**The LSU Tigers celebrate after claiming the Men’s Outdoor National Title at Hayward Field. Photo by Otto Horiuchi**

By Kate Walkup

EUGENE, Ore. – LSU’s win in the opening 4x100-meter relay set the tone for the night of men’s finals at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Oregon put up a fight, but the Ducks fell to the Tigers (84 to 53) at Hayward Field on Friday evening.

Oregon freshman Cole Hocker outdistanced Notre Dame senior Yared Nuguse in the final straightaway to win the men’s 1,500 meters to kick off the individual events.

**Cole Hocker adds a third NCAA title to his belt, winning the 1500m at Hayward Field on Friday. Photo by Otto Horiuchi**

After getting tripped up with less than 400 meters to go, Hocker’s kick propelled him into the lead down the homestretch in front of his home crowd.

“I fell back a couple of feet and then immediately had the energy to move back up,” Hocker said. “I was just locked on to that last 200 and back into my race plan.”

The victory gave Hocker his third NCAA title in a personal record time of 3:35.35. Hocker won both his events—the mile and the 3,000 meters—at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this year.

In his second of three events, LSU’s Terrance Laird leaned at the line to snatch the win in the 100-meter dash. Laird also anchored LSU’s 4x100-meter relay team, edging Georgia (38.48 to 38.54) at the line.

“We got the ball rolling with the 4x100 and we just capitalized on that momentum,” Laird said.

Running the fourth fastest time in collegiate history, LSU freshman hurdler Sean Burrell won the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a personal record and 2021 collegiate-leading time of 47.85 to add to LSU’s growing point total.

JuVaughn Harrison of LSU cleared 2.33 meters to win the men’s high jump and best the field by four inches. Harrison was also the winner of the long jump on Wednesday; he won both of those events at the 2019 NCAA Championships.

“I think having a few attempts under my belt [going into Trials] is a good thing to have,” Harrison said.

A fast final 200 meters for Oregon’s Cooper Teare gave him the meet record, a personal record and the victory in the 5,000 meters. Teare crossed the finish line in 13:12.27—more than six seconds faster than the previous meet record. Teare also broke Bill McChesney’s Oregon school record that had stood for 39 years.

“I figured coming in it would be a fast race,” Teare said. “It was about making sure no one got away.”

**Oregon’s Cooper Teare crosses the line with a new 5,000 meter personal best, the NCAA Championship meet record, and a new Oregon school record, clocking 13:12.27. Photo by Otto Horiuchi**

Duck teammate Hocker also clocked a personal record in the 5,000 with a time of 13:18.95, leading him to a fourth-place finish after coming off his 1,500 victory.

“I was super happy coming off the 1,500 title and I was just trying to hang in and finish the best I could,” Hocker said. “They ran smart, they took it out fast and they made me run and I respect that—I was happy with the way I closed it.”

Isaiah Jewett of USC took the lead in the bell lap of the men’s 800-meter dash, ultimately carrying him to a winning personal-record time of 1:44.68. Freshman Brandon Miller of Texas A&M went to the front with Jewett, but finished just behind in 1:44.97.

Florida freshman Joseph Fahnbulleh caught three sprinters in the final 50 meters of the men’s 200-meter dash to win in 19.91—the eighth-fastest time in collegiate history.

**Oregon’s Emmanuel Ihemeje wins the triple jump national title in front of a home crowd. Photo by Otto Horiuchi**

Emmanuel Ihemeje of Oregon won the triple jump with a personal record and 2021 collegiate leading jump of 17.14 meters. Kigen Chemadi of Middle Tennessee State grabbed the 3,000-meter steeplechase title, clocking a time of 8:28.20—a personal record and the 2021 collegiate lead. North Carolina A&T sophomore Randolph Ross sprinted to the win in the 400-meter dash, also recording a personal record and 2021 collegiate lead.

Robert Dunning of Alabama took first in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.25 and Turner Washington of Arizona State won the discus with a throw of 63.42 meters.

North Carolina A&T closed out the men’s championships with a win in the 4x400-meter relay, outdistancing runner-up Stephen F. Austin (3:00.92 to 3:01.52).

The NCAA Championships conclude Saturday at Hayward Field.