Collegiate track & field, however, is a team competition. Accumulating a winning score is often more about depth of talent than future Olympians.
While USC has enjoyed some individual glory at the NCAA Championships in recent years, under Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert, the entire roster has grown to the point that the Trojans, both the men and women, are legitimate contenders for the national championship. The Women of Troy won their only crown in 2001, while the men have not been victorious since 1976.Together, USC earned 25 individual spots (11 for the men, 14 for the women) and three relays for the NCAA Championships in Eugene (June 10-13) by succeeding in numbers at the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds in Austin, Texas, last weekend.
Click here for the complete recap from Austin.
By comparison, USC earned only 15 spots just two years ago. In fact, the 2013 men's team could have traveled to the NCAAs by car, sending only five competitors to Eugene, and the Trojans still finished fifth nationally.
Here are all the qualifiers and their individual events:
Men: Randall Cunningham (high jump), Andre De Grasse (100m, 200m), Robert Ford (800m), Adoree' Jackson (long jump), BeeJay Lee (100m, 200m), Conor McCullough (Hammer Throw), Ricky Morgan (400m), Marquis Morris (110m HH), Nick Ponzio (Shot Put) and the 4x100m relay team.
Women: Alexandra Collatz (Discus Throw), Melia Cox (100m HH), Kendall Ellis (400m), Alexis Faulknor (100m), Tynia Gaither (100m), Dior Hall (100m HH), Deanna Hill (100m, 200m), Amalie Iuel (400m IH), Vanessa Jones (400m), Tera Novy (Discus Throw), Jaide Stepter (400m IH), Ky Westbrook (100m, 200m) and the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams.
