NCAA Women’s Track and Field Championship Ends in Dramatic Fashion

The Southern California Trojans won the NCAA Track and Field Championships with an overall score of 53 points. USC was trailing Georgia by nine points heading into the final race, the 4X400, at current Hayward Field. With Purdue leading the race and Oregon in second, USC anchor Kendall Ellis ran down her two opponents, taking the race and the championship. Overall the Ducks finished in seventh place. The best finish for Oregon was 1500-meter runner Jessica Hull, who won the race with a time of four minutes and 8.75 seconds. In the 400-meter race, Oregon sophomore Makenzie Dunmore pulled up toward the end and struggled to finish. Lilli Burdon had a great last race in Hayward Field, finishing third in the 5000-meters with a time of 15 minutes and 43.22 seconds. Many other women had notable performances as well. Karissa Schweizer of Missouri continued her dominace as she won the 5000 meter and overall sixth NCAA title. Maggie Ewen of Arizona State double dipped in the field events, Ewen won the shot put and the discus. Keturah Orji of Georgia won her seventh NCAA triple jump title. Lynna Irby of Georgia set a meet record and ran a personal best time 49.80, in the women’s 400. This was the last meet and NCAA Championship at Historic Hayward Field before the renovations begin this summer. Next years NCAA Championship will take place at the University of Texas.

Meet Story (by Gabriel Ornelas)