University Southern California Trojans
USC
Power Conference Cardinal & Gold Challenge
Trojans Shine In Power Conferences Cardinal & Gold Challenge
March 26, 2016 | Track & Field
Four of the top track and field programs in the country in USC, Florida, Ohio State and Texas were on display at the Power Conference Cardinal & Gold Challenge at Loker Stadium and they did not disappoint, setting numerous personal bests and national leading marks today (March 26). Senior Jaide Stepter led the USC women to the team victory while setting the school record and tying the stadium 400m record and the men's team finished second by a few points to Ohio State, despite not running a team in either of the relays.
Stepter won the women's 400m race going away with a USC school-record time of 50.91, breaking Carol Rodriguez' mark of 51.39 set in 2008. That time also tied the Loker Stadium record, previously set by Monique Henderson in 2005 and is the fastest in the country in the early season. Sophomore Kendall Ellis took second in the 400m with a time of 52.45, just off her PR of 52.32 set in winning the USATF Junior title last June. Junior Cameron Pettigrew placed eighth in the 400m race with a time of 54.79.
Sophomore Ricky Morgan won the men's 400m race with a PR of 45.54, nearly a one-second PR and the fastest time in the country entering this weekend's action. Also running in the men's 400m race were sophomore Robert Ford who placed seventh (48.58) and Jadon Joyner who placed 10th (49.61).
Sophomore Adoree' Jackson got things rolling for the Trojans by winning the men's long jump with a leap of 25-10.75/7.89m (+4.1w). He also had a wind-legal jump of 25-8.00/7.82m (+1.9) which would have won the event. Sophomore Dominic Smallwood placed fourth with a jump of 25-0.50/7.63m (+4.2w). He also had a wind-legal PR of 24-7/7.49m (-0.4).
Freshman Jasmyne Graham took second in the women's long jump with a best leap of 19-8.75/6.01m (+3.1w). Freshman Lyndsey Lopes was sixth in the women's long jump with a best jump of 18-2.25/5.54m (+1.5).
Junior Amalie Iuel then won the women's high jump with a clearance of 5-7.25 (1.71m). She tried to clear a PR of 5-11.25 which would have placed her ninth on USC's all-time list, but missed on all three attempts. Freshman Jordan Winters placed third with a clearance of 5-1.00 (1.55m).
Senior Felicia Horvath placed second in the women's pole vault on a jump off. Horvath cleared 12-5.50 (3.80m) which is her best as a collegian and moved her from tied for eighth to tied for fourth on USC's all-time list.
Next, the men's shot put concluded and sophomore Nick Ponzio placed second with a best mark of 62-3.00 (18.97m). Freshman Matthew Katnik finished third with a best throw of 60-4.50 (18.40m) and freshman Nathan Bultman was fourth with a PR of 59-1.25 (18.01m).
The final early field event was the women's javelin throw and Lopes took sixth with a PR of 115-10 35.32m), Iuel was seventh with a throw of 103-7 (31.57m) and freshman K.C. Sullivan was eighth with a throw of 93-11 (28.62m).
The running portion of the meet then began with the women's 4x100m relay and USC's team of senior Alexis Faulknor, sophomore Deanna Hill, junior Destinee Brown and senior Tynia Gaither was second with a time of 43.62, good for 10th on USC's all-time list. USC had a little trouble with the first two handoffs and Texas won with a time of 43.55. Those are the second and third-fastest times in the country so far this season.
Next up for the Trojans were the 1500m races. In the women's race, redshirt sophomore Rebekah Ent placed second with a PR of 4:29.41. Senior Katerina Berdousi was third in the event with a season-best time and her third best as a collegian of 4:31.74, senior Jenna Tong was fourth with a time of 4:44.00 and freshman Sophia Racette was fifth with a time of 4:53.31.
All three Trojan men in the 1500m race had a personal best. Sophomore Mitchell Cameron placed second with a time of 4:02.82, freshman Nicolaus Jakowec was third with a time of 4:04.59 and freshman Trent Rule was fourth with a time of 4:04.72.
Graham then came back to win the women's 100m HH with a season-best time of 13.27 (+0.3), putting together a strong second half of the race. That time ties her for third in the country entering this weekend's action. Lopes placed ninth in the 100m HH with a time of 14.49 (+0.3).
The second wave of field events began and sophomore Randall Cunningham won the men's high jump with a clearance of 7-3.75 (2.23m). He then tried to clear a PR of 7-6 (2.29m), but missed on all three attempts.
Smallwood continued his strong day by winning the men's triple jump with a best leap of 50-3.25/15.32m (+2.9w). He also had a wind-legal PR in his series of 50-1.25/15.27m (+1.2) and a total of three jumps over 50 feet.
In the women's shot put, junior Tanya Sapa placed second with a best mark of 51-8.25 (15.75m) and senior Tera Novy had a PR of 51-3.00 (15.62m) to finish third and move from tied for seventh to sixth on USC's all-time list in the event. Lopes also competed in the shot put and had a best mark of 33-7.25 (10.24), good for eighth.
The last field event was the men's javelin throw and senior Diego Lopez had a best mark of 187-2 (57.06m) to place third.
After a slow start, Hill then took third in the women's 100m dash with a PR of 11.29 (+1.2). Brown ran 11.60 (+1.2) to place fifth.
Jackson then had a PR of 10.41 (+0.6) to place second in the men's 100m dash, .01 seconds behind Charles Anumnu of Texas. Freshman Dominic Davis was sixth in the 100m dash with a time of 10.65 (+0.6).
The women's 800m race was next and freshman Taylor Seamans was third with a time of 2:16.25, sophomore Madison Ricks was fourth with a time of 2:18.69 and senior Natasha Strickland was fifth with a time of 2:19.83. Freshman Mikaela Smith was originally the second-place finisher with a time of 2:09.27, but was later disqualified for stepping outside of her lane.
In the men's 800m race, sophomore Jordon Wallin was third with a time of 1:54.21 and senior Will Robinson was fourth with a time of 2:04.02.
The only Trojan running in either 400m IH race was Iuel and she took third in the women's race with a time of 57.33.
Gaither was the only Trojan among the 11 women in the 200m race and she placed third with a time of 23.37 (+0.1). Davis was the only USC athlete running in the men's 200m race and he placed sixth with a season-best time of 21.88 (+2.0).
The final event for the Trojans was the women's 4x400m relay and the team of Ellis, Iuel, Stepter and Pettigrew won with the fifth-fastest time in school history of 3:29.73. Stepter gave the Trojans the lead with a 50.6 split and Pettigrew held off the challenge of Florida's anchor. USC's "B" relay team of Smith, Seamans, Ent and Strickland had a time of 4:04.47 to place fourth.
