April 2, 2007
Running a world leader in three events — USC junior Natasha Hastings set a school record this past weekend and had her feet in on three track records at this past weekend’s Weems Baskin Sprint Relays in Columbia. USC Head Coach Track and Field Curtis Frye called Hastings’ performance one of the best he has ever seen.
“I feel great and even though I ran really fast this weekend, I still feel like there is more in there. That’s kind of a scary feeling, but I feel really pleased right now,” said Hastings, a junior from Rosedale, N.Y. who is also a member of the USC Honors College. “We beat some really good people – Olympic medalists! – in the 4×1 and the 4×4 and so that’s great. I could see their nerves before the race – the freshmen on the relay – and so I worked to help calm them. It was a really good feeling to know I have become one of the leaders. It’s a great feeling to know that I have people looking up to me and depending on me, but I look up to them and depend on them, too.”
Hastings ran a 50.55 to win the 400m at the Weems Baskin Sprint Relays and shattered former NCAA champion and 2000 Olympian Miki Barber’s school and track record of 50.63 – set in 2001 when she won the SEC title. Her time of 50.55 is the fifth fastest time ever run by a collegiate.
In addition – Hastings was part of two other track records on the weekend. She teamed up with Ronnetta Alexander, Chiquita Martin and Brandi Cross to break the 4x100m relay record at 43.25, breaking the old track record of 43.48 set by USC in 2001 in winning the SEC 4x100m relay title.
And finally, Hastings ran a leg of the 4x400m relay, joining Cross, Martin and Krystal Cantey in breaking the track record also set by USC to win the SEC title in 2001. The relay’s time was 3:30.98.
All three of those times (400m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay) are the best in the nation on the collegiate list and are world leaders thus far this outdoor season.
“I am not sure I have had one better than Natasha’s. This fits in the same category as Aleen Bailey winning the 100m and 200m at the 2003 NCAA Championships, Terrence Trammell winning the silver medal as a college junior at the 2000 Sydney Olympics – a long list, but those were all at Championships,” said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye. “Natasha has battled injury the past two years and this year she is healthy. She had a really good fall, came back early from Christmas break and went through a process of maturation to get where she is. We are excited about her future.”
USC will travel to Gainesville, Fla. Fri, April 6 and Sat., April 7 for the Pepsi Florida Relays before returning home on Wed., April 11 to host the USATF State meet. All three records were set by USC in winning SEC titles at the 2001 SEC Championship hosted by Carolina.
“I am really pleased with the way our 4×1 and 4×4 ran this weekend,” said Frye. “We are leading the NCAA right now in those races and their performance was extraordinary this weekend. That’s without Shalonda Solomon so that’s even more impressive. The women in the 4×1 ran against a number of former NCAA champions – including Demetria Washington, Monique Hennagan, Tacita Bass and Alexis Joyce – and so that is a very good time against very, very good competition. In the 4×4 they ran against Washington, Hennagan, Bass and Tiffany Ross-Williams.
“I am elated that Natasha is running so well. She has paid the price and fallen into a system that works and has bought in. Sometimes it takes awhile for them to buy in and she has been healthy this year,” said Frye. “Sometimes when you have a lot of success it’s hard to change systems, but she has been really receptive to the things she’s done. We are thrilled and this will be a very long year for her if she continues to stay healthy and run well – the NCAA Championships in early June, the USA Championships in late June in Indianapolis and the World Championships in August in Japan. We have try to make sure we prepare for those things today and keep our eye on how many races she runs. She has done a wonderful job and we are really excited to run so fast.”
