He ran the 100, 200, 400, 200 hurdles, threw the shot and javelin and then did the high and long jump. Granted, his throws and high jump weren't pretty, but he can still do them.

Delaney will contribute greatly along Berry, Hotchkins and Galpin. The short sprinter will be huge in the 4x100 for the Ducks. It's about time Oregon starts getting sprinters that won't play football.

And who knows, maybe the decathlon is in store for Delaney.

Jonathan Cabral: Hurdles

Personal Records:

60m Hurdles: 7.85

110m Hurdles: 13.43

300m Hurdles: 36.42

The national leader in both the 110 and 300 hurdles, Cabral gives Oregon a great Hurdler. With David Klech graduating, and Eric Hershey gone in two years, Oregon will need a hurdler.

A runner-up at the USA Junior Championships in the 110 Hurdles in 2010, Cabral has a bright future for the Ducks.

Cabral will also be huge for the relays.

The Football Players

I added a special section for recruits that signed NLI for football because most likely they won't run track. And if they do, they won't be huge contributors.

DeAnthony Thomas: Short Sprinter

100m: 10.57

200m: 20.61

The national leader in the 200m last year, Thomas could end up being Oregon's best sprinter, but he has committed to football for the Ducks. Hopefully he can come out and run a few of the championship meets for the Ducks. Odds aren't likely, however. He didn't even run for Crenshaw High School this year.

Tacoi Sumler: Short Sprinter

100m: 10.79

200m: 22.43

Sumler, owner of a 4.3 40-yard dash, would be a great addition to the Ducks. But along with Thomas, he decided to play football. He most likely will run for the Ducks, but unlike Thomas, he ran high school track as a senior.

Devon Blackmon: Hurdles

 55m Hurdles: 7.39

110m Hurdles: 14.08

300m Hurdles: 43.24

Another potential hurdler for the Ducks. Black as well ran track as a senior in high school. Hopefully he decides to help build more speed for football. He'll need it at Oregon.

BJ Kelly: Sprints/Hurdles

100m: 10.93

200m: 21.73

110m Hurdles: 14.63

300m Hurdles: 37.85

Kelly is one of the guys that I want to run track for the Ducks. Sumler, Blackmon and Thomas would be great additions, but Oregon needs more hurdlers. Kelly can beat Blackmon in the 300 hurdles, which matters most. If Kelly runs track for the Ducks, he will be huge in the Hurdle area, and 4x400 relay as well. 

Conclusion

The University of Oregon has pulled in great recruiting classes the past two years. Voids are being filled in every event, and with a few more additions in certain areas, Oregon has a great chance at winning the National Title in two to three years.