UO hosts elite track invitational at Hayward Field in Eugene

Hayward Field turned into a national showcase for Eugene as Oregon hosted the Oregon Team Invitational, a select NCAA Division I meet that brought Oregon State, Utah, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Wichita State and Weber State to TrackTown for two days of early-season racing and field work.

The meet was officially non-scored under NCAA rules, but organizers kept an unofficial Fan Scoring system in place for a second straight year, with live projected results on the experience board and the broadcast. Only two competitors per team counted toward that unofficial tally in individual events, and invited teams were guaranteed at least two entries in each invite event, a setup meant to spread participation across more of the roster.

That structure made the invitational feel bigger than a routine campus meet. Hayward Field has been the home of Oregon track and field since 1921, and the rebuilt venue, completed in 2020, now seats more than 12,000 spectators. With the NCAA Outdoor Championships set to return to Eugene in June, the meet gave athletes a first look at the same track that will host the season’s biggest races later this spring.

The schedule kept the venue busy from the start. Oregon said Friday’s field events began at 3:10 p.m., with running events following at 5:20 p.m. The Saturday portion was televised by the Big Ten Network beginning at 5:30 p.m., giving the meet a broader spotlight far beyond Lane County. Utah said Friday’s events were simulcast on RunnerSpace+ and B1G+, while Saturday’s field events aired on B1G+.

Utah brought 20 competitors to Eugene, including Oregon natives Josie Fale and Ellie Heslam, plus assistant head coach Rebecca Rhodes, who is from Salem. The Utes described the trip as a homecoming for those three, underscoring how Hayward Field continues to pull athletes and coaches back to Oregon even when they are wearing different uniforms.

The invitational also produced early results. Utah’s Claire Le Gallo won the open 5000 meters on day one, and the Utes logged multiple top-five finishes as the team settled into the season’s first major test at Hayward.

For Eugene, the meet was another reminder that Hayward is more than a campus stadium. It remains one of the sport’s most visible stages, with a packed spring still ahead for the Ducks, including Oregon Twilight on May 8, and the NCAA championships returning in June.