FOR IMMEDIATE USE September 9, 2015

The race will be on Pre’s Trail for the second year in a row.

EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon’s nationally ranked cross country teams will open the 2015 season by hosting the 10th annual Bill Dellinger Invitational on Friday, Sept. 11. For the second straight year, the Dellinger will be held on Pre’s Trail in Eugene’s Alton Baker Park.

The Ducks will be joined by men’s and women’s teams from Northwest rivals Gonzaga and Portland State.

The women’s 6,000 meter race will go off at 6:10 p.m., while the men’s 8,000 meter race will start at 6:45 p.m.

Two-time NCAA champion Edward Cheserek of Oregon headlines the men’s race, while three Ducks - Kyle Levermore, Emma Abrahamson and Sarah Baxter - will make their cross country debuts. Levermore and Baxter redshirted last fall, while Abrahamson transferred to Oregon from Vanderbilt.

Admittance is free and spectators may also park for free at both Alton Baker Park and Autzen Stadium.

WHAT TO WATCH

Both the Men and Women of Oregon finished sixth at the 2014 NCAA Championships, and both teams come into the season opener ranked sixth in the 2015 USTFCCCA preseason poll. The men are looking to solidify their rotation behind two-time defending NCAA Champion Edward Cheserek, while the women return six of the seven runners who led Oregon to the 2014 Pac-12 and NCAA West Region titles. Gonzaga could be a good early test for the Ducks. In fact the last time the two teams met to open the year, 2011, Gonzaga’s men defeated Oregon 26-33 in a dual at Sunriver. The women eased to a 15-45 win at that meet. Gonzaga’s women are led by senior Shelby Mills, a 2015 NCAA Track and Field Championships qualifier in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.

ENTRIES

The men have entered seniors Chris Brewer and Matthew Melancon, juniors Edward Cheserek and Jake Leingang, sophomores Jackson Darland, Bryan Fernandez, Chris Mulverhill, Travis Neuman and Sam Prakel, and redshirt freshman Kyle Levermore.

The women’s entries for Friday’s race include seniors Abbey Leonardi, Waverly Neer and Brianna Nerud, juniors Skylar Evans and Ashley Maton, sophomores Emma Abrahamson, Frida Berge and Alli Cash, and redshirt freshman Sarah Baxter.

BILL DELLINGER INVITATIONAL WOMEN’S RACE Time: 6:10 p.m. PDT

Length: 6,000 Meters

6K Course Record: 19:25, Jordan Hasay, Oregon, 2010 Twitter: @OregonTF

Live Results: www.flashresults.com/2016_Meets/xc/Dellinger/index.htm (also will be posted on www.goducks.com)

Teams (3): Gonzaga, Oregon, Portland State.

Rankings: The Women of Oregon were ranked No. 6 - exactly where they finished at the 2014 NCAA Championships - in the USTFCCCA’s 2015 national preseason poll. The Ducks are the No. 2 team in the West Region (behind Stanford), while Gonzaga is No. 10.

Oregon Entries: Seniors Abbey Leonardi, Waverly Neer and Brianna Nerud, juniors Skylar Evans and Ashley Maton, sophomores Emma Abrahamson, Frida Berge and Alli Cash, and freshman Sarah Baxter.

BILL DELLINGER INVITATIONAL MEN’S RACE

Time: 6:45 p.m. PDT

Length: 8,000 Meters

8K Course Record: 22:58, Josh Rohatinsky, Brigham Young, 2006 Twitter: @OregonTF

Live Results: www.flashresults.com/2016_Meets/xc/Dellinger/index.htm (also will be posted on www.goducks.com)

Teams (3): Gonzaga, Oregon, Portland State.

Rankings: Like the women, the Men of Oregon open the 2015 season ranked sixth in the preseason poll. The men were also sixth at last year’s NCAA Championships. Oregon is ranked second on the West Region (behind Stanford), while Gonzaga is No. 10.

Oregon Entries: Seniors Chris Brewer and Matthew Melancon, juniors Edward Cheserek and Jake Leingang, sophomores Jackson Darland, Bryan Fernandez, Chris Mulverhill, Travis Neuman and Sam Prakel, and redshirt freshman Kyle Levermore.

SCORING

The place of the first five finishers counts toward the team score. The next two runners may displace runners from opposing teams. First place is worth one point, second place two points, etc. Low score wins.

YOUTH RACES

Preceding the collegiate races will be an elementary school mile (5:15 p.m.) and a middle school 2.5 kilometer race (5:30 p.m.) followed by a kid’s dash at 5:50 p.m.

AUTOGRAPH SESSION

Immediately following the awards ceremony, there will be an autograph session with Oregon coaches and student- athletes near the finish line.

PARKING

Free spectator parking will be at Alton Baker Park and Autzen Stadium.

THE COURSE

Pre’s Trail in Alton Baker Park will be the site of the Bill Dellinger Invitational. Athletes will race almost entirely on the woodchip trails constructed by the Oregon Track Club in memory of Steve Prefontaine. The course consists of two primary loops — the larger “Park” Loop and the smaller “Stadium” Loop. The Park Loop is approximately 2,200 meters in length and the Stadium Loop is approximately 1,000 meters in length. From the starting line, athletes will run clockwise around the Park Loop, crossing the footbridge by Autzen Stadium and use the con- nector to reach the start of the Stadium Loop. After completing the Stadium Loop, athletes will cross back over the footbridge, and begin running the Park Loop in a counterclockwise direction. The women will run the Park Loop 1.5 times and the men will run the Park Loop 2.5 times before finishing down the start/finish straightaway.