A formidable LSU team of Mikiah Brisco, Kortnei Johnson, Rachel Misher and Aleia Hobbs ran 42.09 to win its semi in demolishing the meet record of 42.36 set by Texas A&M in ’09. More significantly, the time was just 0.04 off the CR the Tigers set earlier this season. See the all-time list below for an illustration of the school’s overall dominance of the event.
In the rainy and cold final two days later, they executed perfectly, leaving one to wonder what they might have done had the conditions been more conducive to speedy running. Brisco, the defending 100 champion, got the favorites off to a big lead, and Hobbs, the 100 champ-to-be, closed the deal. LSU ran 42.25 to win by nearly a second, the record 15th time they have won this championship. They will have to do some serious reloading for next year, Brisco and Hobbs both being seniors.
“It feels really good,” Brisco said. “I did my part since I knew the conditions weren’t going to be up to par. I just made sure I got my team to a good position. Kortnei and my exchange was really good, so I felt like we started the race off really well and then we just finished it so we could get our team points.”
On the final run-in, defending champ Kentucky (43.49) faded and fell back to 4th. Oregon’s Ariana Washington ran a strong anchor to pass USC for 2nd by 0.05, 43.06–43.11. Several hours later, those crucial 2 points nearly cost the Trojans the team title.
NCAA WOMEN’S 4 x 100 RESULTS
FINAL (June 09)
1. LSU 42.25 (6C)
(Mikiah Brisco, Kortnei Johnson, Rachel Misher, Aleia Hobbs);
2. Oregon 43.06
(Alaysha Johnson, Lauren Rain Williams, Jasmin Reed, Ariana Washington);
3. USC 43.11
(Angie Annelus, Kendall Ellis, Deanna Hill, Twanisha Terry);
4. Kentucky 43.49
(Celera Barnes, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn’, Kayelle Clarke’, Kianna Gray);
5. Auburn 43.76
(Renee Shaw’, Jonielle Smith’, Dominique Bullock, Natalliah Whyte’);
6. Alabama 44.05
(Daija Lampkin, Tamara Clark, Symone Darius, Demi Washington);
7. Texas A&M 44.26
(Amber Ivy, Diamond Spaulding, Brenessa Thompson’, Julia Madubuike);
8. Florida State 44.30
(Jayla Kirkland, Shauna Helps’, Cortney Jones, Ka’Tia Seymour).
SEMIS (June 07)
I–1. LSU 42.09 (2 C) (MR);
2. Florida State 43.33; 3. Texas A&M 43.34; 4. Alabama 43.35;
5. South Carolina 44.17 (Dendy, Davis, Parks, Stanley); 6. UNLV 44.69 (Smith-Barnett, Hudspeth, Graham, Love); 7. Alabama State 44.88 (Horn, Hackney, Lewis, Lovett); 8. Northwestern Louisiana 44.98 (Gordon’, Jones, Moore, Jackson).
II–1. USC 42.97; 2. Kentucky 42.99;
3. Tennessee 43.48 (Duncan, Majors, Collins, McCoy) (fastest NCAA non-Q ever);
4. Clemson 44.08 (Robinson, Smith, Williams, Thomas); 5. Mississippi 44.48 (Henderson, Carbo, Paul, Ray); 6. San Diego State 44.49 (Smith’, Glenn, Fletcher, Barrow’); 7. Arizona 45.10 (Christman, Waggoner, White, Andrews); 8. Texas Tech 45.20 (Harris, Gordon, Johnson, Limp).
III–1. Oregon 42.95; 2. Auburn 43.11;
3. Arkansas 43.57 (Parker, Baylark, Brooks, Brown’); 4. Texas 43.70 (Burton’, Daniels, Seymour’, Golden) (Arkansas & Texas both faster than previous NCAA non-Q); 5. Baylor 43.92 (Horton, Bennett, Mainoo, Grant); 6. Wisconsin 44.48 (Blair, DesRosiers, Detra, McClendon); 7. Long Beach State 44.59 (Chambers, Davis, Golden, Hill); 8. Bethune-Cookman 44.97 (McCreath-Tardiel’, Nichols, Brinson, Morrison). □
