**Photo provided by UO Libraries and Special Archives.**

The first indoor track and field meet for University of Oregon women took place in May 1912. Organized as an interclass competition, the meet ended with a victory for the sophomore class, which was awarded a silver cup donated by legendary Oregon coach William Hayward. Senior Mildred Bagley was recognized as the meet’s top individual point scorer.

These early competitions grew out of broader changes on campus. In 1909, Dr. Bertha Stuart was hired as the University’s first Physical Director for Women. When she arrived, construction was underway on a new men’s gymnasium. The original gymnasium, built in 1890, was renovated as the women’s gym—reflecting both rising enrollment and expanding opportunities for women in physical education.

The events at the 1912 meet blended recognizable track and field contests with activities rooted in gymnastics and physical culture. The program included Swedish work, a “haul-me-over” game relay, a 30-yard dash, rope climbing, running high jump, folk dancing, traveling rings, vaulting box, flying rings, club swinging, horse work, springboard jump, a three-legged race, balance beam exercises, tug of war, and relay races.

In 1913, women’s athletics at Oregon took an important step forward with the formal creation of the Women’s Athletic Association (WAA). As the Morning Register reported on March 9, 1913, “The purpose of the association is to promote athletics among the University women, and to give them control of their own athletics, which is now in the hands of the physical culture department.” While competition remained largely interclass, women participated in a wide range of sports, including archery, baseball, basketball, canoeing, field hockey, golf, tennis, swimming, and walking. The WAA also sponsored an annual field day featuring events such as canoe races, tennis matches, golf and archery tournaments, baseball games, and a track meet.

The indoor meet was repeated in 1913 and 1914 under the WAA’s leadership. Nearly 125 athletes competed in an event that lasted close to four hours. In 1914, Vera Moffat emerged as the top individual point scorer. A veteran of the 1912 and 1913 meets, Moffat had already established herself with strong performances in rope climbing and the running broad jump.

By 1916, the interclass competition moved outdoors for the first time as part of a larger field day celebration. The Oregon Emerald reported on April 20, 1916: “The Women’s Athletic Association plans to make field day one of the biggest events of the year. The purpose of the meet is to get girls interested in athletics and show people that Oregon girls are as athletic as the boys.”

The shift outdoors also brought a more modern slate of track and field events, including the 440-yard dash, relay races, shot put (6 pounds), broad jump, and high jump—marking another step in the evolution of women’s track and field at the University of Oregon.

Silver Cups and Field Days: Oregon Women’s Track, 1912–1916

Profiles of the University of Oregon’s Early Track and Field Coaches