History of Oregon Ducks in Timeline
The Oregon Ducks, representing the University of Oregon in Eugene, are NCAA Division I athletes competing in the Big Ten Conference. Known for their football and track and field programs (earning Eugene the nickname "Track Town, USA"), the Ducks field eighteen varsity teams. Their primary rivals are the Oregon State Beavers and Washington Huskies.
1902: First Season of Men's Basketball
The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team played their inaugural season in 1902-1903.
1903: Bill Hayward Becomes Track & Field Coach
Bill Hayward assumed the role of head coach for the University of Oregon's Cross Country and Track & Field programs in 1903, leading the program for the next 44 years.
1903: First Season of Men's Basketball
The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team played their inaugural season in 1902-1903.
1917: First Rose Bowl Victory
The Oregon Ducks football team secured their first Rose Bowl victory in 1917, defeating the University of Pennsylvania under coach Hugo Bezdek.
1919: Hayward Field Construction
Hayward Field was originally constructed for the football team in 1919.
1919: First Pacific Coast Conference Co-Championship
The Ducks secured their first Pacific Coast Conference co-championship in football in 1919.
1919: Football Team Moves to Hayward Field
The Oregon Ducks football team moved to its new home, Hayward Field, in 1919, sharing the facility with the track and field team.
1920: Return to the Rose Bowl
The Ducks made their second appearance in the Rose Bowl in 1920.
1921: Track Installation at Hayward Field
A track was installed at Hayward Field in 1921 to accommodate the track team.
1926: Webfoots Name Officially Adopted
The name "Webfoots" was officially chosen for Oregon's teams in 1926, following a naming contest won by Oregonian sports editor L.H. Gregory.
1927: First Game at McArthur Court
The Ducks men's basketball team played their first game at McArthur Court in 1927, defeating Willamette University.
1932: Student Vote Affirms Webfoots Nickname
A student vote in 1932 reaffirmed the "Webfoots" nickname, chosen over other options such as Pioneers, Trappers, Lumberjacks, Wolves, and Yellow Jackets.
1933: Second Pacific Coast Conference Co-Championship
Oregon achieved their second Pacific Coast Conference co-championship in football in 1933.
1936: Howard Hobson Becomes Head Coach
Howard Hobson took over as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team, then known as "The Tall Firs," in 1936.
1939: First NCAA Men's Basketball Championship
The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team, led by coach Hobson, won their first NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in 1939, defeating Ohio State University in the final.
1947: Bill Hayward Retires
After 44 years at the helm of Oregon's Cross Country and Track & Field programs, Bill Hayward retired in 1947.
1948: Third Pacific Coast Conference Co-Championship
The Ducks earned their third Pacific Coast Conference co-championship in football in 1948.
1948: Beginning of the Oregon-Washington Rivalry
The rivalry between the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies intensified in 1948 when Washington's vote prevented Oregon from going to the Rose Bowl.
1949: Bill Bowerman Becomes Head Coach
Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Bill Hayward, Bill Bowerman took over as head coach of the Oregon Cross Country and Track & Field programs in 1949.
1957: Third Rose Bowl Appearance
The Oregon Ducks football team participated in their third Rose Bowl game in 1957.
1958: Pacific Coast Conference Disbands
The Pacific Coast Conference, of which the Oregon Ducks were members, disbanded in 1958.
1959: Phil Knight Graduates from University of Oregon
Phil Knight, future co-founder of Nike, graduated from the University of Oregon with an accounting degree in 1959.
1961: Rugby Football Club Founded
The University of Oregon Rugby Football Club was established in 1961.
1964: Blue Ribbon Sports Founded
Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman established Blue Ribbon Sports, the precursor to Nike, in 1964.
1967: Autzen Stadium Opens
The Oregon Ducks football team's era of sharing Hayward Field ended in 1967 with the completion of Autzen Stadium.
1970: Bowerman's Shoe Innovation
Bill Bowerman revolutionized athletic shoe design by creating a prototype rubber sole using a waffle iron in 1970.
1973: Bill Bowerman Retires, Bill Dellinger Takes Over
With the retirement of Bill Bowerman in 1973, his assistant, Bill Dellinger, became the head coach of the Oregon Cross Country and Track & Field programs.
1976: First Women's College World Series Appearance
The Oregon Ducks softball team made their first-ever appearance in the Women's College World Series (WCWS) in 1976.
1978: Blue Ribbon Sports Becomes Nike
Blue Ribbon Sports officially changed its name to Nike in 1978.
1978: Ducks Emerge as Official Mascot
While a student-designed duck mascot was rejected in 1978, the University Archivist declared "Ducks" the official mascot, replacing "Webfoots", based on the election results.
1980: Second Women's College World Series Appearance
The Ducks made their second appearance in the Women's College World Series (WCWS) in 1980.
1981: Baseball Program Discontinued
Due to financial constraints, the Oregon Ducks baseball program was discontinued in 1981.
1989: Third Women's College World Series Appearance
The Oregon Ducks softball team competed in their third Women's College World Series (WCWS) in 1989.
1994: First Pac-8/10/12 Conference Championship
The Ducks clinched their first outright conference championship in football as members of the Pac-8/10/12 in 1994.
1995: Ducks Return to the Rose Bowl
The Oregon Ducks football team made their fourth appearance in the Rose Bowl in 1995.
1998: Nike's Efforts to Improve Worker Conditions
Beginning in 1998, Nike made active efforts to enhance worker conditions abroad and supported the Fair Labor Association.
1998: Start of Greg Farrell's Coaching Tenure
In 1998, Greg Farrell began coaching the University of Oregon Women's Club Rugby Team.
October 2000: University's Stance on WRC Membership
Citing legal advice, University President Frohnmayer announced in October 2000 that the university couldn't financially support the WRC due to its lack of incorporation and tax-exempt status, which violated state law.
2000: Shared Pac-8/10/12 Conference Championship
The Oregon Ducks football team shared a Pac-8/10/12 conference championship in 2000.
2000: Protests Against Nike's Labor Practices
Student-led protests erupted in 2000 in response to concerns over Nike's labor practices, demanding the university to join the Worker Rights Consortium.
February 16, 2001: Oregon University System's Mandate
On February 16, 2001, the Oregon University System implemented a rule prohibiting universities from joining politically affiliated organizations like the WRC and FLA.
2001: Second Pac-8/10/12 Conference Championship
Oregon secured their second outright Pac-8/10/12 conference championship in football in 2001.
2001: Ernie Kent Coaches Ducks to Pac-10 Title
Under coach Ernie Kent, the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team secured the Pacific-10 Conference title in the 2001-2002 season.
2002: Fiesta Bowl Victory
The Ducks won the Fiesta Bowl in 2002.
2002: Ernie Kent Coaches Ducks to Pac-10 Title
Under coach Ernie Kent, the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team secured the Pacific-10 Conference title in the 2001-2002 season.
2006: Elite Eight Appearance
The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team reached the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament in the 2006-2007 season.
2007: Elite Eight Appearance
The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team reached the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament in the 2006-2007 season.
2007: George Horton Hired as Head Coach
George Horton, who had led Cal State Fullerton to an NCAA baseball championship, was hired in 2007 to rebuild the Oregon Ducks baseball program.
2009: Baseball Program Reinstated
After a 26-year hiatus, the Oregon Ducks baseball program was reinstated and played its first game in 2009.
2009: Third Pac-8/10/12 Conference Championship
The Ducks earned their third outright Pac-8/10/12 conference championship in football in 2009.
2009: PK Park Completion
The University of Oregon baseball stadium, PK Park, was completed in 2009, marking the return of the baseball program.
2010: Fifth Rose Bowl Appearance
The Oregon Ducks football team played in their fifth Rose Bowl game in 2010.
2010: Move to Matthew Knight Arena
The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team moved to their new home court, Matthew Knight Arena, in the 2010-2011 season.
2010: Matthew Knight Arena Opens
The Oregon Ducks opened Matthew Knight Arena, also known as "Matt Court," for basketball and other court-based sports in 2010.
2011: Dana Altman Becomes Head Coach & Move to Matthew Knight Arena
Dana Altman was appointed as the new head coach of the Oregon Ducks men's basketball team in 2011. The team also started playing in the new Matthew Knight Arena.
2011: Joining the Pac-12 Conference
The Oregon Ducks football team joined the Pac-12 Conference (formerly the Pac-10 and Pac-8) in 2011.
2012: National Championship Appearance
The Oregon Ducks volleyball team reached the NCAA National Championship game in 2012, defeating Penn State in the semi-finals before falling to Texas in the final match.
2012: Sixth Rose Bowl Appearance and Victory
The Ducks secured their second Rose Bowl victory in 2012.
2012: Fourth Women's College World Series Appearance
The Ducks participated in the Women's College World Series (WCWS) for the fourth time in 2012.
2012: Pate Tuisue Becomes Head Coach
Pate Tuisue assumed the role of head coach for the University of Oregon Rugby Football Club in 2012.
2013: Pac-12 Coach of the Year and Conference Tournament Championship
Dana Altman received the Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year award in 2013, the same year he led Oregon to win the Pac-12 Conference men's basketball tournament.
2013: Second Fiesta Bowl Victory
Oregon secured another Fiesta Bowl victory in 2013.
2014: Four Straight NCAA Tournament Appearances
Dana Altman led the Ducks to their fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, a program first, in 2014.
2014: Fifth Pac-8/10/12 Conference Championship
Oregon clinched their fifth outright Pac-8/10/12 conference championship in football in 2014.
2014: Fifth Women's College World Series Appearance and National Semi-Finals
Oregon reached the semi-finals of the Women's College World Series (WCWS) in 2014, marking their fifth appearance in the tournament.
2014: Record-Breaking Season and Heisman Trophy
The Oregon Ducks football team achieved a school record of 13 wins in 2014, and quarterback Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy.
2015: Seventh Rose Bowl Appearance
The Oregon Ducks football team made their seventh appearance in the Rose Bowl in 2015.
2015: First College Football Playoff Appearance and Rose Bowl Semi-Final Victory
The Ducks participated in the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2015, defeating the defending champions, Florida State Seminoles, in the Rose Bowl semi-final.
2015: Sixth Women's College World Series Appearance
The Ducks competed in their sixth Women's College World Series (WCWS) in 2015.
2015: Pac-12 Coach of the Year and Four Straight NCAA Tournament Appearances
Dana Altman was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year again in 2015, marking Oregon's fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, a program first.
March 2016: Jane Sanders Stadium Opening
The Oregon Ducks opened Jane Sanders Stadium for the softball team in March 2016.
2016: Pac-12 Coach of the Year, NCAA Tournament Run, and Pac-12 Conference Tournament Champions
In 2016, Dana Altman received his third Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor and guided Oregon to their fourth consecutive NCAA men's basketball tournament appearance. The Ducks also won the Pac-12 Conference Tournament, achieving their first-ever top seeding in the NCAA tournament. They reached the Elite 8 after a victory over the defending national champions, Duke Blue Devils.
2017: Seventh Women's College World Series Appearance and National Semi-Finals
The Oregon Ducks softball team reached the semi-finals of the Women's College World Series (WCWS) for the second time in 2017, marking their seventh appearance in the tournament.
2018: Team USA Wins World Cup
The Team USA women's basketball team, which the Oregon Ducks would later defeat in an exhibition game, won the World Cup in 2018.
November 2019: Ducks Women's Basketball Defeats Team USA
The No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks women's basketball team, led by Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, and Ruthy Hebard, triumphed over Team USA in November 2019, marking Team USA's first loss to a college team in two decades.
2019: Seventh Pac-8/10/12 Conference Championship
The Ducks secured their seventh outright conference championship in football as members of the Pac-8/10/12 in 2019.
2020: Team USA Qualifies for Tokyo Olympics and Sabrina Ionescu Wins National Player of the Year
Team USA qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This was also the year Sabrina Ionescu, who led Oregon to victory over Team USA, swept all major national player of the year awards in college basketball.
2020: Eighth Rose Bowl Appearance
The Ducks played in their eighth Rose Bowl game in 2020.
2022: Move to Division I
The University of Oregon Women's Rugby Team moved to Division I as an independent team in 2022.