Brissett runs 7.89 to take over collegiate lead, adds to 2019 MPSF and NCAA crowns won at USC, as Longhorns take both team titles for fourth time overall; Usoro achieves best combination long jump and triple jump efforts in history of conference championship meets, closing in Orji’s all-time combined total  

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It didn’t just turn out to be one memorable jumps competition from Texas Tech senior Ruth Usoro at the Big 12 Conference Championships, it was a double feature for the Red Raiders at the Sports Performance Center in Lubbock.

Texas senior Chanel Brissett can not only boast about being the collegiate leader in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, but also now a champion in multiple conferences during her career.

And the Longhorns swept both team championships Saturday, becoming the first school to achieve the feat since they last accomplished the goal in 2015, and securing the men’s and women’s titles together for the fourth time in program history.

Usoro produced the most impressive combined long jump and triple jump performances at a conference meet in collegiate history, surpassing the overall efforts of Georgia’s Keturah Orji at the 2017 Southeastern Conference Championships.

After winning the long jump on the last attempt Friday with a collegiate-leading 22 feet, 4.50 inches (6.82m), Usoro soared 47-1.50 (14.36m) in the third round of the triple jump Saturday to produce the second-best performance in NCAA indoor history.

Usoro is equal to the No. 2 long jump in the world this year and ranks fifth in the triple jump globally. The Nigerian standout combined for 69 feet, 6 inches in the two competitions, more than Orji’s total four years ago.

Orji won the triple jump at the conference final at Vanderbilt with a mark of 46-11.75 (14.32m) and took third in the long jump at 22-0.75 (6.72m), a combined effort of 69-0.50.

Orji still ranks slightly ahead of Usoro as the best combination horizontal jumper in NCAA indoor history, since her triple jump record of 47-8 (14.53m) gives her a total in the two events of 69-8.75.

Brissett, who won a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation indoor 60 hurdles title in 2019 on her way to capturing the Division 1 championship at the CrossPlex in Birmingham, Ala., conquered a second conference Saturday with a collegiate-leading 7.89, equaling the No. 8 all-time collegiate indoor competitor.

“It was definitely my best performance this season,” said Brissett, who equaled the No. 6 competitor in the world this year.

“Every meet my confidence is increasing. I’m running my own race again, so I’m thankful. I think there’s things I need to work on technically, but (coach Edrick Floreal) was very excited.”

Baylor freshman and Jamaican athlete Ackera Nugent, who matched the World U-20 indoor record Friday by running 7.91 in the prelims, took second in the final in 7.98.

Texas also received a sweep from junior Kynnedy Flannel in the women’s 60-meter dash and 200. Flannel held off teammate Kevona Davis by a 7.242 to 7.245 margin in the 60, then prevailed against the Jamaican athlete 22.55 to 22.87 in the 200.

Longhorns senior Micaiah Harris ran 20.38 in the men’s 200 to elevate to No. 4, both in the collegiate rankings and the world, this year. Harris also contributed to a 3:07.20 performance in the 4x400 for Texas, which held off TCU (3:07.33) to secure the team title.

Adrian Piperi won the men’s shot put competition with a mark of 68-10.75 (21.00m) for the Longhorns, who also had junior Stacey Ann Williams prevail in the women’s 400 in 51.60 and freshman Kavicia Patterson capture the 600-yard title in 1:18.85.

Freshman Yusuf Bizimana won the mile in 4:05.44 for Texas, before getting edged by a 1:48.48 to 1:48.49 margin in the men’s 800 by Iowa State sophomore Jason Gomez. The Cyclones also received a 3,000 victory from junior Wesley Kiptoo in 7:57.29.

Baylor senior Aaliyah Miller set a meet record in the women’s 800 by clocking 2:02.98, just off her 2:02.35 effort Feb. 12 at Iowa State, then she contributed to a 3:31.90 championship performance for the Bears in the 4x400.

Oklahoma State had sophomores win both the women’s mile and 3,000 titles. Taylor Roe clocked 4:49.17 in the mile, with Gabby Hentemann taking the 3,000 in 9:22.72.

The Cowboys also had freshman Sivan Auerbach capture the women’s 1,000 championship, prevailing against Kansas State junior Kassidy Johnson by a 2:46.77 to 2:46.81 margin.

Ashton Hicks added a men’s 400 title in 46.02 for Oklahoma State.

Usoro wasn’t the only Texas Tech athlete to triumph, with junior Jacolby Shelton securing the men’s 60-meter dash crown in 6.63, senior Takieddine Hedeilli taking the men’s 1,000 crown in 2:23.70 and junior Sven Cepus running 1:08.57 in the 600-yard final to knock off Baylor freshman Christopher DuPree (1:08.59).

Kansas doubled up in the field events, including the women’s high jump with junior Rylee Anderson winning after clearing 5-11.25 (1.81m) and the women’s shot put, as senior Alexandra Emilianov prevailed with a mark of 54-11.25 (16.74m).

Kansas State senior Tejaswin Shankar cleared 7-3 (2.21m) in the men’s high jump, TCU senior Chengetayi Mapaya won the men’s triple jump with a 54-3.75 (16.55m) effort and Baylor junior Deshaun Jones secured the men’s 60-meter hurdles title by running 7.86.

Oklahoma junior Kristo Simulask triumphed in the men’s heptathlon with 5,569 points.