Which college has a combined Men’s and Women’s 20 NCAA Championships in track and field?  

University of Oregon does.  I remember being on campus in the summer of 2016 – U of Oregon was hosting the Track and Field Olympic Trials. With eighteen varsity teams, the Oregon Ducks are best known for their football team and track and field program. This fact becomes both more interesting and  more logical when you learn that UO has a very special relationship with a little company known as NIKE.  It was a UO that little idea for a company was born at U of Oregon.

In February 1938,  Philip Hampson Knight was born to William and Lota in Portland, OR. As a teenager, Philip worked for The Oregonian newspaper where he worked the night shift tabulating sports scores every morning and would run home – all 7 miles. He later graduated from the University of Oregon with a Business degree in 1959.

At Oregon, Phil ran track under coach Bill Bowerman, with whom he would co-found Nike. The first sales were made by traveling across the Pacific Northwest to track meets – then the company was known as Blue Ribbon Sports. Today – the Nike swoosh is one of the most recognizable brands around the world. 

Phil has donated hundreds of millions to his alma mater – and I was impressed to discover that the majority of his funding has gone towards the academic areas. For example 

Major gifts include funds supporting the renovation of the Knight Library and construction of the Knight Law Center. Knight also established endowed chairs across the campus. In the fall of 2016, it was announced that Knight will donate $500 million to UO for a new three-building laboratory and research science complex.

In August 2007, Knight and his wife donated $100 million to found the UO Athletics Legacy Fund to help support all athletic programs at the university. Suffice to say – many athletes – if not all of them refer to him as “Uncle Phil.” A proud alum indeed!! 

• Located in: Eugene OR
• Total Student Body of: 20,067
• Applicants:  21,359 and admit 74.9%
• The university of Oregon is The University of Oregon is organized into nine colleges and schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, Charles H. Lundquist College of Business, College of Design, College of Education, Robert D. Clark Honors College, School of Journalism and Communication; School of Law; School of Music and Dance; and the Division of Graduate Studies. 
• Oregon  offers a whopping 316 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
• Most academic programs follow the 10 week Quarter System.
• Trivia fact: The film National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) was filmed on the university campus and the surrounding area. 

National Championships 

U Oregon has won 32 national championships in 6 sports

Most notable are the combined indoor and outdoor track and field championships – with 11 NCAA titles for men and 9 for Women! WOWZA!

It is no wonder Nike was born from a fellow track and field Duck! 

Football

The Ducks are easily spotted on the football fields in the fall as they wear a different football uniform nearly every week. I must admit – I don’t know whether to love this or just be annoyed – but either way – I am always interested in what they will wear next. I love the green jerseys.

And that, my friends, is the story of University of Oregon.

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