USC’S OVERWHELMING POWER and depth in the women’s sprints was on full display at the Big 10 in May. They showed there, in their debut in the new 18-team conference, that a Power 5 league title could be won in the final day almost entirely on points in the sprints and relays.
Here Georgia was going to be too strong on the field and across the board. But the Trojans still had a good shot at a top 3 team finish — and it needed to begin with Saturday’s’ first track event, the 4×1 and their stellar quartet of Samirah Moody, Dajaz Defrand, Madison Whyte and Jassani Carter.
The Trojans won the second semi in 42.55 after Florida State had claimed the first in 42.93. The East Coast’s USC, South Carolina, then took the third semi in 42.58, just 0.03 behind the LA crew’s mark. The hype had been building behind the Gamecocks’ JaMeesia Ford, who was attempting a 100/200 double — more battles with the Trojans — and anchoring both relays.
The two USCs were the teams to beat, with Texas A&M, Florida State, TCU and Texas all bunched together with semi times between 42.92 and 43.01. The Trojans lined up in lane 6, with the ’Noles to their inside and the Gamecocks and Aggies in 7 & 8.
LSU got out ahead and handed off first from lane 9, with both USCs and A&M all pretty even. The Trojans and Gamecocks began to close on LSU on the second leg, while Defrand began to make up the stagger on South Carolina’s Cynteria James toward the end.
Few in the college game run the curve better than Whyte, though, and the Trojan soph roared into a lead her team would not relinquish after a great pass from her teammate. Whyte put the stick in Carter’s hand and she powered toward the finish. Ford was expected to launch a fierce charge on the anchor and that she did, closing a big gap in half. But it was clear she was going to run out of track before she could catch Carter.
The Trojans — with exchanges that any national team would envy — finished in a collegiate-leading 42.22, slightly improving their hold on No. 4 school all-time, while the Gamecocks’ 42.40 elevated them from No. 10 to No. 8. Jasmine Montgomery brought A&M home in 3rd at 42.89.
It was the start of a pretty good day for Moody and Whyte, who would sprint in the thick of individual sprint contests later in the meet’s conclusion.
In the interview zone after her individual triumph in the 100, Moody had a chance to contrast that with the relay. “It’s a big deal; the 4×1 feels like tradition,” she said. “It feels like we’re carrying on a legacy. We had some of our former teammates, former Trojans [[TeeTee Terry and Anna Cockrell], come talk to us last week and they told us what it meant to win… so that was for them and for each other.”
The Trojans won back-to-back in ’19 and ’21 (with the Covid year in-between) after taking 3rd in ’18.
WOMEN’S 4 x 100 RESULTS
FINAL (June 14)
1. USC 42.22 (No. 4 school)
(Samirah Moody, Dajaz Defrand, Madison Whyte, Jassani Carter);
2. South Carolina 42.40 (No. 8 school)
(Jayla Jamison, Cynteria James, Zaya Akins, JaMeesia Ford);
3. Texas A&M 42.89
(Jasmine Harmon, Camryn Dickson, Bria Bullard, Jasmine Montgomery);
4. TCU 42.97
(Teanna Harlin, Iyana Gray, London Tucker, Indya Mayberry);
5. Texas 42.98
(Carleta Bernard, Holly Okuku, Kenondra Davis, Ramiah Elliott);
6. Howard 43.23
(Kailei Collins, Marcia Sey, Tiffani-Rae Pittman, Aiyana Gray-Williams);
7. Florida State 43.30
(Lucy May Sleeman, Shenese Walker, Liana Tyson, Doyin Soremi);
8. LSU 43.32
(Machaeda Linton, Nasya Williams, Aniyah Bigam, Tima Godbless);
… dnf—Florida (Quincy Penn, Anthaya Charlton, Gabrielle Matthews, Habiba Harris).
SEMIS (June 12)
I–1. Florida State 42.93; 2. TCU 42.97; 3. Texas 43.01; 4. Howard 43.08; 5. Clemson 43.39; 6. Tarleton State 43.74; 7. Duke 43.77; 8. Oregon 43.94.
II–1. USC 42.55; 2. LSU 43.30; 3. UCLA 43.35; 4. Tennessee 43.36; 5. Utah 43.86; 6. Iowa 43.99; 7. UCF 44.19;… dq—Georgia.
III–1. South Carolina 42.58; 2. Texas A&M 42.92; 3. Florida 43.06; 4. Baylor 43.17; 5. Ohio State 43.32; 6. Stanford 43.98;… dq—Kentucky, Illinois.
