Lena Nilsson is the returning 800 and 1500 meter champion (Erik Palmer/Trackwire) |
However the athletes remained fierce competitors until the very last event which saw Richardson being challenged by Lillia Bush (Stan) for the overall point score. Although Lillia won the 800m, Richardson's close 3rd place was less than a second behind giving her the points necessary for her third consecutive Pac-10 Heptathlon title.
As the meet picks up on this coming Saturday the arrival of the UCLA Bruin women's team will be greatly anticipated, respected and if not, leave the competition in trepidation. The Bruins who finished second nationally at the NCAA Div.1 championships will be going for their seventh straight PAC-10 title among the anguish of the fellow challengers as they evade the onslaught.
Clearly the Bruins are the favorite as they not only return five national champions, they lead seven events demonstrating an across the board depth; quantity and quality. The UCLA-USC dual meet has given the conference a show of UCLA's proficiency on the track. With that said, the meet will become more of a clash for runner-up.
Following their second place last year USC has weakened their offense this year with the lost of athletes like Angela Williams and Natasha Neal. USC leads four events and has welcomed power in the likes of Natasha Mayers who was ranked second nationally last year in the 100m behind her teammate Williams, and Julianna Tudja runner up at conference last year in the hammer.
After finishing third last year Stanford looks to move upwards into the squall among other schools for the viable second place. In the wake of this Stanford enters the meet with leading marks in three events (though not as many as Washington State's four they have the depth in other areas to gather more points).
With a national champion also in their ranks the Cardinal's Lauren Fleshmen is a heavy favorite in 5000m 15:23.94 (national leader and PAC-10 record holder) followed by her teammate Alicia Craig 15:25.75. Furthermore Stanford will score in the 3000m steeple and 1500m among other events.
Sabrina Monro of Washington leads the 10,000m this year with 33:32.28. The distance at conference requires no standard so the apparent lack of marks in the event is negligible. Erin Sullivan the returning champion though has her hands filled as only running 34:10.32 last year at the distance. Monro is clear and away the favorite in this event. If the race becomes tactical of (most likely) expect the Husky to dominant with her solid kick.
Lauren Fleshman, national champion and returning PAC-10 champion is the favorite in the 5000m. Fleshman is closely followed by her teammate Alicia Craig, and Sabrino Monro (15:56.90) from the 10,000m (who will most likely double). Considering the quality of the runners in the race and the championship's history, the race will most likely follow a much faster second half, or numerous surges.
The 3000m Steeplechase is lead by the PAC-10 record holder Lisa Aguilera of Arizona State. Fresh off her performance of 9:51.65 near a week ago she leads Jeane Goff (Stan) 10:24.32 and Melissa Mcbain (UCLA) 10:36.06. Aguilera is also running the 1500m, but her doubling should prove a marginal change in her result this event. The steeple a combination of endurance and power has proved an exciting aspect of the meet. Watch for some fierce competition in the rank and file behind Aguilera if she starts to run away from the field.
The 1500m race could very well be the most surprising and exciting race of the meet. Lena Nilsson two time NCAA indoor national champion (DMR, 800m) and NCAA outdoor champion in the 1500m, she also is the returning Pac-10 champion in the 1500m and the 800m. Being low on the radar she has only run 4:20.13 outdoor so far this season, but with a PB and school record of 4:09.89 last summer; she is the queen of the metric mile.
Following Nilsson is Malindi Elmore 4:17.15 of Stanford and Courtney Inman 4:17.39 of Washington. Considering the race and athletes expect another kicker's race. It is unlikely someone will push it from the gun for the win as Nilsson is far ahead, and it is unlikely that, that could even work. Watch for Nilsson to hang on whomever and wait for a moment to kick. Fleshman finished very well last year, if in the mix expect her to give Nilsson a good run.
Nilsson is not only the queen of the 1500m; her crown encompasses the 800m. Missing current leader and teammate Tiffany Burgess (2:04.54) with a broken toe the junior phenomena Nilsson leads the event with a 2:04.67i (2:02.26 PB). The returning champion faces her closest competition from Senior's Courtney Inman of Washington 2:07.04 (2:06.46 PB) and Eri MacDonald of Oregon 2:07.40 (2:06.37 PB).
Once again the possibilities in such a race are numerous; Nilsson has shown to kick down even her teammates, and indoor managed a very crowded race for the title. Inman is most likely doubling like Nilsson which leaves Eri MacDonald most likely the freshest of the group.
The 400m is lead by Olympian Monique Henderson of UCLA. The bruin sophomore has posted 52.23 (50.74 High school record) this season and looks to double here or in the 200m and 4*400m. Following in the rankings Cassandra Reed of Arizona State has run 53.45, a new personal best for the sophomore. Angel Perkins (Ariz) rounds out the top three with 53.83, whom was also the one who gave Henderson her only lost in high school.
The dark horse Adia Mckinnon (UCLA) who was third last year has a PB of 52.86 and was 2001 champ in the event. The returning champ Nakiya Johnson (USC) has only run 54.03 (52.17PB), and was absent from the USC-UCLA dual.
Although the 200m is lead by Trojan star Natasha Mayers (23.00, 22.80 PB), the 200m outdoor NCAA champion and Olympian was absent from the USC-UCLA dual, which saw Henderson ranked second (23.49i, 23.04 PB) take the 200m ahead of Miya Edmonson (23.78). If Mayers makes an appearance she is the favorite, otherwise Henderson will most likely take it.
Mayers besides leading the 200m is the 100m leader (11.09). Mayers' teammate Edmonson (11.62) is ranked next and Seynabou Ndiaye 11.66 of Arizona third. If one stumbles or DQ's watch out for a total upset, the 100m will sure to get the crowd standing on their toes as usual.
Hurdler Sheena Johnson (UCLA) a four time PAC-10 champion (400H, 4*400 2yrs in a row) will be looking to complete a double in the individual events; 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles, the latter of which she is the returning champion. Last year in the 100 hurdles Johnson had to settle for second, this year her 13.34 (PB) leads the conference.
Not only does UCLA lead the event but they have valuable resources in Dawn Harper (13.42) and Sani Roseby (13.52). Though in the cards Trojan Virginia Powell's 13.39 ranks in at second, her absence meant a sweep of the event at the USC-UCLA dual by the Bruins previously mentioned. With Ellannee Richardson (WSU) also at 13.52, watch out for some ferocious competition and a possible Bruin sweep of the event.
Johnson (57.79, 56.56 PB) who is currently ranked 10th nationally in the 400m hurdles will be going for her third consecutive win in the event. Lindsey Johnson (Stan) second at 58.84 and Deanna Salton (Cal) third at 58.93 will be giving chase.
The relays remain an area of hotly contested points. The 4*100meter runner-up from last year, ASU will seemingly grab the win with the leading mark of 44.27, followed by UCLA at 44.52 and USC at 44.68. With less than half a second between the top three schools pay attention to the equally talented sprinters load with spirit and courage for the win. The race like the 100m will surely get the meet started with the crowd on their toes.
The 4*400m is lead by the Bruins at 3:33.24i, the defending champions in the event they look to defend themselves from Stanford squad (3:34.82) and Washington State University (3:35.49i). The times though are misleading by themselves, UCLA and WSU have not run a relay team outdoor yet, they have been probably been saving their athletes because of the newly created regional meets. The Bruins finished third nationally last year and with the fastest time coming in they look to repeat.
A complex and highly variable event; the high jump will be hotly contested. The event has been dominated in the past by the Cougar's Whitney Evans (1.85m) as she will be going for a three-peat. But a bit of a rising star Spring Harris (USC) at 1.84m has made great improvement after switching from the heptathlon.
She will surely finish much higher than last year's 12th and will give Evans her closest challenge. Rounding out the top three Kimberly Stone (Stan) who finished third last year is at 1.80m. Runner up from last year Jenny Brogdon (Ore) ranking currently with a 1.70m is in a four-way tie for sixth. Although she has jumped 1.76m she will have hard time placing as high.
The pole vault finds returning champion Amy Linnen (Ariz, 4.39m) behind last years third place finisher Becky Holliday (Ore, 4.40m). The California native Holliday finished third nationally behind Linnen and looks to overtake her compatriot for the win. Linnen a national indoor champ and NCAA record holder will be a tough cookie. Not alone Holliday finds a fellow Duck Niki McEwen in third with a 4.30m. Not to be outdone a fellow Wildcat Connie Jerez (4.15m) follows the dishy Linnen. Watch for the pair of Ducks and Wildcats to jostle for the points amongst themselves.
The long jump leaders are divided up between Arizonan and Southern Californian Schools. Leading the event long jump is returning champ Tiffany Greer (6.17) of ASU. Greer faces closest competition from Sharifa Jones (Ariz) at 6.10m, Erin Williams (USC) at 6.04m and Caundice Bauchman (UCLA) at 6.03m. Bauchman the leader in the triple jump 13.02m will encounter the fiercest competition from Brittany Roberts (Wash) 12.61m and Blessing Ufodiama (WSU) 12.48m.
The ring finds a stiff group of UCLA throwers holding fifty percent of the top four spots. Beginning with the shot put returning champion, and third place finisher in the NCAA outdoors; Jillian Camarena (17.03) of Stanford. The other top spots are filled with Bruin's Chaniqua Ross and Jessica Cosby at 16.69m and 16.66m respectfully. Cosby the 2002 outdoor national champion was runner-up last year but has a best of almost a meter farther than the leader. Cosby and Camarena should present a great contest of strength and agility.
The ring holds more in store in the case of the discus. Chaniqua Ross the reigning outdoor national champion and returning champ leads the event with a 55.95m, ahead of ASU's Sandra Orsund (54.49) and Mary Etter (Ore) at 54.65. Ross looks to maintain her dominance and will repeat. Watch for Lara Saye (UCLA) who threw 54.94m last year to mingle in the mix for points.
The third event in the ring the hammer is lead by a pair from USC and followed by another pair from UCLA. Trojans Julianna Tudja and L'Orangerie Crawford mark's of 66.58m and 63.90 are ahead of Bruin's Cari Soong (63.64m PB 63.97) and Jessica Cosby (61.14). The favorite Tudja was runner-up last year, should prove interesting if there is an upset.
The last throwing event the javelin finds the PAC-10 record holder and 2001 national champion Inga Stasiulionyte (USC) going for her third title in the event. Leading at 54.02m (56.95m PB) the Lithuanian native is the overwhelming favorite to duplicate her win. Julia DeMarni (48.70m) of Arizona and Oregon's Elisa Crumley (48.15m) pursue behind. Absent this year runner up Sarah Malone (54.61m) of Oregon appears to not be in the mix.
Summary:
The UCLA squad with the multitude of individual leaders will collect by the
end of the meet a large enough margin to win the 2003 PAC-10 title with breathing
room if they can also score their runner ups in half as many events. Thus the
key for them will be those across the board consistency in depth. This is why
with 5 individual wins at NCAA indoors they still were only able to finish second.
The runner-up after UCLA is a toss up between Stanford and USC. This odd pair
is equaled matched in terms of point potential. USC will be scoring deep, possibly
winning 4 events to Stanford's potential 2. The difference being that
Stanford's depth in other areas means they have twice as many second place
scorers and but half as many third placers as USC. The key for USC is not being
upset in the sprints and scoring deep in many as possible events. The meet's
scoring going 8-deep means that individual winners alone cannot guarantee a
win and schools like Stanford (few individual champs) with pairs and durable
doubles can swing points back and forth. With UCLA leading the pack, and an
almost tie for second place. The story is the same among the next pair of schools;
Arizona and Washington. Each have very similar potential point scorers; with
two leaders and similar runner ups. As if that was not enough WSU, ASU, and
Oregon have very similar potential point scorers giving a thin spread between
those schools.
Rankings
1. UCLA
2. USC
3. Stanford
4. Arizona
5. Washington
6. WSU
7. ASU
8. Oregon
9. Cal