When it comes to athletes at the University of Oregon these days, the talent is abundant. Whether it’s on a field, a court, or track, there is no shortage of impressive competitors. And as painfully tough as it is to narrow down, there are three athletes who should be on the radar of every Duck fan right now.
Before those three are revealed, however, let me tell you the criteria I used to select the candidates. First, none of the three could currently be juniors or seniors in their college athletic tenure. No offense to the upper classes, but many of those athletes are already well-known to Oregon aficionados.
My second and only other criteria for selection? They’ve displayed an ability to step up and be a playmaker. So, without further delay, here are the three Ducks to watch in 2025 and beyond.
Dante Moore
We’ll start on the football gridiron with this 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback. Moore originally committed to Oregon in 2022, before switching to UCLA. When that didn’t quite work out, the 19-year-old from Detroit, Michigan, decided to give the Ducks another try via the transfer portal. Because Dillon Gabriel was the clear starter for 2024, Moore had limited playing time to comply with redshirt rules. That said, in the few minutes he did play this season, Moore showed flashes of brilliance, with a fairly accurate arm and very agile legs. So, while Austin Novosad and Akili Smith Jr. might try to change the conversation during spring practices and fall camp, Moore is the odds-on favorite to become the starting signal-caller to chase that ever-elusive national championship trophy for the Ducks in 2025.
Sofia Bell
Heading to the hardwood, let’s focus on this women’s basketball guard from Portland. The 6-foot-1 Jesuit High School alum was having a decent freshman campaign early last season before a lower leg injury sidelined her for the remainder of the year. So far this season, Bell has picked up where she left off. Her versatility allows her to play either point guard or shooting guard. That combination gives her the ability to accurately hit long perimeter shots and also provide multiple scoring opportunities for her teammates with solid passing skills. Bell is unquestionably one to watch as the UO women’s program strives for greater heights going forward.
Jackson Shelstad
Switching to men’s basketball, this 6-foot-1, 170-pound point guard from West Linn has created quite the impression over the past year and a half. During his freshman season, Shelstad averaged 12.8 points and 2.8 assists per contest. That was good enough to put him on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. Since Oregon switched over to the Big Ten this year, he hasn’t missed a beat. As of this writing, he’s averaging 12.3 points and 2.7 assists per game. Shelstad is effective in getting his teammates open with assists and is very dangerous at the three-point line in clutch situations. Moreover, despite being on the shorter side for basketball standouts, he’s a very physical defensive player. It is tempting to say more about this young man’s potential, but we’re going to table that for a very good reason: I’ll talk more about Shelstad in Eugene Magazine’s summer issue.
In the eyes of the Eugene Magazine sports desk, these are three Ducks to watch for 2025. Undoubtedly, some readers will look at this list and agree with one or more but not others. But that’s what happens when there are so many to choose from and you can only pick three. And next year, this list will likely be very different. So keep your eyes on the action and let’s see where things are for the Ducks in 2026.
