It’s a "sweet, sweet feeling," says Auburn coach Ralph Spry.

His Tiger women exceeded just about everyone’s pre-meet expectations — possibly even Spry’s — and posted a decisive team victory at the Division I Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 7-10 in Sacramento, California.

"It’s a hard meet to win," he said after Auburn grabbed its first victory ever at the championships. "A lot of things have to happen for you to win it. But our girls have been consistent all year long. I knew if we came in and did what we’ve done all year, we could put up the numbers to give us a shot at being a factor here."

As things turned out, the Tigers were much more than a factor, building a final 18 ½-point margin of victory over runner-up Southern California with individual performances that met — and in fact, topped — expectations.

Ranked ninth nationally in a pre-meet poll, Auburn claimed individual trophies from Jovanee Jarrett in the long jump and Markita James in the 400-meter hurdles and also benefited from runner-up finishes by Kerron Stewart in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

It didn’t take long for the Tigers to make a believer of their coach during early competition.

"We thought it was going to take 45 to 50 points to win it and we knew we could score that if we had a good meet," Spry said. "Jovanee Jarrett in the long jump and Angela Homan (who finished fifth in the 10,000-meter run) got us off to a great start Thursday and things just kind of snowballed from there. We kept building momentum, and it was just one of those weekends where you just felt it was going to happen. I just felt confident with this group that we were not going to be denied."

If there ever was a doubt on the final day of competition whether Auburn could be stopped, it was stamped out in the 400-meter hurdles, where the Tigers swept the top two places in the event after an apparent meet-record time by Melaine Walker of Texas was wiped out by a disqualification. An official ruled that Walker swung her advance leg around, instead of over, a hurdle during the race.

"It’s an unfortunate thing but I’ll take it anyway," James said about the ruling. "I went out and gave it my best and didn’t hold anything back." Teammate Josanne Lucas took second in the event.

The disqualification dropped defending champion Texas — the pre-meet favorite — to sixth place in the final standings. Still, the Longhorns put up a spirited fight for the title despite losing team leader Marshevet Hooker to an injury. After a surprise victory anchored by Walker in the 400-meter relay and a high jump win by Destinee Hooker — Marshevet’s younger sister — Texas remained very much in contention as the 400-meter hurdles began.

But not even a Walker victory in that event would have stopped Auburn from claiming the crown.

Southern California’s runner-up finish was sparked by a record-setting performance by Virginia Powell, who twice topped a two-year-old championships mark by Nichole Denby of Texas in the 100-meter hurdles — beating it with a collegiate best of 12.55 in the preliminaries then trimming a bit more in the final with a time of 12.48. Powell’s winning time is the best in the world this year.

"I’m very happy, but it just makes me hungrier for American and world records," she said.

Powell was one of two repeat individual champions at the meet, joining Air Force javelin champion Dana Pounds in successful defenses of titles. Also, a 2004 champion — Laura Gerraughty of North Carolina — capped her return from an injury that kept her out of last year’s competition to win her second outdoor title in the shot put.

Southern California took second by just a half point ahead of South Carolina — whose Amberly Nesbitt and Shalonda Solomon won the 100- and 200-meter dashes, respectively — and 1½ points ahead of Arizona State and Nebraska.

100-meter dash: 1. Amberly Nesbitt, South Carolina, 11.34.

200-meter dash: 1. Shalonda Solomon, South Carolina, 22.62.

400-meter dash: 1. Clora Williams, Texas A&M, 51.11.

800-meter run: 1. Rebekah Noble, Oregon, 2:02.07.

1,500-meter run: 1. Amy Lia, Washington, 4:14.63.

3,000-meter steeplechase: 1. Jennifer Barringer, Colorado, 9:53.04.

5,000-meter run: 1. Mary Cullen, Providence, 16:01.39.

10,000-meter run: 1. Victoria Jackson, Arizona St., 32:54.72.

100-meter high hurdles: 1. Virginia Powell, Southern California, 12.48 (meet record; old record 12.62, Nichole Denby, Texas, 2004).

400-meter intermediate hurdles: 1. Markita James, Auburn, 54.47.

400-meter relay: 1. Texas (Jasmine Lee, Alexandria Anderson, LaTasha Kerr, Melaine Walker), 42.84.

1,600-meter relay: 1. LSU (Brooklynn Morris, Meisue Francis, Cynetheia Rooks, Deonna Lawrence), 3:25.78.

High jump: 1. Destinee Hooker, Texas, 1.89 (6-2¼).

Pole vault: 1. Lacy Janson, Florida St., 4.25 (13-11¼).

Long jump: 1. Jovanee Jarrett, Auburn, 6.46 (21-2½).

Triple jump: 1. Tabia Charles, Miami (Fla.), 13.70 (44-11½).

Shot put: 1. Laura Gerraughty, North Carolina, 18.32 (60-1¼).

Discus throw: 1. Dace Ruskule, Nebraska, 55.13 (180-10).

Hammer throw: 1. Jenny Dahlgren, Georgia, 69.00 (226-4).

Javelin throw: 1. Dana Pounds, Air Force, 58.00 (190-3).

Heptathlon: 1. Jacquelyn Johnson, Arizona St., 5,939 points.

 Team results

1. Auburn, 57; 2. Southern California, 381/2; 3. South Carolina, 38; 4. (tie) Arizona St. and Nebraska, 37; 6. Texas, 36; 7. (tie) LSU and Miami (Fla.), 30; 9. Georgia, 253/4; 10. Texas A&M, 24; 11. Oregon, 23; 12. Stanford, 20; 13. Michigan, 19; 14. (tie) Florida St., UCLA and North Carolina, 18; 17. Alabama, 16; 18. Tennessee, 15; 19. Minnesota, 14; 20. Iowa, 13; 21. (tie) Washington and Air Force, 12; 23. (tie) Illinois and Wichita St., 11; 25. (tie) Arkansas, Providence, Colorado, Penn St., Duke and Washington St., 10; 31. Villanova, 9; 32. Notre Dame, 81/4; 33. Missouri St., 8; 34. (tie) Virginia, Virginia Tech and UTEP, 7; 37. (tie) Florida, Rice, Chattanooga, Oklahoma St., California and Louisville, 6; 43. (tie) Hampton, UNC Wilmington, Southern Ill. and Kansas St., 5; 47. (tie) Cornell, Baylor, Maryland, Sam Houston St., Houston, TCU, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Western Ill., Marquette and Michigan St., 4; 58. (tie) Charlotte, Missouri, Idaho, North Carolina St., Texas Tech and Brown, 3; 64. (tie) Pittsburgh, Brigham Young, Georgetown and Kansas, 2; 68. (tie) Montana St. and McNeese St., 11/2; 70. (tie) Nevada, UC Santa Barb., Akron, Toledo, Oral Roberts, Arizona and UNI, 1; 77. (tie) Southern Methodist and Northern Ariz., 1/4.

Individual results

100-meter dash: 1. Amberly Nesbitt, South Carolina, 11.34; 2. Kerron Stewart, Auburn, 11.36; 3. Carol Rodriguez, Southern California, 11.38; 4. Tahesia Harrigan, Alabama, 11.41; 5. Shalonda Solomon, South Carolina, 11.43; 6. Janice Davis, Stanford, 11.53; 7. Alexandria Anderson, Texas, 11.59; 8. Cleo Tyson, Tennessee, 11.62.

200-meter dash: 1. Shalonda Solomon, South Carolina, 22.62; 2. Kerron Stewart, Auburn, 22.65; 3. Kelly Ann Baptiste, LSU, 22.78; 4. Carol Rodriguez, Southern California, 22.96; 5. Ebonie Floyd, Houston, 23.04; 6. Shareese Woods, Charlotte, 23.26; 7. Virgil Hodge, TCU, 23.30; 8. Brooklynn Morris, LSU, 23.35.

400-meter dash: 1. Clora Williams, Texas A&M, 51.11; 2. Kineke Alexander, Iowa, 51.35; 3. Shana Cox, Penn St., 51.39; 4. Patricia Hall, Tennessee, 51.45; 5. Ashlee Kidd, Georgia Tech, 51.57; 6. Natasha Hastings, South Carolina, 51.60; 7. LaTasha Kerr, Texas, 52.19; 8. Deonna Lawrence, LSU, 52.38.

800-meter run: 1. Rebekah Noble, Oregon, 2:02.07; 2. Heather Dorniden, Minnesota, 2:03.02; 3. Alysia Johnson, California, 2:03.04; 4. Geena Gall, Michigan, 2:04.35; 5. Fatimoh Muhammed, UTEP, 2:05.49; 6. Althea Chambers, Texas Tech, 2:05.64; 7. Ashley Freeman, Stanford, 2:05.89; 8. Leslie Treherne, Tennessee, 2:06.07.

1,500-meter run: 1. Amy Lia, Washington, 4:14.63; 2. Marina Muncan, Villanova, 4:15.27; 3. Natalie Hughes, Florida St., 4:15.72; 4. Nicole Edwards, Michigan, 4:16.06; 5. Michaela Courtney, Marquette, 4:17.60; 6. Dee Olson, Idaho, 4:18.84; 7. Elizabeth Maloy, Georgetown, 4:18.93; 8. Diana Chelimo, Oral Roberts, 4:19.45.

3,000-meter steeplechase: 1. Jennifer Barringer, Colorado, 9:53.04; 2. Cassie Hunt, Illinois, 9:55.75; 3. Shannon Wommack, Chattanooga, 9:56.50; 4. Emily Brown, Minnesota, 9:56.62; 5. Nicole Bush, Michigan St., 10:01.04; 6. Anna Willard, Brown, 10:06.83; 7. Amy Fowler, Brigham Young, 10:08.12; 8. Ebba Stenback, Toledo, 10:08.68.

5,000-meter run: 1. Mary Cullen, Providence, 16:01.39; 2. Molly Huddle, Notre Dame, 16:05.93; 3. Erin Webster, Michigan, 16:06.38; 4. Desiraye Osburn, Wichita St., 16:10.76; 5. Michelle Sikes, Wake Forest, 16:12.14; 6. Alyson Kohlmeier, Michigan, 16:13.09; 7. Maureen McCandless, Pittsburgh, 16:14.10; 8. Katy Trotter, Stanford, 16:15.51.

10,000-meter run: 1. Victoria Jackson, Arizona St., 32:54.72; 2. Clara Horowitz, Duke, 33:00.85; 3. Mary Davies, Oklahoma St., 33:08.00; 4. Amy Hastings, Arizona St., 33:41.18; 5. Angela Homan, Auburn, 33:47.14; 6. Serena Ramsey, Missouri, 33:52.59; 7. Sally Meyerhoff, Duke, 34:03.66; 8. Stephanie Rothstein, UC Santa Barb., 34:07.26.

100-meter high hurdles: 1. Virginia Powell, Southern California, 12.48 (meet record; old record 12.62, Nichole Denby, Texas, 2004); 2. Priscilla Lopes, Nebraska, 12.60; 3. Melaine Walker, Texas, 12.75; 4. Dawn Harper, UCLA, 12.92; 5. Josanne Lucas, Auburn, 13.02; 6. Ebony Foster, North Carolina St., 13.05; 7. Ashley Lodree, Washington, 13.13; 8. Monique Morgan, Villanova, 13.18.

400-meter intermediate hurdles: 1. Markita James, Auburn, 54.47; 2. Josanne Lucas, Auburn, 55.29; 3. Dominique Darden, Miami (Fla.), 55.58; 4. Nicole Leach, UCLA, 55.93; 5. Erin Crawford, Virginia, 56.87; 6. Camile Robinson, Illinois, 57.82; Melaine Walker, Texas (disqualified); Ajoke Odumosu, South Ala. (disqualified).

400-meter relay: 1. Texas (Jasmine Lee, Alexandria Anderson, LaTasha Kerr, Melaine Walker), 42.84; 2. LSU, 42.94; 3. Southern California, 42.96; 4. South Carolina, 43.09; 5. Auburn, 43.46; 6. Tennessee, 43.68; 7. Miami (Fla.), 44.31; 8. Florida, 44.37.

1,600-meter relay: 1. LSU (Brooklynn Morris, Meisue Francis, Cynetheia Rooks, Deonna Lawrence), 3:25.78; 2. Miami (Fla.), 3:28.43; 3. Arkansas, 3:28.78; 4. Tennessee, 3:29.00; 5. Baylor, 3:29.30; 6. Texas A&M, 3:29.44; 7. TCU, 3:30.00; 8. South Carolina, 3:31.11.

High jump: 1. Destinee Hooker, Texas, 1.89 (6-2 1/4); 2. Sheena Gordon, North Carolina, 1.86 (6-1 1/4); 3. Kelley Bowman, Louisville, 1.86 (6-1 1/4); 4. Peaches Roach, Iowa, 1.86 (6-1 1/4); 5. Sarah Wilfred, Cornell, 1.83 (6-0); 6. Miruna Mataoanu, Alabama, 1.83 (6-0); 7. Caroline Wolf, Texas A&M, 1.83 (6-0); 8. (tie) Emily Loomis, Notre Dame, Levern Spencer, Georgia, Gaelle Niare, Southern Methodist, and Britney Rogers, Northern Ariz., 1.80 (5-10 3/4).

Pole vault: 1. Lacy Janson, Florida St., 4.25 (13-11 1/4); 2. Chelsea Johnson, UCLA, 4.25 (13-11 1/4); 3. Jackie Brown, Wichita St., 4.15 (13-7 1/4); 4. Dara Altman, Florida, 4.15 (13-7 1/4); 5. Jodi Unger, Arkansas, 4.15 (13-7 1/4); 6. (tie) Brysun Stately, Southern California, Kierney Jackson, Georgia, Elouise Rudy, Montana St., and Michelle Rzepka, McNeese St., 4.05 (13-3 1/2).

Long jump: 1. Jovanee Jarrett, Auburn, 6.46 (21-2 1/2); 2. Patty Sylvester, Georgia, 6.41 (21-0 1/2); 3. Erica Mclain, Stanford, 6.41 (21-0 1/2); 4. Candice Mills, Kansas St., 6.38 (20-11 1/4); 5. Kierra Foster, Maryland, 6.33 (20-9 1/4); 6. Ashley McCarty, Texas A&M, 6.32 (20-9); 7. Charisse Bacchus, Kansas, 6.30 (20-8); 8. Tabia Charles, Miami (Fla.), 6.26 (20-6 1/2).

Triple jump: 1. Tabia Charles, Miami (Fla.), 13.70 (44-11 1/2); 2. Erica Mclain, Stanford, 13.66 (44-9 3/4); 3. Yasmine Regis, Texas A&M, 13.60 (44-7 1/2); 4. Yvette Lewis, Hampton, 13.59 (44-7); 5. Andrea Linton, LSU, 13.53 (44-4 3/4); 6. Brenda Faluade, Miami (Fla.), 13.34 (43-9 1/4); 7. Alyce Williams, Florida St., 13.30 (43-7 3/4); 8. Michelle Vaughn, Auburn, 13.16 (43-2 1/4).

Shot put: 1. Laura Gerraughty, North Carolina, 18.32 (60-1 1/4); 2. Becky Breisch, Nebraska, 18.05 (59-2 3/4); 3. Michelle Carter, Texas, 17.91 (58-9 1/4); 4. Sarah Stevens, Arizona St., 17.09 (56-1); 5. Aubrey Martin, Western Ill., 16.60 (54-5 1/2); 6. Jessica Pressley, Arizona St., 16.59 (54-5 1/4); 7. Karen Freeberg, Southern California, 16.56 (54-4); 8. Rachel Jansen, UNI, 16.46 (54-0).

Discus throw: 1. Dace Ruskule, Nebraska, 55.13 (180-10); 2. Beth Mallory, Alabama, 54.74 (179-7); 3. Krystal Robinson, Rice, 54.38 (178-5); 4. Precious Akins, South Carolina, 53.72 (176-3); 5. Jessica Pressley, Arizona St., 53.64 (176-0); 6. Billie-Jo Grant, Virginia, 52.28 (171-6); 7. Olivia Korte, Air Force, 52.25 (171-5); 8. Rachel Varner, Arizona, 51.54 (169-1).

Hammer throw: 1. Jenny Dahlgren, Georgia, 69.00 (226-4); 2. Eva Orban, Southern California, 67.35 (220-11); 3. Brittany Hinchcliffe, Oregon, 64.69 (212-3); 4. Brittany Riley, Southern Ill., 64.15 (210-5); 5. Jen Leatherman, Penn St., 64.01 (210-0); 6. Britney Henry, Oregon, 63.57 (208-7); 7. Kristen Callan, Virginia Tech, 62.09 (203-8); 8. Caira Hane, Nevada, 61.85 (202-11).

Javelin throw: 1. Dana Pounds, Air Force, 58.00 (190-3); 2. Kayla Wilkinson, Nebraska, 54.51 (178-10); 3. Krista Woodward, Georgia, 54.24 (177-11); 4. Anna Raynor, UNC Wilmington, 53.48 (175-5); 5. Roshunda Betts, Sam Houston St., 52.99 (173-10); 6. Erma Gene Evans, UTEP, 51.45 (168-9); 7. Rachel Yurkovich, Oregon, 50.35 (165-2); 8. Ashley Kaufman, Akron, 48.78 (160-0).

Heptathlon: 1. Jacquelyn Johnson, Arizona St., 5,939; 2. Tracy Partain, Missouri St., 5,827; 3. Diana D. Pickler, Washington St., 5,757; 4. Saskia Triesscheijn, Virginia Tech, 5,753; 5. Julie J. Pickler, Washington St., 5,604; 6. Sara Jane Baker, Nebraska, 5,507; 7. Lauryn Jordan, Oregon, 5,499; 8. Elizabeth Roehrig, Minnesota, 5,467.