The USC men’s and women’s track and field teams head up to the heralded Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, this weekend for the most prestigious meet in collegiate track: the NCAA championships. 

This will be the 15th time the track and field national championship is held in Oregon, with the last time being in 2022. 

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The men’s team was most recently ranked No. 4 in the nation by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, and the women’s team holds a similarly strong USTFCCCA ranking at No. 9. 

The women’s team will be looking to reassert its dominance in a sport it has very recently been a national power in: the Trojans won the national championship just a few years ago, in 2021. 

On the other hand, this may be the best chance the men’s team has had to capture a team national title since 1976. 

The Trojans on the women’s side are sending eight individuals to represent the cardinal and gold this week. Among them is sophomore Jassani Carter, who will represent the Trojans in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. Joining Carter in the 200m will be freshman Madison Whyte. 

The other Trojans competing in two individual women’s events will be senior Jasmine Jones, who is pulling double duty in the 100m and 400m hurdles. Jones will be joined by junior Jalaysiya Smith in the 100m hurdles and senior Rae-Anne Serville in the 400m hurdles. 

The Trojans will also have two representatives in the women’s 400m dash: senior Jan’Taijah Jones and sophomore Yemi John. 

The final individual competitor for the Trojan women will be senior Temi Ojora in the triple jump. 

In addition, the cardinal and gold will enter the fray in one women’s relay, the 4x400m. John, Whyte, Jasmine Jones and Jan’Taijah Jones will pass the batons for the Trojans. 

The men’s track team is sending 12 athletes to the championship meet. 

Sophomore Max Thomas will be bringing the speed for the Trojans, representing USC in the 100m and 200m dashes. Senior Johnnie Blockburger will be the only other Trojan appearing in a pure speed race, the 400m dash. 

Junior Johnny Brackins Jr. will be the sole hurdles representative in the men’s events, competing in the 110m. Brackins will also be competing in the long jump. Brackins finished first overall in the NCAA preliminary events for the long jump and is the NCAA wind-legal leader in the event this season.. 

Brackins will be joined in the event by sophomore JC Stevenson. Also jumping for USC will be sophomore Elias Gerald in the high jump and sophomore Gavin Champ in the triple jump. 

To round out the individual events, the Trojans are sending three men to throw in Eugene. Freshman Racquil Broderick will compete in the discus throw, junior Nikolaos Polychroniou will compete in the hammer throw and senior Leif Nelson will compete in the javelin throw. 

It’s also worth noting that Polychroniou finished second in the country at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds for the hammer throw, making him one of the Trojans’ best national title hopefuls to watch. 

Last but certainly fast, the Trojans are sending two men’s relay teams to the NCAA championships, the 4x100m relay and the 4x400m relay. Thomas and Blockburger lead the Trojans’ 100m team, and they will be joined by freshman Jacob Andrews and junior Travis Williams. 

On the 4×400 team, Andrews, Thomas and Blockburger will compete with sophomore Darius Rainey. 

Each individual and team event has the opportunity to secure a national title in their individual events as well as earn points toward an overall team national championship for USC. 

Trojan fans can watch both their men’s and women’s athletes go for glory Wednesday through Friday on ESPN2 and Saturday on ESPN.