The NCAA News - News and Features

March 23, 1998

After a long wait, Texas takes home I women's indoor title

For the past several years -- most likely from the time coach Bev Kearney arrived in 1993 -- supporters of Texas women's track and field have been waiting for the Longhorns to unseat LSU atop the track world.

The wait is over.

Displaying the dominant performance that many have been expecting, Texas recorded four first-place individual showings to rack up 60 points and blow away the field March 13-14 at Indianapolis.

Texas, which compiled 40 points on the second day of competition, earned its fourth championship but its first since 1990.

LSU, which was vying for its sixth consecutive crown, placed runner-up for the first time. The Tigers amassed 30 points.

The Longhorns' 30-point margin was the largest in championships history.

Third place was shared by Georgetown and Pittsburgh (26 points each), while Michigan, with 241/2 points, claimed the fifth spot in the team standings.

"We faced the ghosts within ourselves and we beat that ghost," said Kearney. "Any doubts about beating them now are gone...gone."

Although they only scored points in six of 15 events, the Longhorns made it look easy from the start.

Having compiled 20 points on the first day of competition, Texas virtually clinched the title midway through the championships' second session when Suziann Reid won the 400-meter dash in a season's collegiate-best time of 52.57, and Toya Brown finished third. The showings gave Texas 38 points.

"That race decided how everything would turn out," said Kearney. "Winning feels terrific .... We willed it. I told them that's what it would come down to. Not who had the most talent, but who had the will to do it."

Angie Vaughn, Lakeisha Backus and Erin Aldrich not only had the will, they had the talent.

Competing in the 55-meter high hurdles, Vaughn equaled the championships' record in the event set by Florida's Michelle Freeman in 1992, racing to the finish in 7.41 seconds.

Backus contributed a team-best 16 points, winning the 200-meter dash and placing third in the 55-meter event, while Aldrich won the high-jump crown with a mark of 1.94 meters (6 feet, 41/4 inches).

The Longhorns' final points came in the 1,600-meter relay as Alejandro Valles, Reid, Sheneka Griffin and Brown finished second to Baylor in 3:34.06.

Individually, Melissa Price of Fresno State became the NCAA's first women's pole vault champion, winning the inaugural event with a mark of 4.22 meters (13-10). Price was the only competitor to exceed 13 feet.

Trecia Smith of Pittsburgh swept the long and triple jumps to join Sheila Hudson of California (1990) as the only athletes to win both events in the same year. The long-jump crown was Smith's second straight.

Teri Tunks became the first women's championships competitor to surpass 60 feet in the shot put with an effort of 60-51/4.

Division I women's indoor track

TEAM RESULTS

1. Texas, 60; 2. LSU, 30; 3. (tie) Georgetown and Pittsburgh, 26; 5. Michigan, 241Ž2; 6. Florida, 24; 7. Southern Methodist, 23; 8. Georgia, 21; 9. Wisconsin, 20; 10. Brigham Young, 181Ž2.

11. (tie) Baylor and South Caro., 18; 13. Auburn, 17; 14. Providence, 14; 15. (tie) Fresno St. and Vanderbilt, 13; 17. (tie) Kansas and Villanova, 12; 19. (tie) North Caro. and UCLA, 11.

21. (tie) Arizona, Kansas St., Stanford and Texas A&M, 10; 25. (tie) Colorado and UTEP, 9; 27. (tie) Arkansas, Boston College, Coastal Caro., and Georgia Tech, 8.

31. (tie) Illinois and Tennessee, 7; 33. (tie) Clemson, Eastern Ky., Harvard, Long Beach St. and Wyoming, 6; 38. (tie) Bowling Green, Houston, Oklahoma St., Purdue and Weber St., 5.

43. (tie) East Tenn. St., Eastern Mich., Miami (Fla.), Nebraska, Texas-San Antonio and Wichita St., 4; 49. (tie) Dartmouth, Florida Int'l, George Mason, Iowa St., Kentucky and Tulane, 3.

55. Arizona St., 21Ž2; 56. (tie) Texas-Arlington and Valparaiso, 2; 58. (tie) Colorado St., James Madison, Montana St. and North Caro. St., 1.

62. Utah St.,1Ž2.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

55-meter dash: 1. Kwajalein Butler, LSU, 6.78; 2. Debbie Ferguson, Georgia, 6.78; 3. Lakeisha Backus, Texas, 6.78; 4. Kelli White, Tennessee, 6.84; 5. Jenell Ali, Eastern Mich., 6.88; 6. Peta-Gaye Dowdie, LSU, 6.89; 7. Astia Walker, LSU, 6.89; 8. Benita Kelley, Illinois, 6.89.

200-meter dash: 1. Lakeisha Backus, Texas, 23.18; 2. Debbie Ferguson, Georgia, 23.22; 3. Peta-Gaye Dowdie, LSU, 23.22; 4. Sherita Jackson, Oklahoma St., 23.25; 5. Tameka Roberts, Texas-San Antonio, 23.26; 6. Tanya Lawrence, Florida Int'l, 23.39; 7. Kelli White, Tennessee, 23.63; 8. Shakedia Jones, UCLA, 23.78.

400-meter dash: 1. Suziann Reid, Texas, 52.57; 2. Ryan Tolbert, Vanderbilt, 52.79; 3. Toya Brown, Texas, 53.23; 4. Saidat Onanuga, UTEP, 53.43; 5. Meka Rembert, Nebraska, 54.01; 6. Roshell Russell, Kentucky, 54.03; 7. Jennifer Jordan, Baylor, 54.33; 8. Christy Otte, Montana St., 54.66.

800-meter run: 1. Hazel Clark, Florida, 2:02.53; 2. Julian Reynolds, Georgetown, 2:04.75; 3. Chantee Earl, Pittsburgh, 2:06.09; 4. Angela Stanifer, Georgia, 2:06.20; 5. Michelle Gregg, East Tenn. St., 2:06.20; 6. Charmaine Howell, South Caro., 2:06.23; 7. Jenni Westphal, Wisconsin, 2:06.73; 8. Michelle Ballentine, George Mason, 2:09.88.

Mile run: 1. Carmen Douma, Villanova, 4:37.74; 2. Angela Graham, Boston College, 4:39.62; 3. Jamie King, Eastern Ky., 4:42.90; 4. Becky Schaefer, Wisconsin, 4:42.91; 5. Jennifer Smith, Colorado, 4:43.39; 6. Hanne Lyngstad, Tulane, 4:43.98; 7. Collette Liss, Valparaiso, 4:46.48; 8. Tara Haynes, Brigham Young, 4:47.29.

3,000-meter run: 1. Katie McGregor, Michigan, 9:24.68; 2. Jolene Williams, Coastal Caro., 9:25.29; 3. Kristen Gordon, Georgetown, 9:25.73; 4. Sharlyn Maughan, Weber St., 9:26.36; 5. Julia Stamps, Stanford, 9:26.44; 6. Tracy Robertson, Arkansas, 9:27.02; 7. Amina Amaddah, George Mason, 9:29.01; 8. Bethany Eigel, James Madison 9:29.79.

5,000-meter run: 1. Amy Skieresz, Arizona, 15:54.58; 2. Marie McMahon, Providence, 16:11.77; 3. Sarah Dupre, Providence, 16:19.12; 4. Angi Kujak, Wisconsin, 16:25.66; 5. Jennifer Gruia, Colorado, 16:33.41; 6. Jenna Rogers, Dartmouth, 16:33.59; 7. Elizabeth Kampfe, Michigan, 16:35.86; 8. Heather Burroughs, Colorado, 16:37.89.

55-meter high hurdles: 1. Angie Vaughn, Texas, 7.41 (meet record; old record, 7.41, Michelle Freeman, Florida, 1992); 2. Andria King, Georgia Tech, 7.47; 3. Astia Walker, LSU, 7.47; 4. Lacena Golding, Auburn, 7.52; 5. Patrina Allen, Miami (Fla.), 7.55; 6. Nikkie Bouyer, Clemson, 7.57; 7. Charmaine Walker, Villanova, 7.72; 8. LaTasha Colander, North Caro., 7.78.

1,600-meter relay: 1. Baylor (Angeline Banket, Alayah Cooper, Yulanda Nelson, Jennifer Jordan), 3:33.93; 2. Texas, 3:34.06; 3. Georgetown, 3:34.92; 4. Florida, 3:35.31; 5. Vanderbilt, 3:36.73; 6. Clemson, 3:37.34; 7. LSU, 3:37.38; 8. Illinois, 3:38.79.

Distance medley relay: 1. Michigan (Lisa Ouellet, Adrienne Hunter, Sarah Hamilton, Katie McGregor), 11:03.28 (meet record; old record, 11:08.54, Georgetown [Maxine Clarke, Ayana Wright, Amy Ross, Miesha Marzell], 1997); 2. Wisconsin, 11:10.62; 3. Georgetown, 11:12.53; 4. Arkansas, 11:14.32; 5. UTEP, 11:14.34; 6. Brigham Young, 11:16.72; 7. Florida, 11:19.02; 8. Stanford, 11:20.37.

High jump: 1. Erin Aldrich, Texas, 1.94 (6-41Ž4); 2. Kajsa Bergqvist, Southern Methodist, 1.91 (6-31Ž4); 3. Dora Gyorffy, Harvard, 1.85 (6-03Ž4); 4. Stacy Ann Grant, Illinois, 1.85 (6-03Ž4); 5. Nakeitra Jones, Auburn, 1.85 (6-03Ž4); 6. (tie) Fiona Daly, Arizona St., and Nicole Forrester, Michigan, 1.82 (5-111Ž2); 8. Bianca McKell, Southern Methodist, 1.82 (5-111Ž2).

Pole vault: 1. Melissa Price, Fresno St., 4.22 (13-10); 2. Candy Mason, Kansas, 3.85 (12-71Ž2); 3. Marylou Badillo, Long Beach St., 3.85 (12-71Ž2); 4. Melissa Feinstein, Stanford, 3.85 (12-71Ž2); 5. Andrea Branson, Kansas, 3.70 (12-11Ž2); 6. Erica Hoernig, UCLA, 3.70 (12-11Ž2); 7. Marion Meyer, Texas-Arlington, 3.70 (12-11Ž2); 8. (tie) Shae Jones, Utah St., and Becky Jackson, Brigham Young, 3.55 (11-73Ž4).

Long jump: 1. Trecia Smith, Pittsburgh, 6.56 (21-61Ž4); 2. Lacena Golding, Auburn, 6.47 (21-23Ž4); 3. Adrien Sawyer, Texas A&M, 6.45 (21-2); 4. Jenny Adams, Houston, 6.35 (20-10); 5. Jernae Wright, Florida, 6.32 (20-9); 6. Trina Radske, Iowa St., 6.18 (20-31Ž2); 7. LaShonda Christopher, North Caro., 6.09 (19-113Ž4); 8. Myra Combs, LSU, 6.09 (19-113Ž4).

Triple jump: 1. Trecia Smith, Pittsburgh, 14.05 (46-11Ž4); 2. Nicole Gamble, North Caro., 13.56 (44-6); 3. Stacey Bowers, Baylor, 13.36 (43-10); 4. Huina Han, Bowling Green, 13.35 (43-93Ž4); 5. Detrich Clariett, Texas A&M, 13.30 (43-73Ž4); 6. Deana Simmons, UCLA, 13.30 (43-73Ž4); 7. Vanitta Kinard, Kansas St., 13.15 (43-13Ž4); 8. Sherlane Armstrong, North Caro. St., 13.09 (42-111Ž2).

Shot put: 1. Teri Tunks, Southern Methodist, 18.42 (60-51Ž4) (meet record; old record, 17.98 [59-0], Tressa Thompson, Nebraska, 1997); 2. Amy Palmer, Brigham Young, 17.29 (56-83Ž4); 3. Jesseca Cross, Wyoming, 17.07 (56-0); 4. Crystal Brownlee, South Caro., 17.07 (56-0); 5. Marika Tuliniemi, Southern Methodist, 16.96 (55-73Ž4); 6. Kristen Heaston, Florida, 16.79 (55-1); 7. Seilala Sua, UCLA, 16.58 (54-43Ž4); 8. Leslie Vidmar, Vanderbilt, 16.16 (53- 01Ž4).

20-pound weight throw: 1. Lisa Misipeka, South Caro., 21.47 (70-51Ž4); 2. Renetta Seiler, Kansas St., 21.09 (69-21Ž2); 3. Amy Palmer, Brigham Young, 20.98 (68-10); 4. Toyinda Smith, Purdue, 20.81 (68-31Ž4); 5. Katie Panek, Wichita St., 20.04 (65-9); 6. Staci Darden, Fresno St., 19.62 (64-41Ž2); 7. Rachelle Noble, UCLA, 19.53 (64-1); 8. Grettel Miller, Colorado St., 19.47 (63-101Ž2).