Oregon Ducks News: Three major decisions loom, baseball jobbed, softball matches high

Oregon football recruiting: Dixon-Wyatt announcement coming Sunday

Mater Dei wide receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt posted on social media that he will be announcing Sunday May 4, live on the 247Sports YouTube channel.

He's the first of three major commitment announcements scheduled for early May, Five-star Nashville quarterback Jared Curtis follows on Monday May 5, No. 1 offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell May 13.

The Ducks are in the final group for all three, but the outcome of those decisions remains murky. Like football, recruiting is a momentum sport, and the way those three decisions swing will tell fans a lot about the trajectory of the 2026 recruiting class.

The Ducks have swung big. They've suffered four recruiting decommitments over the last couple of months. If they lose out on all three of these or perhaps merely land one, the staff will have to retool, adjust and pivot to other targets.

In the NIL era recruiting is more fluid than ever. Curtis committed to Georgia last year but decommitted in October.

It won't be the end of the world, not even the recruiting world. Oregon had to retool entire classes in 2018 and 2022 due to coaching changes, and the program recovered. Dan Lanning has demonstrated the ability to evaluate, adjust, and recruit with a cohesive strategy.

Despite sweep of Beavs, Ducks projected to play in Corvallis Super Regional

Wednesday Baseball America released the projected 64-team field for the NCAA Tournament, and their bracket places Oregon as the No. 2-seed in a four-team playoff in Corvallis.

Oregon State is the projected one-seed, with Cal Poly of the Big West and Utah Valley of the WAC rounding it out.

Even with four straight wins over OSU in the last week, the Ducks have a lower RPI, according to the baseball website. Only four Big Ten teams make the projected field. UCLA, Iowa and USC are the other three, and none are hosting a Super Regional.

Softball Ducks match highest-ever ranking

This week Melyssa Lombardi's Oregon softball squad reached No. 3 in the NCAA according to USA Softball and the NFCA, matching the highest ranking in program history.

Ahead of weekend series with 15-27 Michigan State at Jane Sanders Stadium, their record stands at a sparkling 45-5, in first place in the Big Ten at 17-2.

Two Oregon players have been nominated as finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year, pitcher Lyndsey Grein and centerfielder Kedre Lushar.

Grein leads the Big Ten in pitching, 26-1 with a 1.52 ERA. Luschar hits at a .461 clip with 42 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

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