Hall of Fame
Mortenson, Bruce
Bruce Mortenson
- Induction:
- 2023
- Class:
- 1966
Immersed in the history and legacy of Oregon Track and Field, national champion and two-time All-American Bruce Mortenson cemented his place as an accomplished distance runner for the Men of Oregon. As a junior in 1965, Mortenson became the school’s first national champion in the steeplechase, helping the Ducks become the fourth program in NCAA history to win back-to-back team titles in 1964 and 1965. Mortenson followed up his performance the year prior with a third-place finish at the 1966 NCAA Track and Field Championships to earn his second All-America laurels. His athletic contributions began as a member of the Oregon cross country program, where he helped lead the Ducks to three appearances at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, including a pair of national runner-up finishes in 1963 and 1964. At the 1964 NCAA Track and Field Championships, Mortenson competed in the 5,000 meters and finished eighth in the steeplechase, contributing to Oregon’s run at its second team title. As a junior and senior, Mortenson was the runner-up at the 1965 and 1966 Pacific Coast Conference Championships in the steeplechase and was a two-time champion in that discipline at the PCC Northern Division meet (1965-66). His efforts in the 1965 meet helped the Men of Oregon win their first conference title since 1934. He won back-to-back two-mile races in the annual dual meet with Oregon State in 1965 and 1966. Mortenson represented the United States in 1966 as a member of the first cross country team to compete at the World Cross Country Championships in Rabat, Morocco, while enrolled at the University of Oregon. After college, Mortenson twice won the Drake Relays marathon (1970-71) and was the top American at the 1972 Boston Marathon, finishing sixth overall.
Oregon Football Coaches Show 9-3-25
Saturday, September 13
Duck Insider 9-10-25
Saturday, September 13
Duck Insider 9-12-25
Friday, September 12
Duck Insider 9-9-25
Friday, September 12
