Trojans Take the Good With Bad

The NCAA Division I outdoor track and field championships are only a day old, and USC has already seen unexpected highs and a very disappointing low.

Felix Sanchez, who came into the championships with the second-best college time in the 400-meter hurdles this year, failed to qualify for Friday’s final with a time of 50.96 seconds Wednesday at Bronco Stadium. It was only the 10th-best time in the preliminaries.

But Jennifer Vail and Pam Simpson turned in personal records in their event finals to give the Trojan women nine points after Day 1, good enough for fourth place.

Vail, working in an inch of water because of early-morning rain, finished sixth in the hammer throw with a toss of 193 feet 2 inches, nearly two feet better than her previous best, for three points.

In the long jump, Simpson went 21 feet 2 1/2 inches, five inches better than her previous best, to finish third and collect six points.

“We’re definitely up on the women,” Trojan Coach Ron Allice said. “There’s no doubt the girls got a lift from the fact Jennifer scored.”

The 4x100 relay team, led by a blistering first 100 from freshman Angela Williams, also impressed, qualifying with the second-fastest time at 43.56, behind only Texas. Also helping the Trojan relay team was Louisiana State.

Winners of the relay seven times this decade, the Tigers failed to qualify after the baton was dropped in the first exchange.

“I feel badly for LSU,” Allice said. “All of us deal with that at one point. Nothing makes my palms sweat like the 4x100. It doesn’t matter how fast you are if you can’t handle the stick.”

Also qualifying for USC was the men’s 4x100 relay, in 39.29. A member of that team, Charles Lee, also qualified for the 200 semifinals in 20.92. USC’s Torri Edwards’ 23.20 also put her in the 200 semifinals. And Brigita Langerholc won her heat in the 800 and will be in Friday’s final.

In the overall standings, the Trojan women trail Southern Methodist, Kansas State and Pittsburgh, all with 10 points. UCLA has two points.

On the men’s side, while USC has yet to score, UCLA is tied for seventh with four points, 20 behind leader Stanford, which swept the top three spots in the 10,000.

UCLA’s points came from Luke Sullivan, who hadn’t thrown since Thursday after injuring his back practicing for the hammer throw but took fifth place with a throw of 194-9.

But the most impressive Bruin was Joanna Hayes in the 400 hurdles. Hayes’ 56.55 led all qualifiers for Friday’s final.

But there was also disappointment for the UCLA women, as Ysanne Williams failed to qualify in the 800 and Christina Bowen did the same in the 3,000.