TRACK AND FIELD NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS : Louisiana State Sweeps Men’s, Women’s Titles

California’s Sheila Hudson fulfilled a promise by breaking her American record in the triple jump and Wisconsin’s Suzy Favor completed an illustrious career by winning a record ninth title at the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Duke University Saturday night.

Louisiana State swept the men’s and women’s titles for the second year in a row, the only team to achieve such a sweep. The men had 44 points to 36 for indoor champion Arkansas and 34 for Baylor. The Lady Tigers won their fourth consecutive title with 53 points, led by sprinter Esther Jones. UCLA had 46 and Wisconsin 42. The UCLA women finished second for the third consecutive year.

Hudson, in her final college meet, leaped 46 feet three-quarters of an inch to complete a jump double. She won the long jump Friday.

Favor’s final college meet ended with her fourth consecutive 1,500-meter title that, along with her 800 victory Friday, gave her two championships for the meet.

Jones led LSU by sweeping the 100- and 200-meter races Saturday night after anchoring the Tigers to victory in the 400-meter relay Friday night. She took the 100 in a wind-aided 11.14 seconds and the 200 in 22.49, the fastest by an American this year.

After winning the long jump Friday night, Hudson said she would take a serious shot at the triple jump record of 45-5 1/4 she set in 1987 at San Jose.

She made good on her promise twice. On her second attempt, she sailed 45-7 3/4, improving the record by 2 1/2 inches. On her fifth jump, she became the first American to jump 46 feet.

Hudson’s jump was the best in the world outdoors this year.

The triple jump title was Hudson’s third in an outdoor championship.

Favor, a senior with a cross-country season of eligibility remaining, swept to an unprecedented fourth consecutive title in the outdoor 1,500 meters. She pulled away down the final straightaway for a seven-meter victory over Tennessee’s Jasmin Jones in 4 minutes 8.26 seconds, the fastest by a collegian this year.

Favor, who never has lost in the NCAA championships, won her first outdoor 800-meter title Friday night. She also has won three NCAA indoor titles in the mile and one indoors at 3,000 meters. In four years at Wisconsin, she won 54 of 56 races against college competition, the last 40 in a row.

Steve Lewis of UCLA, 1988 Olympic 400-meter gold medalist, won his first NCAA title, in 45.19 seconds.

UCLA’s Tracie Millett became the fourth woman and first Bruin woman to win two titles when she put the shot 53 feet 7 inches. She won the discus at 183-9 Friday.

She and Janeene Vickers lent luster to an otherwise disappointing showing by UCLA’s women.

“Obviously we wanted to come out on top, but I was very proud of the kids tonight,” UCLA Coach Bob Kersee said. “Janeene and Tracie showed the quality of athlete they are today.”

Vickers defended her title in the 400-meter hurdles, winning in the time of 55.40 seconds.

She also placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a wind-aided time of 13.05 seconds, a personal best. And she anchored the 1,600-meter relay team that finished fourth in 3:32.88.

In men’s competition, UCLA finished 10th with 22 points, and USC scored only nine points.

Track Notes

USC’s Travis Hannah was sixth in 45.90 and UCLA’s Mike Stevenson was eighth in 46.60. . . . USC’s Mark Crear was third in the 110-meter high hurdles with a personal best legal time of 13.65 seconds. . . . UCLA’s John Knight finished fifth in the hammer throw at 210-9 and Eric Bergreen was eighth in the shotput with a mark of 59-7 1/2.