Jones More Than Up to Speed for Bruin Women

She won an unprecedented nine Illinois state titles during her career at Waukegan High and was a Track & Field News magazine all-American in the 200 meters last year.

But nothing that UCLA freshman Shakedia Jones had done prepared her for her performance against USC and Brigham Young in a double-dual meet before 2,713 at Drake Stadium on Saturday.

Jones won the 100 in 11.11 seconds, the 200 in 22.84, ran the second leg on the winning 400 relay team that clocked 43.49 and the third leg on the 1,600 relay that finished second in 3:33.27 to help the Bruins to a pair of victories.

UCLA, the No. 2-ranked team in the nation by TrackWire, defeated No. 5 USC, 104-50, and No. 3 Brigham Young, 91-66. USC defeated BYU, 78-75.

Jones’ time in the 100 was a personal best by four-tenths of a second and moved her into a tie for second on this year’s national collegiate list.

Her 200 clocking was the fastest collegiate time in the nation this year and crushed her previous best of 23.58 set during the indoor season.

“I still can’t believe I ran that fast,” Jones said. “I had a bad start in the 100 and I still ran 11.11.”

USC junior Torri Edwards beat Jones out of the starting blocks in both the 100 and 200, but finished second in both races with personal bests of 11.11 and 22.88.

Juniors Joanna Hayes and Andrea Anderson were the other standouts for UCLA, which defeated USC for the sixth consecutive time to improve its series record to 12-3.

Hayes won the 100-meter high hurdles in a personal best and collegiate-leading 12.93, the 400 lows in a season-best 57.09 and ran legs on both relays.

Anderson won the 400 in a personal best of 51.48 to move to second on the yearly collegiate list, placed third in the 200 in 23.37 and ran legs on both relays.

UCLA’s 400 relay team moved to third on the yearly collegiate list with its 43.49 clocking.

“Everyone keeps saying that UCLA’s sprinters and hurdlers don’t show up when it’s time to run,” Anderson said. “But we did today.”

UCLA defeated USC, 84-74, and Brigham Young, 89-70, in the men’s meet. The Trojans edged Brigham Young, 81-80.

UCLA has now won 20 consecutive dual meets against USC, although the Trojans still lead the series, 38-27.

The UCLA men didn’t produce as many noteworthy marks as the women, but seniors Scott Slover and Mark Hauser helped the Bruins overcome the loss of freshman sprinter Bryan Harrison, who strained a hamstring during the second leg of the 400 relay.

Slover led UCLA to a 1-3 finish in the pole vault by clearing 18 feet 1 inch and Hauser led the Bruins to a 1-2 finish in the 1,500 with a personal best of 3:41.97.

Junior Jerome Davis of USC won the 400 and 200 in personal bests of 45.19 and 20.51 and ran the anchor leg on the winning 400 relay team that clocked 39.78.