EUGENE, Ore. — The LSU women’s track and field team won its first 4×100-meter title in four years, highlighting day three of action at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
“The women’s short relay is definitely the highlight of the day for us,” said LSU head coach Pat Henry. “We advanced some people through today and unfortunately we weren’t able to get a few people through that we thought we could.”
Through 11 events, the Lady Tigers are tied for seventh place with 13 points, while the Tigers find themselves tied for 19th place after 12 events with a number of their key finals on Saturday. Southern California leads the women’s competition, while Oregon leads the men’s race.
The Lady Tigers regained the NCAA 4×100-meter relay title they last held in 1997, as the foursome of Sa’Donna Thornton, Stephanie Durst, Myra Combs and Muna Lee circled the oval in 43.54.
Lee rallied the Lady Tigers past USC anchor Kinshasa Davis, as the Lady Tigers reversed the outcome of last year’s final when USC anchor Angela Williams edged LSU’s Peta-Gaye Dowdie.
The title for the Lady Tigers was their ninth in the last 13 years and their 10th all-time title in the event, the most of any school.
The Tigers were not as fortunate in the men’s 4×100-meter final, as Robert Parham and Pete Coley failed to make the second exchange.
Elsewhere on the track, Lee advanced to the finals of the 100-meter dash, finishing second in her heat in a time of 11.44.
Thornton did not advance, however, finishing fifth in the same heat in a time of 11.51. The top four finishers in both semifinals advanced. Thornton was the victim of a fast heat, as in the much slower second heat, 11.71 advanced to the final.
Thornton’s exit in the 100-meter dash concluded a career that saw her earn five All-American honors and be a part of two NCAA championship teams.
Thornton was the final link to LSU’s run of 11 consecutive championships from 1987-97.
Lolo Jones suffered the same fate in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. The freshman finished fifth in her heat of the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 13.42. In the second semifinal section 13.49 was good enough to advance.
In the only field event final for LSU on the day, Bianca Rockett finished ninth in the triple jump with a mark of 41-7 3/4.
The NCAA Outdoor Championships conclude on Saturday evening with several key events for LSU. Lee will look to make her mark in both the 100 and 200-meter finals. On the men’s side, Walter Davis will try to become LSU’s second triple jump champion in three years, while the Tigers’ 4×400-meter relay squad will shoot for their first title in 22 years.