Constructed in 1919 as a football stadium, Hayward Field was once the site of a UO cow pasture bisected by a creek. It was named in honor of Oregon's legendary track and field coach Bill Hayward during halftime of its inaugural game. By 1921, a six‑lane cinder track circled the field.

Hayward Field hosted the NCAA Championship for the first time in 1962—and saw the Men of Oregon and their coach, the legendary Bill Bowerman, take home their first title. Two years later, the team (and Bowerman) repeated the feat at Hayward Field with their second NCAA Championship.

In 1967, UO football was relocated to Autzen Stadium, and the Hayward track was widened and upgraded to an eight-lane, all-weather surface. It was exclusively devoted to track and field by 1970 and hosted its first US Olympic Trials in 1972, where Steve Prefontaine advanced to the Olympic Games in Munich.

From 1972 to 1984, Hayward Field cemented its legacy as a world-class track and field facility, hosting three more NCAA Championships, three US Olympic Trials, and both Pac-8 and Pac-10 Conference Championships. It also appeared in two Hollywood films: Animal House and Personal Best. By 1988, it was converted to a 400 meter oval, with geometry that matches the international configuration.

In 1992, the $2 million Bowerman Family Building was constructed at the northwest corner of Hayward Field, housing athletic treatment facilities, locker rooms, and meeting rooms, as well as the Bowerman Sports Science Center, a launching pad for UO’s strides in athletic performance research.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Hayward Field hosted Pac-10 Conference Championships, NCAA Championships, and its first two USA Championships, seeing athletes break championship records and set new American records across a variety of events.

The early 2000s were an era of upgrades at Hayward Field, with the addition of Powell Plaza, a newly renovated indoor practice facility,  new permanent lighting, and a new scoreboard designed by noted Nike designer and UO graduate Tinker Hatfield.

Throughout the 2010s, Hayward Field continued to serve as the premier stage for elite track and field performance. Oregon's Ashton Eaton broke the collegiate decathlon record, then set a new world record at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Raevyn Rogers clinched three back-to-back NCAA Championship titles in the 800 meters. Distance runner Edward Cheserek ran career-defining races as the winningest male athlete in the history of NCAA Division I athletics. Year after year, Oregon athletes clinched championships, swept events, and set new standards for achievement and athleticism.

From 2018 to 2020, the stadium was completely rebuilt, with philanthropic support led by Phil Knight. The new stadium features a 12,650-seat permanent bowl, underground training facilities, locker rooms, nutrition stations, and more, crowned by a soaring Hayward Field Tower honoring five Oregon track and field legends.