May 29, 2004

Gainesville, FL – Competing at the NCAA East Regional Outdoor Track and Field Championships, USC qualified ten for the NCAA Championships in Austin, TX June 9-12. USC also qualified it’s women’s 4x100m relay and the women’s 4x400m relay.

At the East Regional, the top five individually in the finals and the top three relays in the finals qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 9-12 in Austin, TX. The USC women were Shevon Stoddart, Khalilah Carpenter, Chiquita Martin, Stephanie Smith, Lashinda Demus, Erica Whipple, Alexis Joyce, Chelsea Hammond, and Precious Akins. Tony Allmond qualified on the men’s side. Lashinda Demus and Tony Allmond won East Regional titles.

Lashinda Demus set two East Regional records today in both the 100m hurdles and the 400m hurdles. Demus ran a 54.77 in the 400m hurdles and a personal best 12.99 in the 100m hurdles. She does qualify for the NCAA Championships in both events.

“Lashinda Demus stepped up to the plate today, and that’s what we expect from her,” said USC Head Coach Curtius Frye. “She’s one of the top runners in the country and to come to this kind of meet and run the times that she ran shows the type of runner that she is. In the 4×1, she ran a great leg to get us in the top three, and to go on to set records in the 100mH and the 400mH is just phenomenal.”

Shevon Stoddart also qualified for the NCAA Championships with a time of 56.79 in the 400m hurdles. Stoddart finished third in the race.

Chiquita Martin ran a 59.16 in the 400m hurdles to finish eighth. She does not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Fred Townsend, injured most of the outdoor season (hamstring), was sixth in the 110m hurdles finals, running a 13.91. He does not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Stephanie Smith, an All-American indoors, finished sixth in the 400m with a time of 52.54. She does not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Shay Shelton ran a 2:15.16 in the 800m finals to finish ninth. She does not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

In the finals of the 200m, Erica Whipple ran a personal best 23.11 to finish fifth. She does qualify for the NCAA Championships. Khahliah Carpenter also ran a personal best 23.49 to finish sixth. She does not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

The women’s 4x100m relay finished second in the finals, with a time of 43.95. The relay did qualify for the NCAA Championships and consisted of Erica Whipple, Lashinda Demus, Alexis Joyce, and Khalilah Carpenter.

The women’s 4x400m relay was third with a time of 3:33.21. The relay does qualify for the NCAA Championships and consisted of Shevon Stoddart, Khalilah Carpenter, Chiquita Martin, and Stephanie Smith.

The men’s 4x400m relay was eighth with a time of 3:10.90. The relay does not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

OTHER FIELD EVENT FINALS FOR USC:

Chelsea Hammond did not clear the opening height of 5’6.5″ in the finals of the women’s high jump.

Precious Akins threw 45’1.5″ in the finals of the women’s shot put. She did not qualify for the NCAA Championships in this event, but did qualify for the women’s discus.

Greig Cryer was ninth in the finals of the men’s triple jump – hitting 49’6.25″. He did not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Rhashida Abdul-Malkik hit 41′ 1/4″ in the finals of the women’s triple jump. She did not qualify for the NCAA Championships. Kemesha Whitmire also in the finals of the women’s triple jump – hit 40’7.5″. She did not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Tony Antonio threw 164’4″ in the finals of the men’s discus. He did not qualify for the NCAA Championships.

NCAA Qualifiers List for NCAA Championships (Austin, TX)

W Discus Precious Akins – 2nd place – 174′ 5 – second best mark in school history

M Long Jump Tony Allmond – CHAMPION – East Regional record – 25′ 9

W Long Jump Chelsea Hammond – 3rd place – 20′ 10

4x100m Relay Erica Whipple, Lashinda Demus, Alexis Joyce, Khalilah Carpenter-2nd Place-43.95 W 100mH Lashinda Demus-CHAMPION-East Regional record-12.99

W 400mH Lashinda Demus-CHAMPION-East Regional record-54.77 Shevon Stoddart-3rd Place-56.79

W200m Erica Whipple-5th Place-23.11

W 4x400m Relay Shevon Stoddart, Khalilah Carpenter, Chiquita Martin, Stephanie Smith-3rd Place-3:33.21