UCLA Women Win Dual Meet With USC, 111-92 Before 8,094 At Drake Stadium On Saturday
May 4, 2002
Results
Jeanette Bolden's UCLA women's track & field team, ranked No. 4 in the U. S., defeated USC, rated No. 1 in the country, 111-92 on Saturday (May 4) before 8,094 at Drake Stadium. It was the 10th straight season the Bruin women have beaten USC in the dual meet.
Leading the UCLA women were junior Tiffany Burgess, sophomore Sheena Johnson and freshman Monique Henderson.
Burgess, from Van Nuys Birmingham HS, won the 800m, in a collegiate best time of 2:03.73 (personal-best, NCAA automatic qualifier, and a new Bruin school record, breaking the old mark of 2:04.73, Francie Larrieu, 1974). Burgess also placed fifth in the 1500m (4:39.85).
Johnson, from Stafford, VA Garfield HS, won the 400m hurdles in a collegiate best mark of 56.56 (season-best, NCAA automatic qualifier). Johnson also placed second in the 100m hurdles (13.53, season-best, NCAA provisional qualifier) and ran on both of UCLA's relays (third leg, 4 X 100m, second-place, 44.85, season-best, NCAA provisional qualifier; third leg, 4 X 400m relay, first-place, 3:32.02, season-best, NCAA automatic qualifier, No. 5 in school history).
Henderson, from Morse HS in San Diego, recorded the third-fastest time in the world this season in the 400m, winning the event in 51.33 (season-best, NCAA automatic qualifier, No. 2 in school history). Henderson, the prep 400m national record-holder (50.74), also anchored both of UCLA's relays.
UCLA's other winners on the track were ' freshman Carolyn Shea in the 3000m steeplechase (10:57.18), freshman Alejandra Barrientos in the 5000m (17:23.26) who was also second in the 1500m (4:31.83) and sophomore Lena Nilsson, who won the 1500m (4:26.66) and placed second in the 800m (2:03.89, personal-best, NCAA automatic qualifier, No. 2 current collegiate mark, No. 2 in school history).
In the field, the Bruins were led by sophomore Cari Soong, who won the hammer throw (209-1, meet record, old mark, 207-3, Christina Tolson, UCLA, 2001); senior Darnesha Griffith, winning the high jump (5-8 3/4), placing third in the triple jump (38-2 1/4, season-legal best) and fourth in the long jump (19-9 1/2, personal-best); freshman Jessica Cosby, taking first place in the shot put (54-10, personal-best, NCAA automatic qualifier, No. 7 in school history) and third in the hammer throw (185-9); senior Tracy O'Hara in the pole vault (13-0 3/4) and junior Chaniqua Ross, winning the discus (178-10, season-best, NCAA automatic qualifier) and placing fifth in the shot put (51-8 1/4, season outdoor opener, NCAA provisional qualifier).
The only women's double individual event winner was USC senior Angela Williams, who won both the 100m (11.30) and 200 (23.56). She also ran the first leg on USC's winning 4 X 100m relay (43.71, tied for the No. 1 mark on the current collegiate chart).
The Bruin women lead the overall series with USC 16-3. In the 2002 outdoor season, UCLA is 5-0 in dual meets and in her eight+ year career as the UCLA women's head coach, Bolden is now 68-0 overall, including a 9-0 mark vs. USC.
The Bruin and Trojan women will continue to battle throughout the remainder of the 2002 outdoor collegiate season. Washington State (Pullman, WA) is hosting the upcoming 2002 Pacific-10 Championships (Pac-10 multi-events, May 11-12; Pac-10 Championships, May 18-19) and LSU (Baton Rouge, LA) is hosting the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships (May 29-June 1). In 2001, the UCLA women won the NCAA Indoor title, beat USC in the dual meet and at the Pac-10, but the Trojan women won the NCAA Outdoor title, with UCLA placing second.