Who monitors demonstration activity on campus?
A Kitchen Full of Community
Saturday Breakfast volunteers make meals to pass out to those who are most vulnerable
Hayward magic at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Eugene School Board approves budget with staff cuts, taps reserves to avoid deeper reductions
By Lucas Hellberg City News Reporter
On May 21, the Eugene School Board voted four to two to approve the district’s 2025-2026 budget, moving forward with a proposal to reduce 38.25 full-time positions.
The district’s nearly $560 million adopted budget for the upcoming 2025-2026 fiscal year includes roughly $15.86 million in reductions. The 2025-2026 fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30, 2026.
Earlier this month, district officials proposed that the board cut 65.80 full-time positions as part of what would have been roughly $20.78 million in budget cuts. After community and school board feedback, some positions, including seven licensed full-time positions at the elementary school level, three licensed full-time positions at the middle school level, 3.5 full-time positions at the high school level and 92 hours of educational assistant time in 46 first-grade classes, were restored and added to the now adopted budget.
The approved staffing reductions will impact schools. While district officials say that 92% of the staffing reductions next fiscal year will occur “outside of” schools, they say that 8% will occur “inside schools.”
The district’s budget woes
The school district’s budget woes come amid lower revenue forecasts for state education funding for the state’s upcoming 2025-2027 fiscal year,
(Anna Liv Myklebust/Emerald)
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church volunteers put oatmeal cups together and scoop flavored apple bits on top of the oatmeal.
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Scholz
and Long send email regarding “difficult” financial outlook
Federal funding cuts, state budget cuts and changes in enrollment cited as reasons for shifting financial path for UO
By Sasha Love Campus News Reporter
Late this morning, the University of Oregon sent out a “difficult message” regarding the UO budget over email. The email was signed by President John Karl Scholz and Provost and Senior Vice President Christopher Long.
Federal actions that have “ceased or paused” research funding, lagging out-of-state and international student enrollment and a tighter-than-expected state budget for universities were among the reasons stated for these hardships.
“Any one of these factors would cause us significant financial challenges, but the cumulative effect of their simultaneous impact creates a level of financial difficulty the university has not experienced in many years,” the email read.
Eugene extends homeless shelter program without guarantee that the city can pay for it
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Eugene’s city-supported shelter sites face an uncertain future as state funding runs dry. Despite high demand and limited public opposition, the program’s long-term survival largely depends on upcoming budget decisions by state lawmakers.
By Lucas Hellberg City News Reporter
With funding potentially expiring soon, the long-term future of Eugene’s city-supported shelter sites — formerly known as safe sleep sites — is uncertain, even as demand for sanctioned shelter options continues to outpace supply.
A 2021 city ordinance allowing for the temporary establishment of safe parking and safe tent sites has enabled these sites to provide unhoused residents a legal place to rest for nearly four years. St. Vincent de Paul, the largest operator of the sites, said it currently has a waitlist of roughly 300 people.
Books to read this AAPI Heritage Month
Being intentional with the books we’re reading is important when it comes to picking stories by diverse authors with a diverse array of characters. Check out these books for AAPI Heritage Month to broaden your horizons and delve into some great reads by talented authors.
By Aishiki Nag Opinion Columnist
Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month is a time to recognize the contributions and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, celebrating diversity along with learning about AAPI heritage. One way we can do that is by picking up a book by AAPI authors with AAPI characters. Here are a few recommendations to get you started.
Who monitors demonstration activity on campus?
Here are the functions of the Demonstration Education and Safety Team. The team was formed early last year in response to increased protest activity.
By Angelina Handris Campus News Reporter.
The Demonstration Education and Safety Team, formed in early 2024, is a group of faculty who have volunteered “to protect free speech on campus by ensuring that all members of our University of Oregon community can express their views and ideas safely and within university policy,” according to a university email statement to The Daily Emerald.
The duties of DEST include providing UO’s free speech policies and requirements to demonstration organizers prior to events, observing protests, demonstrations and other events, and ensuring UO policies are followed.
The team also responds to questions and complaints regarding ongoing demonstrations and events from campus and community members.
“It’s important to recognize that DEST is not an enforcement body – members do not make decisions about student conduct or discipline for any member of the university community,” the university’s email statement said.
Another role of DEST is to educate demonstrators on their rights and responsibilities.
“We see this as an opportunity to share how participants can share their views and concerns, while recognizing that it may be interpreted as telling students what they cannot do,” the statement said.
According to UO spokesperson Eric Howald, DEST did not wish to give names of their members.
“We are not providing a name to attribute these answers to because members of (DEST) have been singled out and harassed by protesters. While we understand that not everyone agrees with the role that DEST plays, the employees involved are performing university-assigned duties,” Howald said.
Robin Bailey, a member and organizer for UO Student Workers and Young Democratic Socialists of America, said they believed DEST is UO’s “intelligence arm” to monitor student demonstrations.”
“(DEST) is UO’s intelligence arm by which it stalks, catalogues and serves as a direct tip line to UO Police Department, the conduct code office and other law enforcement,” Bailey said.
Bailey also said their photojournalism has been used as “weapons” against student organizers.
“I’ve seen several UOPD reports and conduct code charges which utilize my photojournalism, my photos, downloaded from my Instagram account as weapons against my fellow organizers, indicting them in chilling accusations of sound
policy violation or disorderly conduct,” Bailey said. Bailey expressed concern over their belief that DEST is used as a way to “watch” students.
“UO doesn’t like when its students dissent. Our university would rather us stay quiet, stay scared and stay meek little sitting ducks, so they watch us, so they have this “demo team,” or whatever name they now go by, so we exist as organizers in this panopticon of a college campus,” Bailey said.
Duck Store Board of Directors elected
After the election in early May, the next members of the Duck Store Board of Directors have been announced
By Stephanie Jersey Campus News Reporter
Between May 5 and May 9, University of Oregon students and faculty had the opportunity to cast their votes in the election for the Duck Store Board of Directors.
Located on and off campus, the Duck Store is a nonprofit that sells UO-themed merchandise, school supplies and art materials.
A total of 205 ballots were casted, the following candidates were announced to serve on the board starting this upcoming academic year:
Freshman Representative
Two-year term
Alfredo Alvarez — 136 votes
Sophomore Representatives
Two-year term
Shane Fair — 98 votes
Kyle Stephensen — 79 votes
Graduate Student Representatives
One-year term
Martha Tejeda — 112 votes
Two-year term
Miranda Ingram — 112 votes
Faculty Representative
Two-year term
Mike Urbancic — 116 votes
Board members are tasked with key decisions around budgeting and store initiatives.
Miranda Ingram, a current MBA student and future board member, said that the Duck Store’s status as a nonprofit makes it valuable to students.
“The Duck Store is one of the only nonprofits of its kind in the nation. It’s a little gem here in Eugene that exists to serve students, not just to make profits,” Ingram said. “The board works with students to make sure we’re keeping costs low and overall supporting students in pursuing higher education.”
Another elected member, graduate student Martha Tejeda, said her years of experience in the educational environment inspired her to run for a position.
“I worked at a middle school with students from difficult backgrounds—some living in hotels or facing unstable home lives,” Tejeda said. “ It made me realize how important it is to have supportive adults in students’ lives, and that experience inspired me to keep serving and advocate for student needs.”
Tejeda said she wants to ensure that students have the resources to be successful.
“It shouldn’t feel like a luxury to afford something you need for school or to feel comfortable,” Tejeda said.
Both candidates spoke on the importance of the Duck Store, with Tejeda referring to it as “more than just a retail space.”
“I want to create more events where students can come together, have fun, and express themselves, like painting over sale items or customizing merch,” Tejeda said.
Ingram said the Duck Store is a “lifeline,” making accessibility a priority.
“I just really want to ensure it remains accessible and sustainable and is responsive to students needs and unique challenges, such as textbook costs that they lowered this past year,” Ingram said.
(Stephanie Yang/Emerald)
(ABOVE) Roughly 375 people attended a UOSW rally at the front steps of Johnson Hall, the administrative building on the University of Oregon campus on May 5, 2025.
(Saj Sundaram/Emerald)
CITY NEWS
In Eugene’s push to grow, green spaces still matter
As Eugene grows denser, city planners face the challenge of balancing housing needs with the protection of green spaces— an effort that ties land use, transportation and climate resilience together
By Ceci Cronin City News Reporter
Eugene is growing. New housing, infrastructure and businesses continue growing across the city as more people are drawn to the community and its lush surroundings.
But with that growth comes a question every city eventually has to face: how do you make room for more people without pushing nature out? For Oregon, and Eugene in particular, the answer lies in how city planners plan the land.
Urban sprawl - typically defined as the uncontrolled expansion of low-density development across large areas of land - often leads to fragmented landscapes, increased car dependency and greater environmental degradation. In contrast, building up rather than out helps cities preserve natural areas and make better use of existing infrastructure.
“Sprawl is horrible for a ton of reasons,” Nico Larco, director of the Urbanism Next Center and a professor of architecture and urban design at the University of Oregon, said. “It just consumes land,… habitat and ecological areas, agricultural land, mineral resources and logging. So the shift to protect those places really requires densification.”
Densification is the core of how Eugene is trying to grow without losing the parks, trees and wild spaces that make living in Eugene special. It means encouraging development within existing city boundaries, rather than letting it spill endlessly outward.
Oregon is the only state in the country with statewide urban growth boundaries—clear lines around each city that limit how far they can expand.
“You really feel like there’s a line—you’re in the city, and then suddenly it’s rural,” Larco said. “That’s by design, and it prevents endless patchwork sprawl like in Phoenix or Atlanta.”
That design is part of what makes the city livable. Forests and farmland stay protected, rivers and wetlands remain intact and nature, in some form, stays close to home.
But compact growth doesn’t just mean building more apartment complexes. It means designing neighborhoods where greenspace is integrated and accessible.
“If I have a park near me but there’s a busy street in between, I’m not letting my eight-year-old go there alone,” Larco said. “Urban design defines where green spaces are and how accessible they are.”
Not only do kids benefit, but Larco sees green space as something for everyone. Open space can take many forms—from nature areas to places for play and exercise—and its design affects who uses it and how.
As Eugene densifies, other changes are also unfolding. Oregon recently made national headlines for eliminating single-family zoning statewide, allowing duplexes and triplexes in areas once reserved for standalone homes. That shift opens the door to more diverse, affordable housing, but its implementation has been slow.
“Small-scale developers are cautious and the market is still figuring it out,” Larco said. “But it’s a big step.”
Other policies, like reducing parking requirements, play a big role in making cities more compact and walkable. Larco explained that parking requirements drive up costs and lead to more spread-out development, making it harder to build compact, walkable communities. Cutting back on
those requirements is essential to supporting higher density.
All of these decisions - on housing, streets and zoning - tie into how people move around and whether they can do so without a car.
“Our land use decisions are absolutely transportation decisions,” Larco said. “If we want sustainability and equity in transit, we also have to build denser, more compact cities where people don’t need to drive.”
But with smaller homes and fewer private yards comes another responsibility: giving people places to go outside. As Eugene grows denser, public parks and gathering spaces become essential for community health, connection and equity. Investing in these spaces early ensures people have places to relax, play and meet, helping maintain livability and uphold Oregon’s values of environmental care and strong, inclusive communities.
Not only do kids benefit, but Larco sees green space as something for everyone. Open space can take many forms - from nature areas to places for play and exercise - and its design affects who uses it and how.
The urgency, however, is underscored by climate change. Oregon’s Climate Vulnerability Assessment, released by the state’s Department of Land Conservation and Development, outlines increasing risks from extreme heat, flooding and wildfire. Well-designed urban areas with ample green space can help buffer those impacts by reducing urban heat islands, absorbing stormwater and providing safe, shaded outdoor areas.
As the city continues to evolve, Larco said he’s seen a cultural shift. “Urban areas used to be seen as places to escape from,” he said. “Now, people are drawn to them for community, vibrancy and a better quality of life.”
For Eugene, that means walking a fine line: growing smarter, not just bigger. Preserving what makes the city unique while preparing it for the challenges ahead.
Eugene School Board approves budget with staff cuts, taps reserves to avoid deeper reductions
Facing a multi-million dollar shortfall, Eugene’s school board approved a 2025–2026 budget that cuts over 30 full-time positions while spending over $20 million in reserves. Some district officials warn that the plan delays tough choices and risks deeper cuts.
which begins in July. District officials say a recent state forecast shows that the three sources that make up the state school fund — general fund and lottery resources, corporate activity tax and corporate kicker revenue — are all down by roughly $920.4 million from a previous forecast made by state economists in March for the upcoming fiscal year.
Further complicating the district’s budget, officials say, is that “ local revenue also went down,” which means that the state “needs to make up for the loss on the local level.”
Collectively, property taxes, school district levy funds and the state school fund make up 83% of the district’s proposed total budget.
Another major challenge the district faces is declining enrollment and increased staffing despite the lower student numbers. This impacts the budget because the state funding the district receives is largely tied to the number of students it has.
The district has nearly 600 fewer students than it did in 2020. Since then, it has added almost 600 staff positions to support students and schools during and after the pandemic. The added positions were primarily funded by COVID-19 federal dollars.
District officials report they are on track to spend nearly $30 million in reserves for the current fiscal year.
The projected spending accounts for 14% of the district’s reserve accounts in its 2024-2025 adopted budget.
The district plans to spend at least $23 million in reserves during the 2025–2026 fiscal year.
Reserve Level Shortfall and Board Policy Conflict
District officials say the 2025-2026 budget is projected to dip “just below the minimum reserve level” required by the school board’s 8% required reserve threshold. Under board policy, the superintendent and school board now must review transfers, expenditures and the projected ending fund balance for a potential mid-year adjustment next fiscal year. It also requires that the superintendent notify the board and propose a plan to rebuild reserves over time if the district were to fall below the 8% threshold.
A ‘Win’ for Educators and Parents
Eugene Education Association President Sabrina Gordon said the now-approved budget is a “win” for parents and educators who pushed back against the district’s previously proposed budget.
“We’re really looking at it as a win. It did not happen by accident,” Gordon said in an interview with The Daily Emerald.
Gordon said that “win” was the result of sustained opposition from educators and community members who warned that the previously proposed cuts would hurt students. She added that restoring roles previously proposed for elimination, like educational assistants for first-grade classes, helps address some of the district’s most urgent classroom needs.
Budget Opposition
While most of the school board voted to approve the budget, two members, Rick Hamilton and Morgan Munro, voted against it.
Munro said the budget ignores financial realities by relying heavily on one-time fixes and draining reserves, potentially setting the district up for painful decisions in the future.
“This budget irresponsibly ignores financial reality,” Munro said. “It leaves us incredibly vulnerable to the likelihood of federal funding cuts.”
(Tyler Graham/Emerald)
A Kitchen Full of Community
Photographed by Anna Liv Myklebust
Every Saturday, roughly more than two dozen volunteers come together in the kitchen at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, on Pearl Street in Eugene, Oregon, to make and cook food that’s later to be sent out to various organizations in the surrounding areas.
Radical Assistance for Vulnerable Eugene Neighbors is just one of the organizations that receives meals from St. Mary’s. The Raven program seeks to hand out food to those who may be unhoused in Eugene or in vulnerable positions.
“I live in the near west Eugene neighborhood. You see the people with shopping
carts — and they need food… even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” Holly Capbell, a volunteer of the Saturday breakfasts at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, said.
Other organizations that distribute the food include Nightingale and Everyone Village; however, the Raven Organization is a main distributor of food to those in need.
Volunteers who participate in the Saturday breakfasts know how crucial these free meals are to those in need. Many volunteers continue to show up weekly to help make a difference in their community.
Dick Zeller prepares strata, which contains red pepper, spinach, tater tots, cheese, sausage, milk and egg.
Lyndah Christian bags food throughout the morning as other volunteers finish 3 piecing together sandwiches.
Dan Morrow (left) and Holly Cabell (right) discuss the process for getting food out to different organizations.
Dan Morrow (left) watches Dick Zeller (right) cut into their strata, which is going to be then packaged for distribution.
Ed Murphy carries out a bag of hot meals from St. Mary’s dumbwaiter, which will be set into their car to be delivered to Raven volunteers.
Raven volunteer, Madeline McKee, hands out a cup of oatmeal and a warm meal of strata to a customer.
CAMPUS CULTURE
By Seira Kitagawa Arts & Culture Writer
Pointe is coming to the Dance Student Spotlight
Natalie Reyes choreographed a traditional pointe ballet piece for the Dance Student Spotlight, which will also showcase various performances in jazz, contemporary and hip hop
On the third floor of Gerlinger Annex, Natalie Reyes and her nine other dancers leap and create smooth and dynamic movements across the floor with tutu skirts and alongside “The Voice Of Spring Waltz” by Johann Strauss II. Reyes and 11 other student choreographers and dancers will perform at the Student Spotlight Concert from May 30 to June 2. There will be two sections of shows due to a number of entries, and performances vary from classical ballet to modern, hip hop and jazz.
The University of Oregon School of Music and Dance does not often perform ballet pieces, especially with pointe technique where dancers dance on the tips of their toes with pointe shoes. However, this year is different. During the fall term, students performed a classical ballet piece with pointe at the faculty performance with classical costumes and movements. “It was so great to see ballet happening at SOMD,” Reyes said.
Reyes said her vision for this upcoming ballet performance is to make it proper and courtly, so that it will carry the elements of traditional ballet. She titled the dance
“Primavera,” which means “spring” in Italian. Reyes hopes to show the seasonal changes and the blossoming of spring flowers by incorporating transitional moves in formations of pair and group dance.
Although Reyes and the other choreographers are from the dance department, dancers at the show will be from a range of different majors. Anyone who is interested in participating in a dance can audition in winter term.
Dancing on pointe requires technique and practice. Reyes recognized the impact of the pandemic on dancers as she herself experienced the struggle of not being able to practice dance in person.
“I want everyone to feel valued and confident,” she said. She wants the dancers to express their personalities through dance and allow the dancer’s different styles to come out and meld together.
Reyes started dancing when she was three years old, and the passion and support from her mother who drove her to Portland from Salem to train several times a week kept Reyes going. COVID-19 impacted Reyes’ dance career, and brought her to the SOMD.
Reyes first pursued another academic journey, but then
Why was the ASUO Street Faire really canceled?
Official announcements claim the Street Faire was canceled due to safety hazards posed by the UOSW strike, but some vendors and UOSW members question whether this action was truly necessary
By Maddox Brewer-Knight Opinion Columnist
The Associated Students of the University of Oregon Street Faire is a springtime staple at the University of Oregon. Each fall and spring term, students can stroll down East 13th Avenue to enjoy the wares of food trucks, artisans and resellers.
This spring, however, East 13th Avenue remained empty. On May 6, ASUO President Mariam Hassan and UO Vice President for Student Life Angela Chong emailed the student body announcing the ASUO Street Faire was cancelled due to safety concerns from the then ongoing UO Student Workers strike.
This decision resulted in an outcry among many students who were excited to picnic in the sun with their friends with some takeout or snag a Mother’s Day gift from one of the artisans’ stands.
However, it was the vendors who truly bore the brunt of this hasty decision, having been informed of the closure less than two days before the Faire was set to begin.
I met with Julian Melton, a UO senior and owner of Volume 11 Vintage, to discuss how the cancellation affected him.
“This would’ve been my sixth year as a vendor in the ASUO Street Faire — it supported me entirely through college,” Melton said. “I recognize that it’s a huge privilege not having to clock into a 9-to-5 job, but it’s still hard going without the Street Faire. It provides 90% of the yearly income I need to pay rent and put food on the table.”
rediscovered her passion for dance in ballet and other forms of dance such as modern, contemporary and African dance.
For the Student Spotlight Concert, “I wanted to do ballet that I love,” Reyes said. She choreographed a solo piece early this year, but this performance is the first group ballet piece that she has choreographed.
After graduating from UO, Reyes plans to further her career in dance at Arizona State University where she will pursue a Master in Fine Arts.
“I thought senior year would be chill but it is very busy and rewarding,” she said.
“Primavera” will be on May 30 at 7:30 p.m., May 31 at 7:30 p.m. and June 1 at 2:00 p.m. at the Dougherty Dance Theatre in Gerlinger Annex. Tickets can be purchased online for $5 for students and $10 for general admission.
The vendors received a fee refund, but Melton noted that the $250 he received back didn’t cover the costs of mandatory vendors’ insurance or the thousands of dollars he had spent on inventory.
Some vendors had even come from other states for the event and were left to swallow the cost of their travel expenses.
Matters were even worse for food vendors, whose product was perishable and could not be salvaged and resold at a later date.
“Because our crepe cart only does events, the Street Faire is about 20% of our annual revenue,” Brent Hefley, the owner of Happy Go Lucky Crepes said.
The administration claimed that the strike posed safety concerns that would render the Faire hazardous. In one email, UO administrators claimed that UOSW picketers’ “disruption” of the “Conversation on Democracy’s Future” event on May 1 created “a threat to health and safety by exceeding fire marshal occupancy limits, blocking exits and intimidating participants.”
Despite these justifications, UOSW members and vendors alike have expressed doubts over the actual risk posed by the strikers, especially in light of last year’s similarly unorthodox circumstances.
“The encampment for Palestine was on campus last year, and we hosted the Street Faire through that,” Melton said. “I spoke to various other vendors and, whether they agreed with the viewpoints of the protestors or not, they never felt unsafe.
Melton’s sentiments were echoed by some UOSW members: “It’s very interesting that the Street Faire was cancelled this year during our strike and not last year during the encampment,” Robin Bailey, a sophomore student worker who participated in the UOSW strike, said.
Bailey offered his hypothesis on why the administration might have had an incentive to label the strike as unsafe: “Our strike demonstrated our power, and that must have terrified UO,” he said.
“This is purely speculation, but I think ASUO’s hands were forced by the university,” Melton said. “The encampment didn’t cost the university money every day, but the strike did, and they had a motive to get these students back
Maddox Brewer Knight is an opinion columnist at the Daily Emerald. She is a second-year CHC student pursuing a double major in English and Spanish and a minor in linguistics. As a lifelong Oregonian, Maddox cares deeply about confronting social issues both within UO and in the greater community to make our home region a better environment for all.
to work. I feel like I was used as a political pawn.” If passing blame onto the union was a tactical move by the university, it appears to be working.
“During the last few days of the strike, I overheard students talking about how they fully supported the strike until the union was responsible for canceling the Faire,” Caleb Camejo, a UO senior, said.
There is no way to know the university’s true motives, but the fact remains that the Street Faire cancellation harmed vendors, strikers and students alike. Personally, I believe the cancellation was unnecessary given the success of the Street Faire last year under arguably more tumultuous conditions.
(Max Unkrich/Emerald)
Julian Melton holds a denim shirt and carries a Carhartt garment over his shoulder in Eugene on May 21, 2025. Melton planned to sell vintage and preowned clothing at the local street fair before it was canceled.
(LEFT) Natalie Reyes, a dance major, is a choreographer for the Student Spotlight Dance concert at the University of Oregon. The SOMD is located in Gerlinger Annex at 1481 University Street in Eugene.
(Julia Massa/Emerald)
Crossword
8 “If you rush, you won’t do it right”
“Dear Abby,” “Ask Amy,” et al., and an apt description of 4-, 8-, and 17-Down 10 Connect via Bluetooth, say
Swore 12 Stitches (up) 17 “Relax and take things as they come”
Consume
Texter’s “Gimme a sec”
25 Freeloading sort 26 Following behind 27 Like an arctic winter
28 Beer with sushi, maybe
29 “The Great Gatsby” novelist F. __ Fitzgerald
30 Open eagerly, as a present
Dorothy Gale’s
31 Not quite jumbo 32 Up-and-down toys
35 Pungent bulb
44 Bird on the Australian coat of arms
46 Small batteries
48 Oozes
49 Real troublemakers
Sudoku
50 Chanel model Delevingne
51 Academic hurdle
52 Betelgeuse, for one 53 Mont Blanc’s range
54 On an even __: stable
55 With just a bit of spice 58 Citrus drink suffix
Photos: Oregon walks off Stanford to advance to Super Regional, 10-7
PK Park unveils new meaningful identity
TOMORROW
May 28, 2025
2025 NCAA Track and Field Championships
The Ducks will compete in the NCAA West first round from May 28-31 at Bryan-College Station in Texas
Hayward magic at the Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships
An experience covering the excellent Ducks’ Track and Field program at the iconic Hayward Field
By Jack Lazarus Sports Associate Editor
“Hayward magic” is a concept discussed quite often in Eugene as an imaginary force many hope to touch, especially the heroes that make up Oregon’s renowned track and field squads. Take it from Aaliyah McCormick, the Big Ten 100-meter hurdles champion and the only woman in her event to run that race in less than 13 seconds.
“What really motivated me was the Hayward magic,” McCormick said. “If we all feel the Hayward magic, everything’s gonna work out just fine.”
Men’s 5000-meter champion Simeon Birnbaum shared a similar feeling during his Big Ten Outdoor Championship record time of 13 minutes, 31.87 seconds.
“Whenever an Oregon uniform takes a lead, you kind of feel a surge in energy in the crowd,” Birnbaum said. “With a lap to go, I took the lead and the crowd started roaring. It was amazing.”
This “magic” isn’t some mythical aura that is played up by the Ducks’ success on the track; it’s an intangible feeling provided by Hayward’s historic grounds.
That was the feeling prevailing over the iconic stadium’s first time hosting the Big Ten Conference Championships. While it may have fueled the men’s team to a resounding conference title, it made the experience over the weekend
Each day built on the next, especially since the Ducks were in contention for both conference titles going into each session. Birnbaum was correct in his assessment as well; every time an Oregon racer, jumper or thrower did anything, the crowd at Hayward made sure that the athlete felt their presence.
When Oregon decathlete Koby Kessler from the famed IMG Academy from Canby, Oregon, took his beanie off to reveal his hairstyle, it would be a point of discussion throughout the weekend. Kessler started his decathlon in a way that the occasion warranted by showing off his buzzed, bleached hair, which included about
Many Ducks earn Big Ten accolades as regular season ends
Oregon’s elite talent continues to be rewarded
By Brady Ruth Sports Editor
As the regular season came to a close and the Big Ten Tournament began, the conference dished out its end-of-season awards. Ten different players earned accolades along with head coach Mark Wasikowski.
The Ducks’ skipper won Big Ten Coach of the Year in his first season back in the conference since his tenure with Purdue. Wasikowski led the Ducks to a 22-8 conference record — good for first in the Big Ten standings — in their first season in their new conference.
Five Oregon studs were named to the All-Big Ten First Team. Pitcher Grayson Grinsell (7-1, 1.36 ERA in conference games), center fielder Mason Neville (.302 average, 26 homers), first baseman Jacob Walsh (.344 average, 19 homers), second baseman Ryan Cooney (.341 average) and closer Seth Mattox (.293 ERA, four saves) will be forever remembered for their success in 2025. Cooney also took home the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award,
a half dozen green ducks painted on.
“(The hair added) about 100 points,” Kessler said about his decathlon score. “The 100, when I took the beanie off, that definitely helped me score a little more and run a little faster for sure.”
Kessler thrived off the raucous home crowd, even on the first day of competition.
“I love having the home crowd; it’s awesome,” Kessler said. “A big part is family coming down and being supportive. I love it.”
Another part of the Hayward magic is the proximity that fans get to athletes, especially ones not competing. During the men’s shot put competition, I sat within feet of many of Michigan’s men’s track team, many of whom weren’t competing that day, when I heard shouts of “That’s my roommate!”
The intimacy of the meet shocked me. Athletes from each team were dispersed over the concourse, cheering on their teammates and enjoying the atmosphere of one of the nation’s best sites for track and field.
When Oregon decathlete Koby Kessler who attended IMG Academy and is from Canby, Oregon, took his beanie off to reveal his hairstyle, it would be a point of discussion throughout the weekend.
recognizing him for his character both on and off the field.
Four Ducks were also named to the All-Big Ten Third Team. Pitcher Jason Reitz (3-0, 3.66 ERA), left fielder Anson Aroz (.261 average, 16 homers), designated hitter Dominic Hellman (.304 average, 12 homers) and shortstop Maddox Molony (.309 average, 15 homers).
Oregon clobbered a program record 107 homers in 2025 and many of the sluggers who contributed to the tally were rewarded for it with Big Ten accolades.
Burke-Lee Mabeus rounds out the Ducks’ regular season awards list with his All-Freshman Team recognition. Mabeus hit .260 with 23 RBIs in 2025 and was the only catcher named to the All-Freshman team.
There’s never a list without controversy, and that again was the case in 2025. Grinsell’s three complete-game efforts – all of which came in conference play – and his 10 total earned runs allowed against Big Ten opponents were not enough to earn Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, which was given to Michigan State’s Joseph Joseph Dzierwa took home the award despite Grinsell having better stats in categories like wins, losses, ERA, strikeouts, opponent batting average and WHIP.
Neville also fell short of another accolade as UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky took home Big Ten Player of the Year despite Neville leading the nation in homers in the regular season with 26. Still, it was an incredible regular season for the Ducks, who now turn their eyes to the postseason as they hunt a trip to Omaha and the College World Series.
(LEFT) Aaliyah Mccormick takes her victory lap around the track after winning the women’s 100 meter hurdles. The Big Ten Track and Field Championships came to a close at Hayward Field in Eugene on May 18, 2025.
(Julia Massa/Emerald)
