Oregon Looks to Push Pac-12 Sweep Streak to Nine, But USC Could Pull Off Upset

By Adam Kopet, DyeStat Editor

The Pac-12 Championships begin Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore, and once again, Oregon will be looking to sweep the men's and women's team titles.

Oregon has swept the meet for the past eight years. In that time there have been a few close calls, but the Ducks have always come out on top. The men have won 10 straight Pac-12 Championships.

This year might be another close battle. Ken Goe of the Oregonian figures USC will be knocking on the door and could threaten the home team. He has the men as projected five-point favorites and the women with a 13-point advantage over USC. It would not take much for the tables to get turned.

On the men's side, Oregon will be strong in the distance events, led by senior Edward Cheserek in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. The strength of USC comes in the sprints and jumps. However, Kyree King (100 and 200 meters) and Demarcus Simpson (100 meters and long jump), both Oregon transfers, will look to score important points against their Trojan rivals.

For the women, Both USC and Oregon have strong sprinters. Oregon's trio of Deajah Stevens, Ariana Washington and Hannah Cunliffe are world class. But USC is good enough to potentially break up a repeat of last year's 1-2-3 sweep in the 100 and 200 meters, led by Deanna Hill.

The one thing about this year's Pac-12 Championships that will most certainly give Oregon an extra edge is the fact the meet is at Hayward Field, the only track and field venue in the Pac-12 that provides a noticeable home field advantage.