(Jan. 25, 1951 – May 30, 1975) Steve Prefontaine was the greatest distance runner in the history of Oregon track and field. A native of Coos Bay, “Pre” was the first collegian to capture four consecutive 3-mile/5000 meter gold medals at the NCAA championships (1970-73). He also earned three NCAA cross-country titles (1970,71,73).

Prefontaine owned every record from 2 miles to 6 miles (and metric equivalents) at the time of his death in a 1975 auto accident. He set a national high school record in the two mile (8:41.5) in 1968, and earned a spot on the UO’s exclusive sub-4 club with a 3:57.4 mile, the second fastest in high school history. He placed 4th in the 5000 meters at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Quotes: “My real goals are just to run as fast as I am physically able. I don’t really know my limits. So far, nothing has been too hard. I’m still improving and until that stops I can’t predict anything”.

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

“Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.”

Prefontaine was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 and the University of Oregon Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.