LSU Tigers Pile Up 84 Points And Win First Outdoor Title Since 2002

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LIVE RESULTS

PREVIEW - 10 Storylines

TEAM SCORES  - LSU wins with 84. Oregon 53 points. North Carolina A&T 35 points

 

Friday, June 11

High Jump Final

JuVaughn Harrison of LSU, the greatest combo high jumper and long jumper all-time in the world, pulled off an historic "triple double" -- completing his third sweep of the NCAA long and high jump titles. He first performed the feat at the 2019 Outdoor championships and he did it for a second time at the 2021 Indoor championships. Harrison cleared 7-7.75 (2.33m), then took three attempts and a potential collegiate record 7-10 (2.39m). 

Winner - JuVaughn Harrison, LSU

What He Said - "It’s very meaningful for me to have the most (individual) championships in LSU men's history. I felt really great going into my 7-7.75 (2.33m) jump. I feel like in jumps everyone’s always pushing each other to be better, so it meant a lot to have all of them out there watching and supporting me."

Discus Final

Arizona State's Turner Washington broke out as a two-event star during the winter and he added the discus title to the shot put crown he won on Wedneaday, throwing 208-1 (63.42m).

Winner - Turner Washington, Arizona State

What He Said - "It feels great. It’s something that is not done every year. I felt pressure coming off of my groin injury and especially because there are so many guys in both events who are so strong and capable of big throws. I won, but wish I could have done more. But a win is a win. But this is why we come to ASU. It's thrower’s university."

 

4x100 Relay Final

Terrance Laird caught and passed Georgia's Matthew Boling on the homestretch and brought LSU the win in 38.48 seconds. The win sets the table for the Tigers, trying to win the team title for the first time since 2002. Georgia was second in 38.54 and Florida State was next in 38.60. It was LSU's 10th 4x100 title, the most of any school. 

Winner - LSU, Akanni Hislop (3rd leg)

What He Said - "We take a lot of pride in this one. We concentrate a lot on our exchanges and handoffs, and we make sure that everybody is on the same page. We want to do our best all the time. I've been here for all for years, and this is honestly one of the best anchor legs we've had. We basically expect it from (Terrance). It's almost like if it doesn't happen, then something is wrong."

 

1,500 Final

Oregon's Cole Hocker played everything to perfection, staying behind Notre Dame's Yared Nuguse and Alabama's Eliud Kipsang until there was 300 meters left, at which point Hocker shifted into overdrive and moved past Kipsang, then Ole Miss' Waleed Suliman, and finallly Nuguse, the defending champion and collegiate record holder. Hocker got the lead on the outside and squeezed down the space on the rail so that Nuguse was essentially stuck behind him in the sprint to the finish. Hocker ran 3:35.35 and narrowly missed Sydney Maree's 1981 meet record (3:35.30). Hocker has now won three NCAA titles this year, building upon his mile and 3,000-meter wins at the Indoor championships. 

Winner - Cole Hocker, Oregon

What He Said - "I was happy with the pace I went out, it wasn’t crazy fast. At 800 or so there was some knocking I had to deal with, but I felt really good and I felt really confident with my finishing speed. Coming onto the last 150 I heard all the fans in Hayward just erupt and it gave me so much adrenaline."

 

Triple Jump Final

Oregon's Emmanuel Ihemeje jumped a collegiate-leading 56-2.75 (17.14m) on his first attempt to take a commanding lead in the event. The lead indeed lasted and Ihemeje competed an Indoor/Outdoor championship sweep. 

Winner - Emmanuel Ihemeje, Oregon

What He Said - "It’s such an amazing vibe and emotion in Hayward Field. Competing in the NCAA finals at home was such a pleasure and honor. I did my best, and I hope they enjoyed the show. It’s such an amazing emotion, I’m speechless. It’s not all about myself, because every detail the staff had me fix, and we had a nice result at the end."

 

 

3,000 Steeplechase Final

Oklahoma State's Ryan Smeeton appeared to have the momentum going to take the lead over the final barrier with 80 meters to go but he clipped it and tumbled to the ground, allowing Kigen Chemadi of Middle Tennessee State to speed away to the win in 8:28.20, a college-leading time this spring. Chemadi's win is the first for MTSU in any event since 2003.

Winner - Kigen Chemadi, Middle Tennessee State

What He Said - "I went for it the final lap. I knew I was just going to go for it. Whatever happens, I was just going to go and finish the race. In training, we’ve been doing exactly what we wanted to get the win. I think I was able to win with strength more than the kick because most of the guys couldn’t withstand the last two laps."

 

 

110 Hurdles Final

Out of Lane 2, Robert Dunning of Alabama executed a fantastic race and ran 13.25 for a dominant win. Dunning won the East Preliminary with a lifetime best 13.24. Iowa's Jaylan McConico was second with 13.38 and is teammate Jamal Britt was fourth with 13.45. Dunning's hurdles title is the first for the Crimson Tide since Ron Bramlett won back to back in 2002 and 2003. Damion Thomas of LSU, the indoor 60 hurdles champion, finished eighth. That was a hit on the formchart for the Tigers, but they can afford it because of what's happening elsewhere. 

Winner - Robert Dunning, Alabama

What He Said - "It feels good, especially coming back after Wednesday. If you would have asked me in high school if I was going to go to Alabama, I wouldn’t have known I would go to 'Bama. I was probably more of an LSU fan in high school."

 

100 Final

LSU's Terance Laird, building on the momentum of a sensational anchor leg of the 4x100, came from behind to pass Oregon's Micah Williams and got to the finish line first, in 10.05. Williams looked like he might gap the other finalists and was in front through about 70 meters when he started to tighten up a bit. Houston's Shaun Maswanganyi caught Williams, too, but Laird closest the fastest. Maswanganyi was second in 10.09 and Williams was third in 10.11. Florida State's JoVaughn Martin was fourth in 10.12.

Winner - Terrance Laird, LSU

What He Said - "I just wanted to come out here and contribute to the team, and take it one race at a time. It started with the 4x100 and we capitalized on that momentum. The whole day was the LSU show. We’re champions. I think we deserve it, we worked hard."

 

 

400 Final

Randolph Ross, son of the North Carolina A&T coach Duane Ross, ran an awesome final 100 and clocked 43.85 to become the No. 9 American of all-time with a big PR that approached the meet and facility record of Michael Norman in 2018 (43.61). It looked like the HBCU finalists, Ross and teammate Trevor Stewart, might go 1-2. But Stewart tied up in the final 50 and finished fourth in 44.96. Bryce Deadmon of Texas A&M (44.44) and Noah Williams of LSU (44.93) moved up to second and third. 

Winner - Randolph Ross, North Carolina A&T

What He Said - "I think I executed pretty well. I had a little stumble coming out of the blocks, but I was able to refocus and run my race good. In the last 100, I just had more in the tank and it led me to that time. Going into Trials, I know what I can actually do now, seeing 43.8 was shocking as I crossed the line. Being only 20 and running against the best in the world is a blessing."

 

800 Final

USC had 120 overall individual NCAA men's titles before Isaiah Jewett became the first to win one in the 800. Jewett went with the ambitious early pace of Brandon Miller from Texas A&M. Jewett refused to yield and had the lead after they both went through the 400 in 50.9. Jewett had a slight lead on Miller along the backstretch and went through 600 in 1:16. Jewett kept churning, building a lead and hitting the finish line in 1:44.68 for No. 8 in collegiate history. Miller was second in 1:44.97. Oregon's Charlie Hunter came up late to stab third place away from Finley McLear of Miami (Ohio), in 1:45.75.

Winner - Isaiah Jewett, USC

What He Said - "It feels amazing. Honestly, who doesn’t want to make history? I think that’s everybody’s goal when they’re running. USC has such a big history in the sprints, hurdles and jumps, so I’m glad to be a part of history for the 800. I’m just so happy that I was a part of it for the little amount of time I was with them. It’s so amazing that I was a part of the whole culture and family."

 

 

400 Hurdles Final

LSU's Sean Burrell, a Louisiana native, broke the World U-20 record in the finals with a sensational time of 47.85 seconds. Meanwhile, LSU's team title is etched in stone. 

Winner - Sean Burrell, LSU

What He Said - "As a 400 runner, I have different running skills. My second 200 is my strength. Honestly, I believed I could run 47. It’s an honor just winning it.

"You mention 2002, that is the year I was born. It’s been 19 years. It’s a blessing and an honor. It represents not just Louisiana but everyone."

 

200 Final

Florida's Joe Fahnbulleh overcame his usual slugglish start and ate up the deficit he had over the final 100 and edged out LSU's Terrance Laird to win the 200 meters in 19.91, securing the first title for the Gators in the event since Dedric Dukes in 2014.  READ MORE ABOUT FAHNBULLEH AND HOPIKINS MN Fahbulleh's time puts him third on the U.S. list for 2021. It's alsop No. 8 in collegiate history. The win prevented Laird from becoming the first man to win the 4x100, 100 and 200 in the same meet since Walter Dix of Florida State in 2007. Fahnbulleh is considering representing Liberia at the Olympic Games and is not entered in the U.S. Trials. 

Winner - Joe Fahnbulleh, Florida

What He Said - "My plan was to execute my own race, my own space. I stick consistent to my own space and when I get off the curve, I'm gone. It just means the world that I can bring home another gold for us."

 

5,000 Final

In another super-fast distance race, there was drama with 200 to go when Athanas Kioko from Campbell momentarily went by NAU's Luis Grijalva and Oregon's Cooper Teare. That seemed to light a fuse under Teare, who stepped out to lane 2 and accelerated past both men and then sprinted to the finish line in 13:12.27 -- breaking the Oregon school record held by Billy McChesney Jr and crushing the meet record by six seconds. Grijalva was second in 13:13.14. Kioko was third in 13:14.47. And Cole Hocker, who doubled back from the 1,500 and completely lost touch with the leaders in the 5,000, rallied from ninth to fourth on the final lap with a 56-second close. Teare's time trails only the legendary Henry Rono of Washington State and is the fastest collegian in 43 years. 

Winner - Cooper Teare, Oregon

What He Said - "Surreal. With 800 meters to go it looked like we needed 1:57 and we've been closing like that in workouts. We've been working for that (Olympic) standard all season."

 

4x400 Relay Final

The Aggies of NC A&T sought to make history, perhaps even break USC's collegiate record, in the 4x400 relay. Randolph Ross, the 400-meter champion, went on the second leg and drew the Aggies into the lead. Trevor Stewart brought the baton home as Stephen F. Austin and Texas A&M gave chase. But the HBCU got it done, with 3:00.91. That brought the team 10 points and moved them up to third on scoreboard with 35 points. Stephen F. Ross, which got a scintillating anchor of 43.45 from freshman Auhmad Robinson, placed second in 3:01.52 in its first ever 4x400 finals appearance.

Winner - North Carolina A&T, Trevor Stewart anchor

What He Said - "Going into the last leg I always know what I have to do and what’s expected of me. I have a saying when we get in line, 'You take care of me, I take care of you.' This whole year we’ve been pushing ourselves harder and harder. We eat, sleep and live this. This is what we do. They got me really excited. They pump me up, I pump them up. If one of us can do it, we all can do it."

 

  

Wednesday, June 9

Prelims Notes 

Five sprinters qualified for both the 100-and 200-meter finals -- Matthew Boling of Georgia, Davonte Burnett of USC, Joe Fahnbulleh of Florida, Terrance Laird of LSU and Shaun Maswanganyi of Houston. The fastest qualifer in the 100 was freshman Micah Williams of Oregon, who ran 10.11 in the semifinal. In the 200, Fahnbulleh was the fastest with 20.05. 

An incredibly fast first heat of the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase saw eight runner go under 8:34. Jackson Mestler of Oregon was the last man out, running a personal best time of 8:33.52.

LSU's team chances remained strong with some plusses wiping out the negative of not getting the 4x400 relay through to the final. The Tigers remain overwhelming favorites to win the team title for the first time since 2002. 

North Carolina A&T, with the best track program in HBCU history, fortified its position in the finals with the first-and third-fastest qualifirs in the men's 400, with Trevor Stewart and Randolph Ross. They both ran on the fastest 4x400 relay as well. 

 

10,000m Final

- A big group clung together on meet record pace for 25 laps in perfect, cool conditions. It came down to a sprint to the finish as BYU's Conner Mantz tried to hold the lead from 450 meters out. But at the end, Mantz drifted away from the rail just enough to let Tulsa's Patrick Dever go by in the final 40 meters, capturing the first title for the Golden Hurricane since Marc Scott in 2017. Mantz fought off Northern Arizona's Abdihamid Nur and Georgetown's Robert Brandt to hold onto second. The top 10 finishers broke the 1979 meet record held by Suleiman Nyambui of Texas-El Paso (28:01.30). 

WINNER - Patrick Dever, Tulsa

What He Said - "I just stayed patient and fortunately the rail opened up down the home straight and I was able to sneak the win. When I was coming around the bend, I was really just hoping that the rail was going to open up because I was kind of a little bit boxed in. Sometimes it pays off. Most of the time when I watch races, the leader does drift out ever so slightly, so I figured I'd take my chances and I'm very glad it did (open up), for sure."

Hammer Throw Final 

- Florida's Thomas Mardal, the favorite, launched a lifetime best throw of 251-9 (76.74m) on his second attempt to take a commanding lead in the competition. It's the farthest throw in the NCAA Championships since 2016. Mardal's throw held up for the win and the first men's title in the event for the Gators. Kansas' Gleb Dudarev overcame two early fouls to move up to second on his fifth attempt, with 244-6 (74.53m). 

WINNER - Thomas Mardal, Florida

What He Said -  "Obviously, if you look at (winning the indoor weight throw as well as the hammer throw) from a historical perspective, it's a very big achievement, and I was able to do it with pretty good results as well, so this season has been incredible for me, and I'm very proud of the consistency I've been able to do and performing well at big meets.

 

Pole Vault Final 

- Sophomore Branson Ellis from Stephen F. Austin outlasted the field and won with 18-6.50 (5.65m) and then cleared 18-8.25 (5.70m) to become the first men's champion in any event in program history. He then put the bar up to a personal-best height of 19-1 (5.82m), but missed. In 2019, Ellis was the Pan American Under-20 champion. The pole vault competition lasted three and a half hours and endured rain showers. 

WINNER - Branson Ellis, Stephen F. Austin

What He Said -  "It's very humbling. Coming into the meet, I wanted to try to compete with the top dogs and stay up there with them. Obviously the end goal is to try to win it, but it's just surreal. Words can't describe the feeling, just to win it in the first place means so much."

 

Javelin Throw Final 

- LSU's Tzuriel Pedigo gave his team a big lift with a sixth-round throw of 252-7 (76.98m) that leap-frogged him from seventh to first, ahead of Mississippi State freshman DJ Jonsson, who finished second with 251-9 (76.73m). It was the first javelin title for LSU since Delmon McNabb in 1967.

SE Louisiana freshman Franck Disanza had a big throw in the first flight, with 74.71m (245-1). That held up for sixth place overall. 

WINNER - Tzuriel Pedigo, LSU

What He Said -  "Actually, it's unbelievable and it's crazy, and I'm still not fully aware of what happened out there, but it feels great and I'm glad I could represent my team well and I'm glad I got 10 points for my team, because that's above everything else and besides all the accolades. I'm just happy I went out there and got 10 points."

 

Long Jump Final 

- LSU standout JuVaughn Harrison took the lead in the competition on his first attempt with 26-10.50 (8.19m). Harrison improved on his second attempt with 27-1.50 (8.27m). The victory keeps alive the possibility of a "triple double," as he tries to sweep the long jump and high jump at an NCAA championships for the third time, following the 2019 outdoor meet and the indoor final in March. 

WINNER - JuVaughn Harrison, LSU

What He Said -  "I love competition, so being able to win a national championship against those guys who are capable of putting out very far jumps, it was a very big accomplishment for me and it made it a lot of fun. Coming out here in the cold and the rain and being able to put out a far jump to put the pressure on everybody else was good for me and I think it kept my confidence going throughout the competition."

 

Shot Put Final 

- Turner Washington of Arizona State threw a new outdoor best 69-2.75 (21.10m) to take a commanding lead in the competition. He became the first men's shot putter to sweep indoor and outdoor titles in the same year since Ryan Crouser of Texas achieved the feat in 2014, in additon to capturing the first championship for the Sun Devils since they won four in a row with Ryan Whiting and Jordan Clarke from 2009-12.

WINNER - Turner Washington, Arizona State 

What He Said - "It's awesome. To even be mentioned next to Ryan Crouser's name is an honor. But I can't get too excited because I still have to throw discus, and hopefully I can get all three of the championships."

 

Decathlon Final 

- As expected, Georgia's Karel Tilga is off to an early lead in the decathlon. Behind him, however, Oregon's Max Vollmer is off to an impressive start with personal bests in the long jump and the shot put and holds down second place through three events.  

After the high jump, where Tilga jumped 6-10.75 (2.10m), he leads through four events with 3,527 points. Iowa's Will Daniels is 168 points back, in second, and Michigan's Ayden Owens is third, 210 points back. Leo Neugebauer of Texas is fourth, 211 points back. And Vollmer, despite matching his PR in the high jump, slipped back to fifth, 250 points behind.

Tilga ran a new lifetime best in the 400 meters with 49.10 to close out the first day with 4,384 points, a 29-point first-day best. Owens closed the gap a bit by running 47.30 and is 124 points behind (4,260). Vollmer is third with 4,140. 

On Thursday morning, Owens ran the fastest 110-meter hurdles in the decathlon group, finishing in 14.19. Tilga was 16th out of 20, in 15.20. That brought Owens to first place, one point ahead of Tilga (5,210 to 5,209).  

In the discus, Markus Ballengee of Arkansas posted the best mark with 164-6 (50.14m) and improved his standing overall to seventh. Tilga had the third-best mark and regained his overall lead with 6,006 points and a 70-point lead over Owens.

Trailing by 210 points going into the final event, Owens pushed himself hard in the 1,500 meters and won the 10th and final event in 4:26.21. Tilga finished in 4:35.77 but his margin remained 147 points and he won the NCAA title with 8,246 points. Owens was second with 8,114. 

WINNER - Karel Tilga, Georgia

What He Said - "It feels good. There was some tough competition out there, and I'm just happy I could come out on top. I think it's a great honor to carry on the legacy that the University of Georgia has built over the years as being the best multis school out there, so I'm just happy to be another champion from that school."