The University of Oregon evacuated Hayward Field on Tuesday afternoon after someone called in a bomb threat, clearing athletes off the track one day before the venue is set to host the NCAA outdoor track and field championships.
The threat came in by phone shortly after 1 p.m. local time, according to the Associated Press. Athletes who were practicing at the stadium were moved out of the area, and an afternoon news conference tied to the championships was canceled.
The University of Oregon Police Department issued a public evacuation alert at 1:39 p.m. and urged people to stay away from the stadium, KOIN 6 News reported. Local agencies joined campus police at the scene.
By 4 p.m., Eugene officials said the investigation was over.
“The search found nothing of concern and normal activities can resume,” officials said in a statement.
The NCAA Track and Field Championships are scheduled to begin Wednesday at Hayward Field and run through Saturday. It is not yet clear whether Tuesday’s threat had any connection to the meet, according to reporting from KLCC, the public-radio newsroom whose original story was carried by OPB.
A Stadium With a Long Track Record
Hayward Field is one of the most recognized track venues in the United States. Many in the running world consider it the spiritual home of American distance running, in no small part because of Steve Prefontaine, the University of Oregon legend who trained and raced there.
The rebuilt stadium hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2022 and the U.S. Olympic Trials ahead of the 2024 Paris Games, where Sha’Carri Richardson, Cole Hocker and dozens of other future Olympians punched their tickets. It is also the annual home of the Prefontaine Classic, one of the most prestigious meets on the Diamond League calendar.
What Happens Next
The university said its police and “partner agencies” responded “out of an abundance of caution.” Officials did not release information about the caller, the wording of the threat, or whether a specific area of the stadium was named.
No arrests have been announced. Hayward Field is back open and the championship schedule has not been changed.
This is a developing story. Reporting from the Associated Press, KOIN 6 News and OPB/KLCC contributed.
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