The words "400 meters" are surely bringing smiles to anyone associated with the South Carolina women's track and field program.

The Gamecocks scored 50 points in the three events of that distance on their way to the team title in the Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 29-June 1 at LSU.

South Carolina compiled 82 points overall and a 10-point winning margin over second-place UCLA. The team title was South Carolina's first in any sport. Defending champion Southern California was third with 57 points.

The Gamecocks had the most success in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles. Leshinda Demus won the event, Tiffany Ross finished second and Shevon Stoddart placed sixth, for a total of 21 points.

In the 400-meter dash, Melisa Barber, Demus and Demetria Washington claimed second, third and fourth, respectively, for 19 more South Carolina points. Finally, the 400-meter relay team of Erica Whipple, Washington, Barber and Aleen Bailey added 10 points by winning the event.

Despite all the 400 successes, South Carolina did not clinch the title until the meet's final event. With a 72-66 lead over UCLA heading into the 1,600-meter relay, Ross, Washington, Tacita Bass and Demus finished first in a meet record of 3 minutes, 26.46 seconds. The Bruins took third.

Bailey was the runner-up in the 200-meter dash and Bass was the third-place finisher in the heptathlon for South Carolina.

UCLA tied a meet record for individual champions as five Bruins won events. Tracy O'Hara earned her second victory in the pole vault after winning in 2000 and tying for second last year. Jessica Cosby took the shot put title, extending UCLA's winning streak in that competition to four years.

Lena Nilsson in the 1,500-meter run, Darnesha Griffith in the high jump and Chaniqua Ross in the discus throw also were winners for the Bruins. UCLA has finished second as a team eight times to go along with two titles.

Southern California's Angela Williams became only the third athlete in the championships' 21-year history to win an event four times. Williams sprinted to victory in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.29 seconds, edging teammate Natasha Mayers by one-hundredth of a second.

Mayers won the 200-meter dash and Inga Stasiulionyte came in second in the javelin throw for the Trojans.

Also repeating 2001 individual victories were Rice's Allison Beckford in the 400-meter dash, Stanford's Lauren Fleshman in the 5,000-meter run and Kansas State's Austra Skujyte in the heptathlon.

Skujyte, Brigham Young's Michaela Manova (3,000-meter steeplechase) and Clemson's Jamine Moton (hammer throw) set meet records.

Team results

1. South Carolina, 82; 2. UCLA, 72; 3. Southern California, 57; 4. LSU, 43; 5. Kansas St., 30; 6. Florida, 29; 7. Stanford, 25; 8. North Carolina, 22; 9. Nebraska, 21; 10. (tie) Brigham Young, Illinois and Texas, 19; 13. North Carolina St., 18; 14. Auburn, 17; 15. (tie) Liberty and Washington St., 16; 17. (tie) Arizona and Colorado, 15; 19. Iowa St., 12 1/2; 20. (tie) Clemson and Miami (Fla.), 12; 22. (tie) Arizona St. and Florida St., 11; 24. (tie) Purdue, Rice and Yale, 10; 27. (tie) Notre Dame and Oregon, 9; 29. (tie) California, Northern Ariz., Oklahoma St., Princeton, South Fla. and Wichita St., 8; 35. (tie) Houston and Indiana, 7; 37. (tie) Kentucky and Ohio St., 6 1/2; 39. (tie) Idaho St. and Tennessee, 6; 41. (tie) Baylor, Cal Poly, James Madison and Texas-Arlington, 5; 45. (tie) Arkansas, Boston College, Central Mich., Georgia, Georgetown, Kent St., Minnesota, UNLV, Penn St., Seton Hall and Toledo, 4; 56. (tie) Harvard, Missouri and Oklahoma, 3; 59. (tie) Michigan, Michigan St., Nevada, Texas-San Antonio and Wisconsin, 2; 64. (tie) Dartmouth, Georgia Tech, Hampton, Illinois St., Montana St., Providence and TCU, 1; 71. Western Caro., 1/2.

Individual results

100-meter dash: 1. Angela Williams, Southern California, 11.29; 2. Natasha Mayers, Southern California, 11.30; 3. Muna Lee, LSU, 11.44; 4. Brianna Glenn, Arizona, 11.50; 5. Elva Goulbourne, Auburn, 11.60; 6. Lauryn Williams, Miami (Fla.), 11.63; 7. Stephanie Durst, LSU, 11.67; 8. Wyllesheia Myrick, Miami (Fla.), 11.72.

200-meter dash: 1. Natasha Mayers, Southern California, 22.93; 2. Aleen Bailey, South Carolina, 22.99; 3. Stephanie Durst, LSU, 23.12; 4. Muna Lee, LSU, 23.19; 5. Melisa Barber, South Carolina, 23.29; 6. Brianna Glenn, Arizona, 23.31; 7. Amber Robinson, Florida, 23.34; 8. Kinshasa Davis, Southern California, 23.60.

400-meter dash: 1. Allison Beckford, Rice, 50.83; 2. Melisa Barber, South Carolina, 50.87; 3. Leshinda Demus, South Carolina, 51.30; 4. Demetria Washington, South Carolina, 51.38; 5. Ronette Smith, LSU, 51.62; 6. Michele Davis, UNLV, 52.16; 7. Monique Henderson, UCLA, 52.31; 8. Nickeisha Charles, UNLV, 52.81.

800-meter run: 1. Alice Schmidt, North Carolina, 2:04.73; 2. Lauren Simmons, Princeton, 2:05.08; 3. Erin Belger, California, 2:05.09; 4. Melissa DeLeon, Florida, 2:05.69; 5. Tyrona Heath, Georgetown, 2:05.94; 6. Kristina Bratton, Florida, 2:06.15; 7. Aleksandra Deren, Southern California, 2:06.35; 8. Nicole Cook, Tennessee, 2:06.51.

1,500-meter run: 1. Lena Nilsson, UCLA, 4:12.60; 2. Heather Sagan, Liberty, 4:14.71; 3. Shalane Flanagan, North Carolina, 4:15.52; 4. Amy Mortimer, Kansas St., 4:16.48; 5. Maurica Carlucci, Stanford, 4:16.51; 6. Lauren King, Notre Dame, 4:16.85; 7. Bethany Brewster, Wisconsin, 4:18.06; 8. Natalie Hughes, Florida St., 4:18.23.

3,000-meter steeplechase: 1. Michaela Manova, Brigham Young, 9:45.94 (meet record: old record 9:49.73, Elizabeth Jackson, Brigham Young, 2001); 2. Ida Nilsson, Northern Ariz., 9:49.94; 3. Carol Henry, North Carolina, 9:51.16; 4. Mollie Defrancesco, James Madison, 9:56.07; 5. Briana Shook, Toledo, 10:03.93; 6. Lisa Aguilera, Arizona St., 10:07.61; 7. Katie Sabino, North Carolina St., 10:07.63; 8. Roisin McGettigan, Providence, 10:08.24.

5,000-meter run: 1. Lauren Fleshman, Stanford, 15:53.91; 2. Siri Alfheim, Oklahoma St., 16:00.47; 3. Kristin Price, North Carolina St., 16:01.25; 4. Sara Gorton, Colorado, 16:02.08; 5. Kate O'Neill, Yale, 16:13.60; 6. Ann Marie Brooks, Missouri, 16:19.85; 7. Katie Jazwinski, Michigan, 16:23.44; 8. Renee Metivier, Georgia Tech, 16:31.75.

10,000-meter run: 1. Kristin Price, North Carolina St., 34:26.63; 2. Tara Quinn, South Fla., 34:33.85; 3. Laura O'Neill, Yale, 34:39.67; 4. Jodie Hughes, Colorado, 34:47.48; 5. Maria Cicero, Boston College, 34:52.76; 6. Molly Austin, Colorado, 34:54.39; 7. Jamie Krzyminski, Michigan St., 34:55.66; 8. Stacia Beste, Illinois St., 34:59.84.

100-meter high hurdles: 1. Perdita Felicien, Illinois, 12.91; 2. Lolo Jones, LSU, 13.02; 3. Susanna Kallur, Illinois, 13.10; 4. Nichole Denby, Texas, 13.20; 5. Shelley-Ann Brown, Nebraska, 13.38; 6. Natasha Neal, Southern California, 13.43; 7. Hannah Cooper, Colorado, 13.47; 8. Tiffany Ross, South Carolina, 13.57.

400-meter intermediate hurdles: 1. Leshinda Demus, South Carolina, 54.85; 2. Tiffany Ross, South Carolina, 55.22; 3. Raasin McIntosh, Texas, 55.70; 4. Sheena Johnson, UCLA, 55.71; 5. Aja Farris, Kent St., 57.79; 6. Shevon Stoddart, South Carolina, 57.86; 7. Chava Demart, Baylor, 58.02; 8. Chloe Davis, Hampton, 58.04.

400-meter relay: 1. South Carolina (Erica Whipple, Demetria Washington, Melisa Barber, Aleen Bailey), 43.12; 2. LSU, 43.28; 3. Southern California, 43.80; 4. Florida, 44.07; 5. Georgia, 44.12; 6. Illinois, 44.25; 7. Indiana, 44.45; 8. TCU, 44.77.

1,600-meter relay: 1. South Carolina (Tiffany Ross, Demetria Washington, Tacita Bass, Leshinda Demus), 3:26.46 [meet record: old record 3:27.08, Texas (Angel Patterson, Aminah Haddad, Tanya Jarrett, Suziann Reid), 1999]; 2. Texas, 3:27.05; 3. UCLA, 3:28.79; 4. Tennessee, 3:31.49; 5. Notre Dame, 3:32.12; 6. Baylor, 3:32.27; 7. Miami (Fla.), 3:32.74; 8. Southern California, 3:32.82.

High jump: 1. Darnesha Griffith, UCLA, 1.83 (6-0); 2. Whitney Evans, Washington St., 1.79 (5-10 1/2); 3. (tie) Gina Curtis, Iowa St., and Janet Crawford, Kentucky, 1.79 (5-10 1/2); 5. Suzy Bozin, Central Mich., 1.79 (5-10 1/2); 6. Kart Siilats, Harvard, 1.79 (5-10 1/2); 7. Lindsey Steele, Brigham Young, 1.79 (5-10 1/2); 8. (tie) Tami Smith, Ohio St., and Virginia LaCombe, Western Caro., 1.75 (5-8 3/4).

Pole vault: 1. Tracy O'Hara, UCLA, 4.20 (13-9 1/4); 2. Andrea Wildrick, Liberty, 4.10 (13-5 1/4); 3. Becky Holliday, Oregon, 4.10 (13-5 1/4); 4. Kathleen Donoghue, Stanford, 4.00 (13-1 1/2); 5. Rhian Clarke, Houston, 4.00 (13-1 1/2); 6. Leslie Dunlap, Oklahoma, 4.00 (13-1 1/2); 7. Jennifer Ashcroft, Nevada, 4.00 (13-1 1/2); 8. Shannon Agee-Jones, Montana St., 4.00 (13-1 1/2).

Long jump: 1. Elva Goulbourne, Auburn, 6.82 (22-4 1/2); 2. Tiffany Greer, Arizona St., 6.48 (21-3 1/4); 3. Brianna Glenn, Arizona, 6.41 (21-0 1/2); 4. Keyon Soley, Florida, 6.39 (20-11 3/4); 5. Nolle Graham, Seton Hall, 6.36 (20-10 1/2); 6. Antoinette Wilks, South Carolina, 6.34 (20-9 3/4); 7. Tameisha King, Notre Dame, 6.31 (20-8 1/2); 8. Nikki Hughes, Brigham Young, 6.31 (20-8 1/2).

Triple jump: 1. Teresa Bundy, Florida St., 13.41 (44-0); 2. Ineta Radevica, Wichita St., 13.36 (43-10); 3. Kareen Clarke, Miami (Fla.), 13.32 (43-8 1/2); 4. Tatyana Obukhova, Southern California, 13.24 (43-5 1/4); 5. Nicole Toney, LSU, 13.19 (43-3 1/4); 6. Shelly-Ann Gallimore, Auburn, 13.14 (43-1 1/2); 7. Gisele Oliveira, Clemson, 13.12 (43-0 1/2); 8. Simidele Adeagbo, Kentucky, 13.08 (42-11).

Shot put: 1. Jessica Cosby, UCLA, 17.38 (57-0 1/4); 2. Austra Skujyte, Kansas St., 16.79 (55-1); 3. Jillian Camarena, Stanford, 16.79 (55-1); 4. Ashely Dorsey, Texas-Arlington, 16.74 (54-11 1/4); 5. Rebekah Green, Kansas St., 16.73 (54-10 3/4); 6. Candice Scott, Florida, 16.47 (54-0 1/2); 7. Lisa Griebel, Iowa St., 16.45 (53-11 3/4); 8. Becky Breisch, Nebraska, 16.43 (53-11).

Discus throw: 1. Chaniqua Ross, UCLA, 55.48 (182-0); 2. Becky Breisch, Nebraska, 55.45 (181-11); 3. Krista Keir, Ohio St., 54.62 (179-2); 4. Stephanie Brown, Cal Poly, 54.11 (177-6); 5. Lara Saye, UCLA, 53.39 (175-2); 6. Deshaya Williams, Penn St., 53.16 (174-5); 7. Rachel Longfors, Florida, 53.15 (174-4); 8. Mary Etter, Oregon, 52.79 (173-2).

Hammer throw: 1. Jamine Moton, Clemson, 67.21 (220-6) [meet record: old record 66.85 (219-4), Florence Ezeh, Southern Methodist, 2001]; 2. Melissa Price, Nebraska, 64.84 (212-9); 3. Maureen Griffin, Idaho St., 63.89 (209-7); 4. Cari Soong, UCLA, 63.88 (209-7); 5. Candice Scott, Florida, 63.09 (207-0); 6. L'Orangerie Crawford, Southern California, 62.28 (204-4); 7. Jennifer Joyce, California, 61.53 (201-10); 8. Angela Foster, Arizona, 61.03 (200-3).

Javelin throw: 1. Serene Ross, Purdue, 59.64 (195-8); 2. Inga Stasiulionyte, Southern California, 53.96 (177-0); 3. Lindsey Johnson, Brigham Young, 53.16 (174-5); 4. Irina Kharun, Indiana, 52.47 (172-2); 5. Barbora Spotakova, Minnesota, 52.26 (171-5); 6. Kendra Wecker, Kansas St., 51.32 (168-4); 7. Roslyn Lundeen, Oregon, 50.40 (165-4); 8. Brianne Johnson, Penn St., 50.05 (164-2).

Heptathlon: 1. Austra Skujyte, Kansas St., 6,061 (meet record: old record 5,857, Skujyte, 2001); 2. Ellannee Richardson, Washington St., 5,709; 3. Tacita Bass, South Carolina, 5,622; 4. Barbara Szlendakova, Iowa St., 5,616; 5. DeeDee Brown, Arkansas, 5,450; 6. Krystal Ward, Houston, 5,337; 7. Rhonda Ray, Texas-San Antonio, 5,323; 8. Shaina Damm, Dartmouth, 5,321.