EUGENE, Ore. — With 400 meters left in Friday's final of the 1,500 meters in the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field, junior Blake Haney of Oregon was positioned comfortably in the middle of the pack, preparing to kick his way toward the front.
But as Haney navigated the first turn on his final lap, another runner tripped him up, and his stride was broken. By the time he recovered, Haney was well off the pace, and the crossed the finish line in 11th place.
It was that kind of day Friday for the Oregon men, who entered the championship meet's penultimate session with hopes of scoring around 30 points, perhaps good enough for a podium spot among the top four teams.