SACRAMENTO, Calif. — LSU’s track and field team couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin the third-day of competition at the NCAA Championships as both its men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relay teams won national titles in back-to-back races Friday evening at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex.
LSU’s short relay sweep marks the fourth time in school history that both the Tigers and Lady Tigers have won 4×100 national titles during the same year. LSU, which is the only school in NCAA history to ever win both relay titles in one year, also accomplished the feat during the 1992, 1993 and 1994 seasons.
The Lady Tigers kicked off LSU’s winning ways as the foursome of Stephanie Durst, Monique Hall, Lolo Jones and Muna Lee combined to set a low-altitude collegiate record. Trailing South Carolina by two meters heading into the final handoff, Lee took the baton on the anchor leg and blew by Gamecock senior Aleen Bailey to cross the finish line with a world-leading time of 42.55.
The quartet’s time ranks second all-time in NCAA history and was just .05 seconds shy of the 14-year old collegiate record set by LSU in 1989. The Lady Tiger’s national title in the event marks the 11th in program history and the first since the 2001 season.
“The key was good handoffs,” said Lee. “They (South Carolina) raced their race like they were supposed to and that pushed us big time. I just really wanted to win a relay. We lost last year and that was a heartbreaker. This is the beginning of our nationals right here.”
On the coattails of the Lady Tigers victory, the Tiger quartet of Kellie Willie, Robert Parham, Pete Coley and Bennie Brazell put on a show of their own. Brazell battled it out with Tennessee’s Pedro Holiday down the final stretch and came out victorious as the Tigers posted the fourth-fastest time in school history, 38.65, to edge the Vols at the line (38.72). LSU’s national title in the event marks their second straight and the fifth in school history.
“I just knew that if God brought us here that we could do it,” said Brazell. “We just tried to stay together as a team and not beat ourselves.”
Just 25 minutes after helping the Tigers to their first national title of the weekend, Brazell returned to the track to run in the finals of the 400-meter hurdles. A runner-up in the event at last year’s NCAA Championships, Brazell turned in a solid time of 49.38 to finish fourth and earn All-America honors for the second-straight year.
Also scoring points for the Tigers in the team race was three-time All-American John Moffitt. The Winnsboro, La., native nearly matched his PR in the long jump, jumping 26-3 to finish third overall.
On the women’s side, Muna Lee nearly won her second national title of the day finishing second in the 100-meter dash. Lee clocked an impressive time of 11.22, but was edged by Aleen Bailey who clocked the meet winning time of 11.18.
In qualifying action, LSU advanced two Lady Tigers and one Tiger into Saturday’s final of the 400-meter dash. Hazelann Regis and Nadia Davy both posted PR’s in their semifinal rounds as Regis finished second in her heat with a time of 51.44 and Davy placed third in her race, clocking 52.00.
For the men, freshman Kelly Willie had an outstanding race, advancing to the finals with a PR mark of 45.14.
As it stands after eight scored events both the Tigers and the Lady Tigers sit in fourth place in the team standings. South Carolina leads the women’s pack with 27 points, while Texas and Indiana are knotted in second with 19 points each and LSU and Penn State are tied for fourth with 18 points apiece.
In the men’s team race, the SEC owns the top of the team standings as Auburn is in first (37), Arkansas is second (30), Florida is third (23) and LSU and Tennessee follow in a tie for fourth (21).
“We had a great day today,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry, “We had some outstanding performances and we’ve positioned ourselves well heading into the final day of competition. I think if we take advantage of the situation we have ahead of us we can be very competitive on both sides tomorrow.”
Action from the NCAA Championships will conclude tomorrow, June 14, as both the Tigers and Lady Tigers eye head coach Pat Henry’s 25th NCAA national championship.
TEAM STANDINGS (Through eight events – Top 10 only)
Men
1, Auburn, 37. 2, Arkansas, 30. 3, Florida, 23. 4, LSU, 21. 4, Tennessee, 21. 6, Nebraska, 20. 7, Georgia, 19. 8, Oregon, 18.25. 9, Middle Tennessee State, 17. 10, UCLA, 14.5.
Women
1, South Carolina, 27. 2, Texas, 19. 2, Indiana, 19. 4, LSU, 18. 4, Penn State, 18. 6, Auburn, 16. 7, Yale, 13. 7, UCLA, 13. 9, Nebraska, 11. 10, Stanford, 10. 10, BYU, 10.
LSU’s 2003 National Champions
Women’s 4×100-Meter Relay (Stephanie Durst, Monique Hall, Lolo Jones and Muna Lee) – 42.55
Men’ 4×100-Meter Relay (Kelly Willie, Robert Parham, Pete Coley, Bennie Brazell) – 38.65