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Five Trojans Earn USTFCCCA West Region Yearly Honors
June 01, 2018 | Track & Field, Features
Ellis, Norman, Smith Gilbert, Hayes & Watts earn top awards
Kendall Ellis (Women's Track Athlete of the Year), Michael Norman (Men's Track Athlete of the Year), Caryl Smith Gilbert (Women's Coach of the Year), Joanna Hayes (Women's Assistant Coach of the Year) and Quincy Watts (Men's Assistant Coach of the Year) all received West Region honors given out by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) today (June 1).
The senior Ellis ran the second-fastest women's collegiate 400m of all-time of 49.99 to win the Pac-12 title, which is second in the world this season. Ellis also won Pac-12 titles with the 4x100m & 4x400m relays to lead USC to the team title. Ellis has won seven Pac-12 titles in her career. The Bowerman candidate had the fastest 400m time at the West Regional and advanced to nationals in the 400m, 4x100m & 4x400m relays. USC's 4x100m team set the school record of 42.57 to win at the Mt. SAC Relays, 10th all-time by a college team.
The sophomore Norman was undefeated in every 400m, 200m, 4x100m & 4x400m race he ran this season. He anchored USC's 4x400m relay which ran a time of 3:01.11 at the West Regional, second in the country and third all-time on USC's list by running the second-fastest split ever recorded of 43.06. Norman captured the Pac-12 400m title with a PR of 44.40, second all-time by a Trojan. He won the 200m with a time of 19.84 (+2.8w), the fastest time in the country. The Bowerman candidate became the third male to win the Pac-12 200m & 400m titles in the same season.
USC's Director of Track & Field Smith Gilbert led USC to its first Pac-12 title since 1996 and its first No. 1 ranking since the 2015 season. USC's 170 points scored were its second-most ever at Pac-12 Championships and her athletes won eight of the 21 events. USC's women qualified 12 individuals in 17 events for the NCAA Championships, plus both relays. Smith Gilbert's athletes set four school records and three USC freshman records this season. Smith Gilbert was named Pac-12 Women's Coach of the Year earlier this season.
Hayes guided USC's short hurdlers to first, second, third, fifth and seventh at the Pac-12 Championships to score 30 points in the event and help lead the Trojans to the team title. Four of the hurdlers advanced to the NCAA Championships in the 100m hurdles, with all four ranking inside the USC all-time top seven in the event. She also guided Anna Cockrell to the Pac-12 title in the 400m hurdles, and Cockrell and Shante Robinson advanced to the NCAA Championships in the event. Cockrell earned 18.5 points at the Pac-12 meet.
Watts guided Michael Norman to a Pac-12 400m title with a time of 44.40, second on USC's all-time list. The 4x100m relay won a Pac-12 title and posted two of the top five times ever by Trojans. He also guided Rai Benjamin to a time of 44.74 in the 400m, sixth on USC's all-time list and fifth in the country during the regular season. Watts also led the 4x400m relay team to nationals with the second-fastest time in the country and third-fastest on USC's all-time list. Norman and Ricky Morgan qualified for nationals in the 400m.
The senior Ellis ran the second-fastest women's collegiate 400m of all-time of 49.99 to win the Pac-12 title, which is second in the world this season. Ellis also won Pac-12 titles with the 4x100m & 4x400m relays to lead USC to the team title. Ellis has won seven Pac-12 titles in her career. The Bowerman candidate had the fastest 400m time at the West Regional and advanced to nationals in the 400m, 4x100m & 4x400m relays. USC's 4x100m team set the school record of 42.57 to win at the Mt. SAC Relays, 10th all-time by a college team.
The sophomore Norman was undefeated in every 400m, 200m, 4x100m & 4x400m race he ran this season. He anchored USC's 4x400m relay which ran a time of 3:01.11 at the West Regional, second in the country and third all-time on USC's list by running the second-fastest split ever recorded of 43.06. Norman captured the Pac-12 400m title with a PR of 44.40, second all-time by a Trojan. He won the 200m with a time of 19.84 (+2.8w), the fastest time in the country. The Bowerman candidate became the third male to win the Pac-12 200m & 400m titles in the same season.
USC's Director of Track & Field Smith Gilbert led USC to its first Pac-12 title since 1996 and its first No. 1 ranking since the 2015 season. USC's 170 points scored were its second-most ever at Pac-12 Championships and her athletes won eight of the 21 events. USC's women qualified 12 individuals in 17 events for the NCAA Championships, plus both relays. Smith Gilbert's athletes set four school records and three USC freshman records this season. Smith Gilbert was named Pac-12 Women's Coach of the Year earlier this season.
Hayes guided USC's short hurdlers to first, second, third, fifth and seventh at the Pac-12 Championships to score 30 points in the event and help lead the Trojans to the team title. Four of the hurdlers advanced to the NCAA Championships in the 100m hurdles, with all four ranking inside the USC all-time top seven in the event. She also guided Anna Cockrell to the Pac-12 title in the 400m hurdles, and Cockrell and Shante Robinson advanced to the NCAA Championships in the event. Cockrell earned 18.5 points at the Pac-12 meet.
Watts guided Michael Norman to a Pac-12 400m title with a time of 44.40, second on USC's all-time list. The 4x100m relay won a Pac-12 title and posted two of the top five times ever by Trojans. He also guided Rai Benjamin to a time of 44.74 in the 400m, sixth on USC's all-time list and fifth in the country during the regular season. Watts also led the 4x400m relay team to nationals with the second-fastest time in the country and third-fastest on USC's all-time list. Norman and Ricky Morgan qualified for nationals in the 400m.
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