DUCKS RENEW COMMITMENT TO DISTANCES.

Byline: Curtis Anderson The Register-Guard

When Vin Lananna was hired as Oregon's director of track and field last summer, his biggest challenge was to restore and replenish the UO middle-distance and distance program.

In order to accomplish that goal, he needed assistant coaches in place who were well-versed in his system, had the ability to administrate that system and, most important, believed in that system.

The husband-and-wife team of Andy and Maurica Powell fits that bill perfectly.

As prep distance runners from Massachusetts, they were both recruited to Stanford by Lananna, and they both flourished under his guidance.

`He totally shaped who I am,' Andy Powell said.

The Powells were in the early stages of their coaching careers at Columbia University in New York when their former mentor, once again, asked them to make the 3,000-mile journey across the United States.

Only this time the destination was Eugene.

`There were a lot of people who would love to be assistant distance coaches at Oregon,' Lananna said. `But I needed people who not only knew my system and believed in it, but had been successful in it. It's not an easy role to play, and Andy and Maurica have been wonderful additions to our staff.'

Andy Powell, who graduated from Stanford in 2004, ranks seventh on the all-time Cardinal list in the 1,500 (3:40.65).

He was hired to help Lananna supervise the Oregon men's and women's distance programs.

His wife, Maurica (Carlucci), a two-time all-American and '02 graduate of Stanford, will serve as a volunteer assistant for the distances in her first season with the Ducks.

`It was a leap of faith (on our part) to get in a car to come to Oregon, but not a huge leap of faith,' Maurica Powell said. `Vin has taken care of us in the past. We trusted him enough to drive across the country to go to school at Stanford, and we took his advice on how to get started in coaching.

`When he gave us this opportunity, we didn't question it.'

One question the 25-year-old Powells did have when they arrived in Eugene in late August was just how far behind the Ducks had fallen in recruiting.

Potential recruits are usually targeted by March with home visits set for July. They needn't have worried.

When word began to filter out that Lananna would take over the program at Oregon, some of the nation's best young distance runners were willing to postpone their college decisions in hopes of a phone call from `Tracktown USA.'

`We were concerned that we had missed the boat on a lot of kids,' Maurica Powell said. `But when we started to make calls, a lot of them already knew Vin was here, and they had saved one of their visits. They kept telling the other coaches they were waiting to hear from Oregon.'

The initial UO recruiting class under Lananna includes verbal commitments from Kenny Klotz (Central Catholic), Isaac Stoutenburgh (Crater), Justin Harbor (Florida), Nicole Blood (New York), Keara Sammons (Colorado) and Bria Wetsch (Minnesota). Three other recruits are A.J. Acosta (California), Cameron Carter (Colorado) and Ryan Waite (St. Helens).

`It's been crazy,' Andy Powell said. `It's to the point where, a lot of times, these kids are calling us. Every day when I come to work, I have phone messages and e-mails from juniors who are interested in coming to Oregon.'

The current UO distance program is young and talented.

The marquee attractions are sophomore Galen Rupp and freshman Rebekah Noble, who are both considered to be among the top young distance and middle-distance runners in the country.

They are both expected to be among the Duck entries for Saturday's 17th annual Pepsi Team Invitational at Hayward Field. The four-way battle will match Oregon against Washington, Boise State, the Minnesota men and Penn State women.

Rupp was the NCAA runner-up in the 10,000 as a freshman last year. He stands third on the all-time UO charts with a U.S. junior record of 28 minutes, 15.52 seconds set at the Oregon Twilight meet, which broke the old mark of 28:32.76 established by former Duck great Rudy Chapa in 1976.

During the recent indoor season, Rupp completed a tough double at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a fifth-place finish in the 5,000 and a sixth-place performance in the 3,000.

`Galen is a young and promising distance runner, not just for Oregon, but a national-caliber athlete who has the potential to be an international-caliber talent,' Lananna said. `We want him to do well at the Pac-10 and NCAA meets this year, but we also have a commitment for him to succeed at the highest level possible, and all of our decisions will be made with that in mind.'

Noble, who hails from Rogers High School in Spokane, burst onto the national scene last summer with a victory in the 800 at the U.S. junior championships. Her winning time of 2:03.73 ranks ninth all-time among U.S. preps.

She followed that performance with a second-place finish in the 800 at the NCAA Indoors. Noble, who also ran cross country this past fall, will take a cautious approach to the outdoor season with the ultimate target being an August trip to China for the World Junior Championships.

`Becca is a big-timer,' Lananna said. `We need to be careful we don't run her legs off. When you don't have a lot of athletes in certain events, that can be a temptation, but we will not succumb to that.'

The rest of the UO women's distance roster this year includes senior Amber McGown (1,500, 800), senior Sara Schaaf (800, 1,500), junior Dana Buchanan (3,000 steeplechase, 1,500), sophomore Sarah Pearson (5,000, 10,000) and freshman Zoe Nelson (5,000, 10,000).

McGown, Schaaf and Buchanan all got a taste of national competition during the indoor season on the UO distance medley relay that earned all-America honors with a seventh-place finish.

`We only have a small group of women,' Lananna said. `But I do think that the experience the distance medley got running indoors will go a long way toward them feeling they belong at the national level.'

The Duck men will rely on Rupp and redshirt sophomore Patrick Werhane in the 5,000 and 10,000; sophomore Mike McGrath in the 800 and 1,500; and redshirt freshman Christopher Winter in the 3,000 steeplechase.

`Everything else is up for grabs,' said Lananna, pointing out that the Ducks have a large group of developmental athletes eager to make an impact. `I believe in putting good people in leadership positions, and we will have one good, accomplished runner in each of the middle-distance and distance disciplines. I'm hoping they will set the tone for these other promising young athletes.'

DUCKS AT A GLANCE

A look at Oregon's middle-distance and distance runners

Assistant coaches: Andy Powell, first season, men's and women's distance runners. Maurica Powell, first season, volunteer assistant with men's and women's distance runners.

Top returners: MEN: Galen Rupp, soph., Portland (Central Catholic); Scott Wall, soph., Portland (Central Catholic). WOMEN: Sara Schaaf, sr., Klamath Falls; Sarah Pearson, soph., South Eugene; Amanda Fitz-Gustafson, sr., Klamath Falls.

Top newcomers: MEN: Mike McGrath, soph., Portland (Lincoln); Patrick Werhane, soph., Beaverton (Southridge); Carlos Trujillo, soph., Middleton, Idaho; Christopher Winter, fr., North Vancouver, B.C.; J.K. Withers, fr., Santa Rosa, Calif.; Andrew Perri, fr., Oakridge; Jeffrey Erb, fr., Sheldon; Jonathan Thomas, fr., Des Moines, Iowa. WOMEN: Amber McGown, sr., Melfort, Saskatchewan; Dana Buchanan, jr., Beachburg, Ontario; Rebekah Noble, fr., Spokane; Zoe Nelson, fr., Kalispell, Mont.; Katie Leary, fr., Klamath Falls.

Noteworthy: Rupp will continue his long-standing relationship with former UO great Alberto Salazar this season. `Galen feels comfortable with Alberto and I've supported that relationship,' Lananna said. `He is a member of our team and he will go into the events we want, although Alberto will play a significant role in what Galen does. I don't want the young man caught in the middle, so we need to have one voice, and that's how we'll do things.'

CAPTION(S):

Andy and Maurica Powell, who both ran for Vin Lananna at Stanford, have a strong crew of middle-distance and distance runners in their first season at Oregon with more help on the way.