Norman, Benjamin excel in 400 meters and 400 hurdles before contributing to 4x400 relay title; Houston takes down 4x100 record, with Burrell, Hall taking top two spots in 100

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE – Houston set the collegiate record in the men’s 4x100-meter relay and had three of those athletes also earn All-America honors in the 100-meter dash, but those weren’t even the most impressive sprint performances Friday at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field.

USC set three collegiate records in as many races, with Michael Norman winning the 400 in 43.61 seconds to elevate to the No. 6 all-time performer, including the fifth-fastest American, moving ahead of former Texas A&M standout Fred Kerley, who set the mark last year by running 43.70.

Rai Benjamin clocked 47.02 seconds in the 400 hurdles to equal the No. 2 performance in history belonging to Edwin Moses, eclipsing the collegiate record of 47.56 set in 2005 by Florida’s Kerron Clement. Only the world record of 46.78 set in 1992 by American Kevin Young remains ahead of Benjamin.

The prolific pair teamed with Ricky Morgan Jr. and Zach Shinnick to cap the meet with a collegiate record 2:59.00 in the 4x400 relay, lowering the standard of 2:59.59 established in 2005 by LSU. The 4x400 title was the first for USC since 1977.

Houston’s Cameron Burrell, Elijah Hall, John Lewis III and Mario Burke clocked 38.17 in the 4x100 relay to break the 1989 collegiate record of 38.23 set by Texas Christian. The Cougars became the first program to repeat as champions since Florida in 2009-10.

Burrell and Hall finished first and second in the 100 in 10.13 and 10.17, with Burke placing eighth in 10.41. It marked the first time since 1983 that male teammates took the top two spots in the 100.

Burrell’s victory was the sixth in program history in the 100, including the first since 1994.

Texas Tech’s Divine Oduduru won the 200 in 20.28, edging Florida State’s Andre Ewers (20.29), for the program’s first championship in the event.