Nyssa’s Ackley earns All-America honors
By Ray Rodriguez
Argus Observer
Sunday, June 14, 2009 1:24 AM PDT
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University of Oregon decathlon athlete and former Nyssa High School graduate, Marshall Ackley (right) recently finished 12th at the NCAA Division I track and field outdoor championships in Fayetteville, Ark., where he earned All-American status. |
Nyssa-In his freshman year at the University of Oregon, Marshall Ackley’s first test was a long distance practice run perfected by the late great Steve Prefontaine.
The run ended rather unceremoniously for the Nyssa High School graduate.
He vomited.
Just three years later, Ackley, a junior, scored 7,470 points in the decathlon for 12th place overall and chalked up All-America status in leading the University of Oregon men’s track and field team to a second-place finish in the NCAA Division I track and field outdoor championships Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.
“When I first started out, I had a shaky freshman year. It was a definite struggle to get through it,” Ackley said. “I struggled academically and with a brand new event (decathlon). It was definitely a shaky start. I could not have fought through it if it were not for my teammates and coaches rallying behind me.”
After a second-place finish at the Pacific-10 Conference championships, Ackley qualified for the national tournament and set eight personal records in Arkansas competing against other top flight decathletes from across the country.
University of Oregon teammate Ashton Eaton finished first overall with 8,241 points and North Carolina’s Mateo Sossah chalked up second-place honors with 8,044 points.
Kansas State’s Moritz Clevewas was third with 7,937 points, and Tennessee’s Michael Ayers finished fourth with 7,794 points.
Ackley set personal records in the 100-meters, 400-meters, long jump, high jump, 110-meter hurdles, pole vault and javelin. Another personal record Ackley set was a high in points after the first day of competition.
In the 100, Ackley stopped the clock in 11.01 seconds and in the 400, he finished second behind teammate Ashton Eaton with a 48.33.
In the 110-meter hurdles, Ackley stopped the watch with a time of 14.93, and had a height of 6-feet, .5 inches in the high jump.
In the pole vault, Ackley posted a height of 15-9, in the long jump he leaped 22-3.75, and in the shot put, had a toss of 40-03.
“Overall, being able to compete nationally, finish 12th and gain All-American status is the record I am most satisfied with,” he said. “To be called an All-American. I am on cloud nine for that feat.”
So from a shaky first year to Saturday, Ackley credits the many long hours of hard work on and off the track as the blueprint for his success.
He is currently on track in the classroom with a major in history and psychology and doing well with a high grade point average.
“It is tons of hard work. It’s not just going to practice and doing that for three hours a day. You go to school for as many hours as you signed up, practice and do weight training. It is 10-11 hours a day,” Ackley said. “You have to give 110 percent in all aspects. It’s been awesome to grow as I have in both school and in track and I am loving it.”
The U of O women’s team chalked up second-place with 43 points behind Texas A&M which tallied 50 team points. The U of O men (46) finished in a three-way tie for second behind first-place Texas A&M which scored 48 points.
Ackley said the two second-place finishes by Oregon set a standard for the Ducks and has them geared up for next year.
Especially Ackley, who has one more year left to accomplish more.
“Second place means the world. It is a huge statement for this school,” Ackley said. “We are absolutely motivated now. It will be my last year competing in the NCAA nationals and we are all hungry to complete the deal. We want to represent Oregon well and end our college careers on a high note.”
