One of the nation's top high school distance runners is moving on to the collegiate level ahead of schedule.
Ellery Lincoln, a senior at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon, will graduate early and enroll at the University of Oregon in January, forgoing her final high school track and field season to compete for the Ducks during the 2026-27 indoor campaign. The news was first reported by DyeStat, and later reported by the Eugene Register-Guard, part of the USA TODAY Network.
"I just wanna say that there's a lot of thought put into this decision and the people around me wouldn't let me make a self-destructive choice," Lincoln told DyeStat. "And I've got a lot of people in my corner helping support me through this transition and I feel very
confident about where I'm going."
The decision comes after Lincoln capped her high school cross-country career with a second consecutive OSAA Class 6A state championship last weekend. She won in a course-record 16 minutes, 57.6 seconds at Lane Community College.
Lincoln has established herself as one of the most accomplished distance runners in Oregon high school history. She owns state records in the 1,500 meters (4:07.06), mile (4:27.65) and 3,000 (9:06.61), and broke the state's all-time 5K record earlier this fall with a personal-best 16:13 at an invitational two time zones east in Arkansas.
Her accomplishments have extended well beyond the prep circuit. Following her junior season, Lincoln finished eighth in the 1,500 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, competing against a field that was much older than Lincoln, who is 17. She later placed fifth at the World Athletics U20 Championships at Hayward Field.
Lincoln announced her commitment to Oregon in October 2025 and will join a Ducks distance program coming off a Big Ten Women's Cross Country Championship. Oregon finished third at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships and fourth at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Her early arrival gives the Ducks another elite young distance runner as she begins the transition from high school standout to collegiate competitor.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @AlexMartinUSAT or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow USA TODAY High School Sports on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon lands one of nation's top high school distance runners ahead of schedule
