Oregon's Schumacher, Flanagan earn national awards

EUGENE, Ore. — As voted on by their peers, Jerry Schumacher and Shalane Flanagan are the National Indoor Women’s Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year, respectively, as announced by the USTFCCCA Monday. The Women of Oregon swept the Big Ten and NCAA Indoor team championships.

USTFCCCA member coaches voted on national honors following the conclusion of the NCAA meet but performances throughout the season were also considered.

Already the Big Ten Women’s Coach of the Year, Schumacher adds national accolades on the heels of the Ducks’ NCAA Indoor title less than two weeks ago in Virginia Beach. The Oregon women scored 55 points across six events at the national meet and finished 16 points clear of the field. The win was the eighth NCAA Indoor title for the Women of Oregon, and their first since 2017.

Schumacher and the Ducks began the postseason with a dominant performance at the Big Ten Indoor Championships, scoring 131 points across 14 of 18 events including four event titles. The win gave the Ducks their second Big Ten championship of the year after winning the cross country title in November.

Flanagan’s distance group accounted for 23 points at the NCAA Indoor Championships including a win for Wilma Nielsen in the mile. She and Silan Ayyildiz combined for 15 points in the first running final of day two, and both were members of the national runner-up DMR from the previous night.

At the conference level, the women’s distance crew racked up 79 points at the Big Ten Championships with wins in the mile, 5,000 meters and distance medley relay. Four of Flanagan’s athletes under 4:31 during the regular season with Ayyildiz breaking the collegiate record in 4:23.46 and Nielsen becoming the No. 7 performer in collegiate history at 4:25.78.

The team of Ayyildiz, Julia Nielsen, Moriah Oliveira and Mia Barnett also broke the track-legal collegiate record in the DMR with its 10:42.05 at the Terrier Challenge in late February.

The Ducks’ outdoor season began last weekend with the Oregon Preview at Hayward Field. Tickets for the rest of the home schedule which includes the Big Ten Outdoor Championships (May 16-18) and the NCAA Outdoor Championships (June 11-14) are currently on sale.

The next home meet is the Oregon Open and Team Invitational (April 18-19).

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