The Ducks get 15 more second of fame with a shoutout to Oregon on Jeopardy

From the No. 1 football team in the country to the dominant men's basketball team to a deep run in the NCAA volleyball tournament to a top-15 preseason position for baseball, the Oregon Ducks have been in the spotlight throughout the year.

Now, the Ducks got a few more moments of fame with a quick shoutout on the NBC game show Jeopardy hosted by Ken Jennings.

"Track & field at the University of Oregon began back in 1895, helping this city earn the nickname of 'TrackTown U.S.A.,'" the question read. The answer? Eugene, of course.

The Oregon track and field team has dominated the collegiate scene for nearly 130 years and for, most of its history, raced at the historic Hayward Field. Just a few years ago, thanks to Nike co-founder and CEO Phil Knight, Hayward got knocked down and entirely rebuilt, turning it into the premiere track and field facility in the United State – true to the TrackTown name.

The Ducks were in the middle of their indoor season when the Jeopardy episode aired on NBC and were ramping up for their outdoor season, announcing the schedule just a few days before Oregon fans and Jeopardy fans alike shouted out "What is Eugene?" as the answer.

On Saturday, Jan. 25, the Oregon track team mourned the loss of legendary Duck long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine, who would have turned 74 on that day.

While the Ducks' 2025 outdoor season was set to kick off on March 21 with the Oregon Preview, many professional track fans were already looking forward to the Pre Classic, an annual meet held at Hayward Field every season. In 2025, the Diamond League meet was scheduled to take place on July 5.

Oregon track and field is led by head coach Jerry Schumacher who took over the program on July 11, 2022, following an incredible career by Robert Johnson who led the Ducks for over a decade.

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