USC TRACK & FIELD

November 7, 2016 VOLUME 23, ISSUE 1

Cunningham Skies To Victory At The 2016 NCAA Championships Coach Caryl’s Corner The 2016 season and the 2016 summer provided Randall Cunningham won the men’s high jump title with ease going perfect on his fi rst fi ve heights us with so many great moments which makes me to vitually elimate the competition, fi nishing with a best clearance of 7-4.50 (2.25m). He became so proud to be the USC Director of Track & Field. USC’s 11th NCAA high jump champion, more than any other school. Deanna Hill became a four-time Our men’s team battled through an inordinate All-American by taking 6th in the 100m, 7th in the 200m, 2nd in the 4x100m and 8th in the 4x400m. amount of injuries, but we were still able to post some impressive performances including a 12th-place fi nish at the NCAA Championships, Randall Cunningham capped by Randall Cunningham’s NCAA title in the high jump. Our women’s team was also beset by injuries, but was able to place second at the Pac-12 Championships and tie for ninth at the NCAA Championships. Both teams should do even better this coming season as we have added some very talented individuals and have a handful of All-Americans returning from injuries.

During the summer the strength and reach of the USC track and fi eld program was on full display as Trojan athletes won nine Olympic medals in Rio, led by the individual gold medal earned by (USC 2012) in the 400m IH. It is hard to imagine it was just over a year ago we were developing the skills of a little known sprinter named and now he has established himself as one of the top sprinters in the world.

There were plenty other successes during the summer as Amalie Iuel set the Norwegian 400m IH record, Eric Sloan won the NACAC U23 triple jump title and Jaide Stepter and Deanna Hill ran on winning relays at the NACAC U23s. In addition, incoming freshmen Anna Cockrell (400m IH) and Michael Norman (200m) won gold medals at the IAAF World U20 Championships. 2016 Season Accomplishments Deanna Hill We have already begun our Fall workout program to prepare for the 2017 indoor and outdoor Men’s Team: seasons. We have an experienced group • NCAA Championships - 12th Place returning which have posted 18 Trojan all-time • NCAA Champions - Randall Cunningham (High Jump) individual top 10 marks. In addition, our incoming group is very talented and I am positive both of • NCAA Preliminary Rounds - 4 individuals in 4 events advance to NCAA Championships our teams will be very competitive at the national • Pac-12 Championships - 5th Place level. • First Team All-Americans - Randall Cunningham (HJ), Adoree’ Jackson (LJ), Ricky

I have enjoyed meeting so many of you during my Morgan, Jr. (400m) fi rst three seasons at USC and can think of no • Pac-12 Champions - Adoree’ Jackson (LJ) better way to say thank you for all your help and support than by winning championships. That is Women’s Team: always our goal and with hard work, I believe this • NCAA Championships - T-9th Place season we will add to the phenomenal heritage • NCAA West Regional - 10 individuals in 12 events advance to NCAA Championships of the USC track and fi eld program. • Pac-12 Championships - 2nd Place Fight On! • First Team All-Americans - Destinee Brown (4x100m), Kendall Ellis (4x400m), Alexis Faulknor (4x100m), Tynia Gaither (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Deanna Hill (100m, 200m, Coach Caryl 4x100m, 4x400m), Amalie Iuel (4x400m), Tera Novy (Discus Throw), Jaide Stepter (400m IH, 4x400m) • Pac-12 Champions - Kendall Ellis (4x400m), Deanna Hill (4x400m), Amalie Iuel (), Cameron Pettigrew (4x400m), Jaide Stepter (400m IH, 4x400m) 2016 NCAA Championships Review Women 2nd, Men’ 5th at Pac-12 Meet

Men 12th, Women T-9th At 2016 NCAAs Stepter Wins Her Third Consecutive 400m IH Title Cunningham Wins NCAA High Jump Title

USC had 11 individual earn fi rst-team All-America honors in 17 USC’s Jaide Stepter won her third consecutive 400m IH title events, led by Randall Cunningham’s high jump title and Deanna Hill and the women’s 4x400m relay won its fourth consecutive title scoring in four events at the 2016 NCAA Track & Field Championships to lead the Trojans on the fi nal day of the Pac-12 Track & Field held in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11. The men’s team with just four Championships hosted by Washington at Husky Track in Seattle, athletes fi nshed 12th with 16 points and the women’s team tied for Wash. on May 15. USC’s women’s team fi nished second with ninth with 28 points. 111.50 points and the undermanned men’s team placed fi fth with a total of 75 points. USC athletes won three individual and Cunningham closed out the men’s competition on June 10 by one relay Pac-12 titles during the two-day competition. The winning the men’s high jump with an outdoor PR of 7-4.50 (2.25m) conditions were cold, windy and rainy, especially on the fi rst day to become the 11th Trojan to win the event, four more than any other of the competition. school. He was fl awless through that height, virtually eliminating the competition before he missed. Ricky Morgan Jr. placed The women’s team fi nished second for the third consecutive seventh in the men’s 400m fi nal with a time of 46.63. On June 8, season as Oregon ran away with the team title. Amalie Iuel got Adoree’ Jackson placed fi fth in the men’s long jump for the second things started for the Trojans by winning her second conference consecutive season, becoming the fi rst USC back-to-back LJ all- heptathlon title on May 8 with 6,011 points, the second-most American since Ed Tave in 1983 and 1984. Also, Nick Ponzio took in school history. The next week she injured her elbow the day 12th in the men’s shot put. The four athletes combined for 16 points before the Pac-12 championships and was limited to the high and 12th place, one point outside of a top 10 fi nish. jump and 400m IH prelims before having to be pulled from the meet. Lyndsey Lopes also had a PR of 5,277 points to fi nish fi fth, The women’s team opened the fi nal day of competition on June 11 tops among the freshmen and 10th all-time by a Trojan. with a school-record and second place fi nish in the 4x100m (Brown, Hill, Faulknor & Gaither) with a time of 42.90. USC scored eight times The men’s team had to redshirt Marquis Morris, Just’N Thymes, in six different events on the fi nal day with Tynia Gaither fi nishing Eric Sloan and Alex Rohani due to injuries and the departure of fourth in the 100m and fi fth in the 200m, Deanna Hill sixth in the Andre De Grasse in the Fall semester had left the team depleted. 100m and seventh in the 200m, Tera Novy seventh in the discus Still, they fought hard and when they took fourth in the 4x400m and Jaide Stepter fi nishing sixth in the 400m IH. USC topped off its relay, they had grabbed fi fth place. Adoree’ Jackson won his scoring by taking eighth in the 4x400m (Ellis, Iuel, Stepter, Hill) after a second consecutive Pac-12 long jump title with a leap of 25-3.50 dropped baton on one of the exchanges. USC fi nished with 28 points (7.71m) becoming the fi rst Trojan to win consecutive conference and tied for ninth. USC has scored a total of 77 points in Caryl Smith long jump titles since school and Pac-12 record-holder Randy Gilberts fi rst three seasons, the most it has scored in a three-season Williams won it 1972-75. stretch since 2006-08.

Trojan men scoring and earning fi rst-team All-America status were: Randall Cunningham (HJ), Adoree’ Jackson (LJ) and Ricky Morgan, Jr. (400m).

USC’s women’s fi rst-team All-Americans were: Destinee Brown (4x100m), Kendall Ellis (4x400m), Alexis Faulknor (4x100m), Tynia Gaither (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Deanna Hill (100m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Amalie Iuel (4x400m), Tera Novy (Discus Throw), Jaide Stepter (400m IH, 4x400m).

Final team scores: Final 2016 Pac-12 Championship Results:

Men: Women: Men: Women: 1.) Florida - 62 1.) Arkansas - 72 1.) Oregon - 155.6 1.) Oregon - 185 2.) Arkansas - 56 2.) Oregon - 62 2.) Washington - 122 2.) USC - 111.5 3.) Texas A&M - 50 3.) Georgia - 41 3.) UCLA - 94.2 3.) Stanford - 90 4. Oregon - 48 4.) Texas - 36 4.) Arizona St. - 83 4.) Washington - 82 5. LSU - 41 5.) Texas A&M - 35 5.) USC - 75 5.) UCLA - 66.5 6.) Tennessee - 30 6.) LSU - 31 6.) Stanford - 74 6.) Colorado - 66 7.) Virginia - 20 7.) Stanford - 29 7.) Colorado - 63 7.) Arizona - 62 8.) Virginia Tech - 19 Kansas St. - 29 8.) Arizona - 57 8.) Washington St. - 45 9.) Mississippi St. - 18 9.) USC - 28 9.) California - 50.6 9.) Arizona St. - 41 10.) Nebraska - 17 Florida - 28 10.) Washington St. - 41.6 10.) California - 39.5 Houston - 17 11.) Kentucky - 25 11.) Oregon State - 23.5 12.) USC - 16 12.) Oklahoma St. - 24 12.) Utah - 3 Trojans Split Dual Meet with Bruins USC Wins 9 T&F Medals At Rio Olympics Women’s Team Wins For 8th Time In 9 Seasons Muhammad Wins Gold In 400m IH, Felix With USA’s Relays

The USC track and fi eld team posted 21 victories in 38 events to USC’s track and fi eld program was fi rmly on display on the world earn a split in the annual USC-UCLA Dual Meet hosted by the Bruins scene as nine different current and former student-athletes in Westwood, Calif. on May 1. The women’s team won 13 of 19 competed at the 2016 Olympics in , Brazil, bringing events and outscored the Bruins 97-66, while the men’s team won home nine medals - 3 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze. The nine medals eight events and fell 103-60. The USC men’s team leads the all-time won by Trojans was the most-ever by USC in T&F at the Olympics, series with the Bruins 43-40, while the USC women have won eight surpassing the total of eight earned at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics. of the last nine meetings, but trail all-time 22-11. Overall as a university, USC Olympians claimed 21 medals - 9 gold, 5 silver, 7 bronze. The women’s team trailed 40-14 after six events, but outscored the Bruins 83-26 the rest of the way. Tynia Gaither won the 100m and (USC 2008) won a gold medal with USA’s 4x100m and 200m dashes and moved into USC’s all-time top 10 in both events. 4x400m relays and took second to earn the silver medal in the 400m. Other Trojan women winning individual events were Katerina She was nipped at the wire by Shaunae Miller of who Berdousi (5000m), Rebekah Ent (1500m), Jasmyne Graham (100m dove across the line. Felix has now claimed nine Olympic medals HH), Amalie Iuel (HJ), Tera Novy (DT), Tanya Sapa (SP), Mikaela tied with Marlene Ottey (Jamaica/Slovenia) for the most ever by Smith (800m) and Jaide Stepter (400m, 400m IH). The USC women a women’s track and fi eld athlete. Felix’s six gold medals are the clinched the meet with a sweep in the 200m as Gaither won with a most ever by a women’s track athlete at the Olympics. During the then-PR of 22.74, followed by Deanna Hill (22.86) and Kendall Ellis competition she surpassed Jackie Joyner-Kersee (6) for most (23.57). Olympic medals by an American woman.

Adoree’ Jackson and Ricky Morgan Jr. led the men’s team, with Jackson winning the 100m dash, long jump and running on the victorious 4x100m relay. Morgan ran on the winning 4x100m and 4x400m relays and captured the 200m and 400m titles. Other USC men winning Dual Meet titles were Nate Bultman (HT) and Diego Lopez (JT).

Women: USC - 97 UCLA - 66 Men: USC - 60 UCLA - 103

USC Grabs 14 Individual Spots at NCAAs Both Women’s Relays Advance Out of Regional, As 4x400m Sets SR Dalilah Muhammad (USC 2012) also claimed gold by dominating the women’s 400m IH fi eld. Rain began falling at Olympic Stadium USC’S 4x400m relay set a school record and joined the women’s shortly before the women’s 400m IH race, but it didn’t damper the 4x100m relay and 14 athletes in 16 events to qualify for the NCAA efforts of Muhammad who stormed to the gold medal with a time T&F Championships during the 2016 NCAA West Preliminary of 53.13, 0.42 seconds ahead of the second-place fi nisher Sara Rounds at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kan. from May 26- Slott Petersen of Denmark. The fi rst fi ve runners to fi nish behind 28. Weather wreaked havoc with the NCAA Regional as severe Muhammad set season or personal bests, including Petersen thunderstorms and lightening caused suspension of events early on who set the Denmark national record. Muhammad became the the fi rst day which caused a compact schedule and forced several fi rst American woman 400m IH runner to win a gold medal at the events indoors. To make matters worse for the Trojans, due to lack Olympics and the second Trojan to medal in the event, as Natasha of rooms, the team was forced to stay at a hotel 45 minutes away. Danvers-Smith earned a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics for Great Britain. The women’s 4x400m relay team of sophomore Kendall Ellis, junior Amalie Iuel, junior Cameron Pettigrew and senior Jaide Stepter closed out the running portion of the meet for the Trojans in style by winning its heat with a school-record time of 3:26.73 to automatically advance to the NCAA Championships in the event.

Overall, women qualifying for the NCAA Championships were Destinee Brown (4x100m), Kendall Ellis (400m, 4x400m), Alexis Faulknor (Long Jump, 4x100m), Tynia Gaither (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Deanna Hill (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Amalie Iuel (400m IH, 4x400m), Margaux Jones (Long Jump), Tera Novy (Discus Throw), Cameron Pettigrew (4x400m),and Jaide Stepter (400m IH, 4x400m).

USC’s men which advanced to the NCAA Championships were Randall Cunningham (High Jump), Adoree’ Jackson (Long Jump), Ricky Morgan Jr. (400m) and Nick Ponzio (Shot Put). Tynia Gaither (USC 2016) competed for the Bahamas in both the Andre De Grasse (USC 2016), running for his native Canada, showed 100m and 200m dashes. She competed in the 100m dash fi rst and the world that he is a force to be reckoned with in the sprints and the placed fi fth in her 100m heat with a time of 11.56 (-0.3) and ended heir apparent to Usain Bolt. The fi rst of De Grasse’s medals came up 39th overall. She then placed 24th in the women’s 200m dash in the 100m dash as he took third to earn the bronze medal with with a time of 23.45. She advanced to the semifi nals by running a wind-legal personal best time of 9.91 (+0.2). Bolt won the gold 22.90 in the heats to advance 23rd overall. medal with a time of 9.81, while USA’s took the silver with a time of 9.89. De Grasse became the fi rst Trojan to medal in Amalie Iuel (USC 2017) ran in the women’s 400m IH heats and had the 100m dash since Don Quarrie earned a silver medal in 1976. De a time of 56.75 to fi nish sixth in her section and 29th overall, fi ve Grasse is also the fi fth Trojan to medal in the 100m dash (Charles spots out of advancing to the Olympic semifi nal. Paddock – Gold in 1920, Ralph Metcalfe – Silver in 1932 and 1936, Lennox Miller – Silver in 1968 and Bronze in 1972 and Quarrie – Silver in 1976). De Grasse then placed second to Bolt in the 200m dash with a time of 20.02 (-0.5) to earn a silver medal. De Grasse had run a PR of 19.80 (-0.3) in the semifi nals to break the Canadian national record in the 200m.

Conor McCullough (USC 2015) placed 16th in the men’s competition after fi nishing 10th in the Group B qualifying round with a throw of 239-1 (72.88m), four spots away from advancing to the fi nal. He began his series with a throw of 231-9 (70.64m), then threw 217-6 (66.30m) and fi nally his best throw of 239-1. Even though 29 of the 33 throwers in the competition had Finally, De Grasse teammed with Aaron Brown (USC 2014) to earn thrown at least 77 meters in their careers, only the top qualifi er the bronze medal in the 4x100m relay with a Canadian national- Wojciech Nowicki of Poland surpassed that mark and only three record time of 37.64. They actually fi nished the race in fourth, .02 surpassed 76 meters. McCullough joined his father, Conor Sr., as seconds behind the USA team and .04 seconds behind the Japan hammer throw Olympians as his dad competed for Ireland in the team, but the U.S. team was disqualifi ed. Canada was slightly 1984 and 1988 Olympics. behind the fi rst four teams when De Grasse received the baton, but Zsofi a Erdelyi (USC 2012) placed 52nd in the women’s marathon he stormed down the stretch passing one team and nearly catching with a time of 2:39.04, steadily moving up the pack from 112th at the Japanese and USA teams at the wire. the 5K mark to her fi nal fi nish of 52nd. Every 5K she ran she had a better standing in the race. Erdelyi was the top fi nisher among her (USC 2011) placed second in the women’s 100m HH with Hungary teammates and improved 40 spots from her fi nish at the a time of 12.59 (+0.0) to earn the silver medal as part of a USA 2012 Olympics in . sweep in the event as Brianna Rollins won with a time of 12.48 and placed third with a time of 12.61. Ali became USC’s fi rst medalist in the women’s 100m HH in Olympic competition. The sweep for USA was the fi rst ever by one country in the event and just the seventh ever in any Summer Olympic event. Muhammad & Felix Win Titles USA T&F Championships Eric Sloan (USC, 2017) reached the men’s triple jump fi nals where he fi nished 12th after fouling three times. He reached the fi nals Dalilah Muhammad, Allyson Felix, Nia Ali and Conor McCullough with a jump of 53-3.50/16.24 (+1.4) to move him into seventh place all qualifi ed for the Olympics at the 2016 USA Olympic Track & on USC’s all-time triple jump list, the fi rst Trojan to join the top Field Olympic Trials held in Eugene, Ore. from July 1-10. USC had 10 since 2003 when Allen Simms (56-4) and Julien Kapek (56-2) 28 current, former and future Trojans competing for a chance to posted the school’s top two marks. Quite an impressive result for represent USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. a college junior to sit out the season with a couple of injuries, then compete and make it to the triple jump fi nals at the USA Olympic Muhammad (USC, 2012) blazed to victory in the women’s 400m Trials. Alitta Boyd (USC, 2013) competed in the women’s triple and IH to make her fi rst Olympic Team by running a PR of 52.88. That fi nished 20th overall with a best jump of 43-3.00/13.18 (+2.3w). time set the Olympic Trials record, the Hayward Field record and is the fastest time in the world since 2013. Jaide Stepter (USC, Things did not go so well for the Trojans in a strange men’s high jump 2016) fi nished seventh in the fi nal with a PR and USC record-tying qualifying round which featured Jesse Williams (USC, 2006) and time of 54.95. She tied the record set by Natasha Danvers in 2000. Randall Cunningham (USC, 2018). Williams, a two-time Olympian, Incoming freshman Anna Cockrell advanced to the semifi nals a two-time NCAA indoor and outdoor champion and 2011 world placed 11th overall with a time of 56.51. champion, and Cunningham, the 2016 NCAA outdoor champion, both went out at the fi rst height of 7-0.25 (2.14m). Surprisingly Felix (USC, 2008) won the 400m title with the fastest time in the that beginning height eliminated 12 of the 26 jumpers, with fi ve world so far this season of 49.68, but her Olympic dream of a competitors clearing the height on their fi nal attempt. 200m-400m double come to an end when she placed fourth in the women’s 200m fi nal with a time of 22.54 (-0.6). Felix was just .01 In other events on the track, BeeJay Lee (USC 2015) fi nished 16th seconds behind the third-place fi nisher. in the men’s 100m semifi nals (10.16), while Deanna Hill (USC 2018) fi nished 27th in the women’s 100m (11.36), Alexis Faulknor (USC Ali (USC, 2011), the 2011 NCAA outdoor 100m HH champion and 2016) fi nished 30th (11.42) and Jessica Davis (USC 2014) fi nished two-time world indoor champion in the 60m HH, placed third in the 31st (11.43). A week later, Lee would fi nish 25th in the men’s 200m women’s 100m HH fi nals to qualify for her fi rst Olympic Team. Ali (20.79). Incoming freshman Michael Norman advanced to the had a time of 12.55 (+1.2) to take third in a tight fi nal in which 0.1 200m fi nal and fi nished fi fth with a wind-legal PR of 20.14. Hill seconds separated the second-fi fth-place fi nishers. Three other reached the women’s 200m semifi nal and fi nished 13th with a time Trojans competed in the 100m HH with Melia Cox (USC 2015) of 23.04, while Faulknor had a time of 23.65 in the heats to fi nish fi nishing 25th (13.37), Candice Price (USC 2007) 27th (13.39) and 31st. Ginnie Powell (USC 2006) pulling up after hitting the fi rst hurdle. Norman placed 20th in the men’s 400m with a time of 46.20 and In the men’s 110m HH, Aleec Harris (USC 2014) placed seventh in the Ricky Morgan Jr. took 24th with a time of 46.46. Joining Felix fi nals (13.56), Ryan Wilson (USC 2003) was ninth in the semifi nals who won the women’s 400m, was Stepter who placed ninth in the (13.62) and Logan Taylor (USC 2008) fi nished 20th overall (13.81). semifi nals with a time of 51.47 and Vanessa Jones (USC, 2015) fi nished 23rd overall with a time of 53.60. McCullough (USC 2105) placed third in the men’s hammer throw with a mark of 243-4 (74.61m) to provisionally make the U.S. The men’s 800m prelims produced a surprising result as Duane Olympic team, but since none of the American had the Olympic “A Solomon (USC, 2008), the fourth-place fi nisher at the 2012 Standard” he had to sweat it out about a week to make sure seven Olympics and the second-fastest American ever at this distance, people did not pass him on the world descending order list. In the fi nished 23rd overall with a time of 1:48.71. He was in the fi rst heat, women’s hammer throw, Jade Grace (USC, 2012) had a best throw which was the slowest by far, and had led the race through 600m of 198-5 (60.48m) to fi nish 20th. with the top three advancing, but he tied up down the stretch and his fourth-place fi nish in the slow heat sealed his fate.

Gaither Wins 100m & 200m Titles At Bahamas Senior Nationals

USC graduated senior Tynia Gaither won both the 100m and 200m titles at the Bhamas Senior Nationals in Nassau, Bahamas from June 22-25.

Gaither won the 100m dash with a time of 11.33 (-0.1) on June 24, after reaching the fi nals by running the top qualifi er of 11.56 (-0.2) in the preliminary round earlier in the day. The senior All-American then came back to capture the Bahamas 200m title with a time of 23.00 (-0.6) on June 25. Gaither earned the right to Tera Novy (USC, 2016) competed in the women’s discus throw fi nals represent the Bahamas at the 2016 and had a best mark of 181-3 (55.26m) which earned her an 11th Olympics in both events. place fi nish. Novy reached the fi nals by fi nishing fi fth in the prelims with mark of 194-6 (59.28m). Also competing in the prelims was Alexandra Collatz (USC, 2015) who placed 19th with a best throw of 174-0 (53.04m).

Adoree’ Jackson (USC, 2018) advanced to the men’s long jump fi nals, but fi nished 10th with a best leap of 25-8.25/7.83 (+1.3), his best wind-legal jump of the 2016 season. and De Grasse (10.08/+0.3) won their semifi nals heats earlier in the Iuel Sets Norwegian 400m Hurdles Record day and advanced to the fi nals with the top two qualifying times. Also Sets Norway’s U23 Record In The 400m Race The next day the both also qualifi ed in the 200m dash. Brown took Rising senior Amalie Iuel had a record-setting summer, establishing second with a time of 20.32 (20.315) and De Grasse placed third the Norwegian 400m IH record, the country’s U23 record in the with a time of 20.32 (20.318) to make the Canadian Olympic Team 400m and representing her country at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de in their second event. In the semifi nals earlier in the day, De Grasse Janeiro, Brazil. won his heat with a time of 20.56 (-0.3) and Brown won his heat with a time of 20.95 (-0.2). On June 24 Iuel won the 400m race at the 2016 Norwegian Grand Prix at Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway with an outdoor PR and Norwegian U23 record of 52.85. That time also moved her into 10th place on USC’s all-time women’s 400m list. Iuel had to post a qualifying time in the 400m so that she could run on Norway’s 4x400m relay team at the Olympics should they qualify.

Iuel then reached the European Athletics Championships 400m IH fi nals on July 10 in , Netherlands and placed sixth with a time of 56.24. The previous day she set the Norwegian national record with a time of 55.79 which moves her into a third-place tie on USC’s all-time list in the event.

Norway did not qualify in the 4x400m relay for the Olympics, but Iuel posted a time of 56.75 to fi nish 29th in the event in Rio.

Sloan Wins Triple Jump At NACAC U23 Championships In El Salvador USC athletes won three golds and two silver medals at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) U23 Championships in San Salvador, El Salvador from July 15-17.

Eric Sloan won the men’s triple jump with a best leap of 53- 0.00/16.15m (+0.0). Lathone Collie of the Bahamas took the lead temporarily in his fi fth jump with a mark of 51-10.00, but Sloan responded with his gold-medal-winning jump in the same round.

Jaide Stepter ran the second leg for USA’s 4x400m which took the gold with a time of 3:28.45. That time was more than a 3.5 seconds faster than the second-place team Jamaica.

Stepter also earned a silver medal in the women’s 400m race, running 52.51 in the fi nal on July 16. The winner Chrisann Gordon of Jamaica won with a NACAC U23 record time of 51.02. Stepter advanced to the fi nal by running 52.44 in the prelims on July 15, third-best among the qualifi ers.

Also on July 16, Deanna Hill ran the third leg for USA’s winning 4x100m relay which earn gold by running 42.93. That time set a NACAC U23 record, beating the previous record of 43.07 set in De Grasse & Brown Qualify For Olympics 2010.

At Canadian T&F Championships Tera Novy placed second in the women’s discus throw on July 15 Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown qualifi ed to represent Canada with a best mark of 182-9 (55.70m). in both the 100m and 200m dashes at the Olympics during the 2016 Canadian Championships held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from July 7-10. To keep up with all the action of the USC Track & Field De Grasse, who turned pro during the fall and bypassed his fi nal team and with live updates from meets, follow the Trojans season of eligibility at USC, won the Canadian 100m title with a time of 9.99 (-0.1) to qualify for the Olympics. Right behind him in on Twitter at @USC_Track_Field. second was fellow Trojan Brown with a time of 10.07 (-0.1) to also make the Canadian team in the event. Both Brown (10.06/+2.5w) Incoming Freshmen Earns Gold USC Well Represented At USATF Medals on International Stage Junior Championships

Incoming USC freshmen Anna Cockrell in the women’s 400m IH and USC was well represnted at the USATF Junior Championships Michael Norman in the men’s 200m dash won gold medals at the in Clovis, Calif. from June 24-26, with incoming freshmen Anna IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland on July 22. Cockrell and Michael Norman qualifying for Team USA.

Cockrell cruised to the gold medal in the women’s 400m IH with a PR Cockrell took second in the women’s 400m IH on June 25 with a of 55.20 to win time of 55.89 to make the USA team in that event for the IAAF World the event by U20 Championships. She just missed out on making the team in the 1.34 seconds. 100m HH also as she had a time of 13.21 (+0.3) in the fi nals to place The time run by third on June 25. Earlier in the day Cockrell had run 13.17 (+1.2) to Cockrell would advance to the fi nals. Jasmyne Graham, who had completed her rank third freshman season at USC, placed fi fth in the 100m HH fi nals with a on USC’s all- time of 13.25 (+0.3). She had run a season-best 13.21 (+1.2) in the time list if she prelims to advance to the fi nals. were already enrolled and is Norman blazed to victory in the 200m dash with a then-PR of 20.15, tied for ninth .02 seconds off the American Junior record set in 1985. Norman all-time on won the event by .62 seconds to earn his way on the USA Juniors the U20 list. team. His time is also tied for the sixth-fastest in the U.S. this year The other two and faster than the winning time at the 2016 NCAA Championships. runners to crack the U20 all-time top 10 in the last fi ve years are Shamier Little (55.07 in 2014 - 3-time NCAA Champion) and Syndey Lyndsey Lopes, who just completed her freshman season at USC, McLaughlin (54.15 in 2016, 1st all-time - currently on the USA took second in the women’s heptathlon with a total of 5,171 points. Olympic Team for Rio). Although she fi nished second, she did not meet the standard of 5,300 points for the IAAF World U20 Championships. She had a best Cockrell reached the fi nals by posting the best preliminary rounds of 5,277 at the Pac-12 Championships this season. time of 56.85 on July 20 and the top semifi nals time of 56.10 on July 21. The native of North Carolina advanced to the semifi nals at the USA Olympic Trials earlier in the month and will be a freshman at USC this coming school year.

Norman dominated the 200m fi eld by winning with a time of 20.17 today which established a IAAF U20 championship record. He won the race by .42 seconds and the second-eighth place fi nishers all were within .35 seconds of each other. Norman, who placed fi fth in the 200m at the USA Olympic Trials earlier this month, already Just missing out on making the USA team was rising sophomore ranks tied for sixth on the U20 long jumper Margaux Jones. Jones had a legal PR of 20-10.50/6.36 all-time list with a time of 20.14, (+0.3) in the prelims to take a lead heading into the fi nals and move which would rank fi fth on USC’s from seventh into a sixth-place tie on USC’s all-time women’s long all-time list if he were already in jump list. She dropped to third after fouling in the fourth round while school. two jumpers passed her. Jones improved to 20-10.75/6.37 (+1.2) in her fi fth jump and moved into sixth place all alone on USC’s all-time Norman eased into the fi nals by winning his prelims heat with a long jump list, but could not catch the leaders and fi nished third. time of 20.74 (+1.3) and semifi nals heat with a time of 20.71 (+1.1) on July 21. He had the fourth-fastest time in the opening round and Mikaela Smith, who is now a sophomore at USC, took fourth in sixth-fastest in the semifi nals. the women’s 800m fi nal on June 25 with a time of 2:05.39, just .06 seconds off her PR. Smith advanced to the fi nals by running The medal won by Norman was the 100th ever at the IAAF U20 2:07.54 on June 24 to win her prelims heat and advanced to the Championships by an American. fi nals with the fourth-fastest time.

“I feel great right now,” said Norman. “To win gold in my fi rst Nathan Bultman had a strong and busy fi rst season at USC and international meet is a truly humbling experience. fi nished it up by competing in the hammer throw, shot put and discus throw at the USA Juniors, despite being under the weather. “I’m thinking of the next in four years’ time, but I Bultman began by taking fourth in the junior hammer throw with a would like to take it one step at a time. The next goal is next year’s mark of 202-5 (61.71m) on June 24. The next day he placed fi fth NCAA Championships in the shot put with a top mark of 63-11.00 (19.48m), which came in his last attempt. Finally on June 26, Bultman took 14th in the discus throw with a best toss of 165-11 (50.57m). Norman Named Gatorade National WOMEN: Cockrell, from Providence Day HS in Charlotte, N.C., was named the Boy’s T&F Athlete Of The Year 2015 North Carolina Gatorade Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year Becomes First Two-Time Winner For T&F as she won the state 3A title in the 100m with a PR of 11.93, the 100m HH with a time of 13.53 and the 300m IH with a time of 41.31. USC incoming freshman Michael Norman was named the 2016 She also won the 400m IH with the second-fastest high school time Gatorade National Boy’s Track & Field Athlete of the Year, becoming in the country in 2015 of 56.67. As a senior she was even better the fi rst two-time winner in track and fi eld, it was announced on with a time of 55.20 in the 400m IH and 13.17 in the 100m HH, June 28. second and sixth respectively in the country. She then went on to win the 400m IH at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships. Norman won the USA Juniors 200m title with a time of 20.15 on June 26. That time was the third-fastest in U.S. prep history and Constantine, from St. Roch Catholic School in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, placed fourth with a personal best of 52.44 in the 400m the sixth-fastest by an American this season. He then bettered that fi nals at the 2015 World Youth Championships held in Cali, with a time of 20.14 at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Norman also had Colombia. She was the ninth-fastest U20 women’s 400m runner in times this season of 45.51 in the 400m which was the best high the world that season and the youngest in the top 10. Fellow Trojan school time and had a time of 10:27 in the 100m, the second-fastest Kendall Ellis was seventh on that list that season with a time of high school time at that distance. Norman has a career best of 45.19 52.32. Constantine also ran 52.88 in the semifi nals at the World in the 400m which ranks seventh all-time by a high schooler and he Youth Championships. Constantine won both the 200m (24.17) and is the only high school male to post an all-time top 10 time in both the 400m (53.65) at the 2015 Ontario Federation of School Athletic the 200m and 400m. Norman helped lead his 2016 Vista Murrieta Associations (OFSAA) and has a 200m best of 23.90. high school team to its second consecutive California team title. Corrin, from Harvard-Westlake HS in Studio City, Calif., won the 2015 CIF state long jump title with a leap of 20-10 (+0.6). She also The Gatorade Player of the Year award recognizes outstanding won the state title as a freshman in 2013 and placed second as a athletic excellence as well as high standards of academic sophomore in 2014. Corrin had a best legal jump of 20-11.00 (+2.0) achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the which ranked third among U.S. high schoolers in 2015, then won track. Norman is the 10th winner of Gatorade national men’s track the long jump at the USATF Junior Championships with a wind- and fi eld honor from California, which includes Norman last season aided mark of 21-6.25/6.56m (+2.5w). Corrin went on to earn the and former Trojan Olympian Bryshon Nellum in 2007. silver medal with a jump of 20-1.50 (6.13m) at the Pan Am Junior Championships. She won nine of 10 meets she competed in last season, including jumping 20 feet or more in the last fi ve and six times overall. She also owns a 300m IH best of 42.41 and fi nished seventh at the state meet with a time of 42.79. She was named the L.A. Daily News Girls Athlete of the Year three times. Last year her season was cut short due to injury, but she has returned to health and is competing with the USC soccer team this Fall. Francis, from Rio Mesa HS in Oxnard, Calif., won the 2015 CIF state titles in the 100m with a time of 11.31 and the 200m with a PR of 23.09, which ranked third among high school women. She then fi nished third in 2016 with a time of 11.55 (+1.4) and fourth in the 200m at 23.71 (+2.9w). McGlaston, from Dublin HS in Dublin, Calif., had a PR and second- fastest 100m HH time by a high schooler in 2015 of 13.18 (+1.4) to take second at the 2015 CIF state meet to current Trojan teammate Jasmyne Graham. Her time of 13.18 was the World Junior leader., the third-fastest in state history and sixth-fastest ever by a high school hurdler. McGlaston won the 2014 CIF state title in the 100m HH with a time of 13.54. Last season, she cautiously came back from a quadricep injury and had a best 100m HH time of 13.85 and fi nished 10th at the CIF Championships.

Kayla Richardson, of Walnut High in Walnut, Calif., has wind-aided Strong Freshman Class Ready For Action PRs of 11.65 in the 100m and 23.45 in the 200m dashes. Richardson ran 11.74 to qualify for the 2015 CIF 100m fi nals with the fourth- USC’s freshman class includes sprinter Michael Norman, sprinter fastest time and also had the third-fastest 200m qualifying time T.J. Brock, hurdler Anna Cockrell, long jumper Courtney Corrin, of 23.85, but did not run in the fi nals as she left to compete in sprinter Zaria Francis, hurdler Mecca McGlaston and sprinter twins Kayla and Kyla Richardson signed National Letters of Intent (NLIs) the Southeast Asian Games for the Philippines. She fi nished as in November and Kyra Constantine who signed an NLI in April. The the runner-up in the 200m with a time of 23.67 at the Southeast athletes combined to win numerous state high school titles and Asian Games in Singapore. She was named the San Gabriel Valley Norman was named the 2015 and 2016 Gatorade National Boys Tribune Track and Field Athlete of the Year. She also won the 2015 Track & Field Athlete of the Year. CIF Southern Section 100m and 200m titles and posted a 400m PR MEN: of 56.53. As a sophomore, Richardson posted a long jump best of Norman, from Vista Murrieta HS in Murrieta, Calif., led his team to 20-2.25 (6.15m) to take second in the girls’ high school fi nal at the its second consecutive California state title by winning the 200m 2014 Penn Relays. with a time of 20.42 (+1.4) and the 400m with a time of 45.77. Kyla Richardson has been battling several injuries the past several Brock, from Chaminade HS in Chatsworth, Calif., won the 2015 and 2016 CIF 100m dash title at the state meet with a time of 10.34 seasons, but as a freshman ran 11.93 in the 100m. She did run a (+1.8) as a junior and 10.43 (+0.4) as a senior. He also has run two wind-aided 100m time of 11.83 at the 2015 Mt. SAC Relays in her 10.20 wind-aided 100m dashes. Brock took second to Norman in fi rst race back from injury. the 200m dash at the CIF state meet in 2015 with a time of 21.16. All-American Mann Transfers To USC Olympic Champion Hayes Added To She Is The Two-Time Defending Pac-12 Shot Put Champion USC T&F Coaching Staff

Redshirt senior Brittany Mann transferred 2004 Olympic 100m HH gold to USC from Oregon with one season of medalist Joanna Hayes has been eligibility remaining. She is a four-time hired by USC as an assistant All-American and two-time defending track and fi eld coach for sprints champion in the shot put and will be a big and hurdles, it was announced by addition to the Trojan program in 2017. Trojan Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert on July 14. She is the Ducks’ record-holder in the women’s shot put with a mark of 57-4.75 “We are excited to add such a (17.49m) which she set in placing fi fth great teacher and accomplished at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Last athlete in Olympic champion season she won her second consecutive Joanna Hayes to our staff,” Pac-12 shot put title with a mark of 55- said Smith Gilbert. “She is an Brittany Mann 7.00 (16.94m) and also placed eighth in Joanna Hayes excellent recruiter, brings a spirit the hammer throw with a mark of 180-4 of competitiveness and I think (54.97m). She also placed fi fth in the shot put at the 2015 NCAA she will be a great addition to what I believe is the best track Championships with a mark of 56-6 (17.22m) and won her fi rst Pac- and fi eld staff in the country.” 12 shot put title with a throw of 56-6.75 (17.24m). She was third at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the shot put. She also took Hayes won a gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2004 seventh in the shot put at the 2014 NCAA Championships in the shot Olympic Games in Athens, setting an Olympic record with a put with a mark of 56-0 (17.07m). time of 12.37. She fi nished the 2004 season ranked No. 1 in the world and earned USA Track & Field’s Jesse Owens Award that year. She was also a gold medalist in the 400m hurdles at the 2003 . Harmon-Thomas Also Transfers To While a collegian at UCLA, Hayes captured the NCAA 400m USC From Texas Hurdles title as a senior in 1999 and won a total of seven Pac-10 titles in the hurdles and relays. She was a six-time Redshirt sophomore Alexa Harmon- All-American and helped lead UCLA to three consecutive Pac- Thomas transferred to USC from Texas 10 team titles from 1997-99 and two consecutive runner-up with three seasons of eligibility remaining. fi nishes at the NCAA Outdoor Championships from 1998-99. She did not compete outdoors at Texas, Hayes has served as an assistant coach in the sprints and but competed indoors both years at Texas. hurdles at UCLA the last three seasons, helping the Bruins Harmon-Thomas, the daughter of NFL earn several All-America honors in the hurdles and 4x100m great Derrick Thomas, graduated from relays. Lawrence Free State High in Lawrence, Kan. in 2014. She won state titles in the Hayes, who graduated from UCLA in 2001 with a degree in the 100m HH, 300m IH (state record time Sociology, previously had been a track and fi eld coach at of 42.70) and long jump as a junior and in Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles for six seasons and both hurdles again as a senior. was a coach at the Brentwood Middle School in 2003.

Alexa Harmon-Thomas She fi nished tied for sixth in the high jump She is active in the community and started the Joanna at the Big 12 Championships in 2016 with Hayes Foundation, which provides support for programs and a jump of 5-5.25 (1.66m). services that work to develop the whole child with healthy minds, bodies and spirits. Trojans Enjoy Successful Golf Tourney Homecoming Set for November 5 at Trump National Golf Club

The USC T&F program would like to thank all of the alumni and supporters that came out to the annunal fund-raising tournament at the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. on Oct. 20. The event was a big success...and a lot of fun!

Among the day’s festivities was a spectacular round of golf, putting contest, closest to the pin contest, longest drive contest, raffl es, silent auction, cocktail reception and an awards dinner.

A fast-growing and popular alumni event is the USC Track & Field Tip-Off Luncheon to Come homecoming get-together held on campus which this season will “Out Of The Blocks” on Dec. 4 take place on November 5, the day of the USC-Oregon football game. The USC Track & Field “Out of the Blocks” awards luncheon and 2017 season preview event will take place on Dec. 4 at The event again this year will take place inside Heritage Hall at the Town & Gown on the USC campus. A reception will begin Bashor Lounge, four hours prior to tip-off. Food and drinks will be at noon with the event slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. with served and TV’s will be on so you won’t miss any action in college USC Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert serving as football across the nation. It provides a great opportunity for USC the event’s master of ceremonies. Among the day’s festivities Track & Field alumni and friends to reconnect with teammates and will be the introduction of the 2017 team, awards presented get to know the current student-athletes. to the 2016 team and the introduction of the Heritage Award winners. Last year there was roughly 200 people in attendance for the event held on campus. Among the notable alumni over the past Once again the price for a ticket is $80 per person and $800 few seasons have been Inger Miller, Felix Sanchez, Aaron Brown, for a table of 10. If you would like to be a Team Patron, the Aleec Harris, Carol Rodriguez, Dalilah Muhammad and Virginia cost is $250 for two reservations and for two student-athlete Crawford. lunches. To reserve any tickets or to make a donation to the Track & Field program, make checks out to USC and send To order tickets in advance ($25), go to usctrojanforce.com. to USC Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, 3501 Watt Way - HER 203A, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0602. For further information call (213) 740-4167. 2016 OUT OF THE BLOCKS BANQUET

• AWARDS BANQUET HONORING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE 2016 MEN’S & WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD TEAMS • • ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE 2016 HERITAGE AWARD WINNERS AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE 2017 TEAMS • SUNDAY DECEMBER 4, 2016 TOWN & GOWN, USC CAMPUS RECEPTION 12:00 P.M. - LUNCH 12:30 P.M PLEASE COMPLETE AND MAIL TO: Becky Gramstup University of Southern California Department of Intercollegiate Athletics 3501 Watt Way - HER 203B Los Angeles, CA 90089-0602

_____ I/We plan to attend the 2016 Out of the Blocks Banquet Luncheon. Please reserve ____ tickets at $85.00 each.

_____ I/We would like to be a Team Patron for the Out of the Blocks Banquet Luncheon. Enclosed is a check for $250.00 for special recognition and reservations for two.

_____ I/We cannot attend this year but please fi nd enclosed my donation of $_____ to help with the budget for the 2017 Trojan Track and Field teams.

Total Amount Enclosed ______

PLEASE MAKES CHECKS PAYABLE TO USC

NAME______DAYTIME PHONE______

ADDRESS______

CITY/STATE/ZIP______

Please charge my VISA/MasterCard/Discover (circle one)

Acct#______Security Code______Exp. Date______/______

Table assignments will be held at the reservations desk. If you wish to sit with friends, please list them on the back: tables of 10 only. For further information call (213) 740-4167. USC Trojan Force Track & Field Annual Membership Benefit Newsletter | Season Pass & Preferred Seating to Home Meets | Media Guide | Sponsorship Recognition  USC Trojan Force Application Form  Name______Spouse ______Address ______City ______State ______Zip ______Home Phone (______) ______Work Phone (______) ______Email ______TROJAN FORCE LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP: ____ $5,000.00* - One time donation to an endowment fund. (*includes team warm up, recognition at annual banquet and luncheon for two guests with Coach Caryl Smith Gilbert) GOLD ____ $1000.00 Annually ____ $500.00 Semi-Annually ____ $250.00 Quarterly SILVER ____ $500.00 Annually ____ $250.00 Semi-Annually ____ $125.00 Quarterly BRONZE ____ $250.00 Annually ____ $125.00 Semi-Annually ____ $62.50 Quarterly FINALIST ____ $100.00 Annually ____ $50.00 Semi-Annually ____ $25.00 Quarterly Enclosed is my donation for $______Please make checks payable to: TROJAN FORCE  (Tax ID# 46-4943223) Please charge to my VISA/MASTERCARD/DISC Acct # ______Exp. Date ______New membership in Trojan Force ____ Currently a member of Trojan Force I do not wish to join at this time, but enclosed is my donation of $ ______. Please note: The start date for your one-year membership will begin once your first payment is received. This membership will renew annually unless we receive a cancellation notice from you. Mail to: Trojan Force 1722 Westwood Blvd. #103 Los Angeles, CA 90024 XC To Build Upon Foundation USC Cross Country Team 2016 Season Outlook by Coach David Freeman

This might be the youngest team we have had since my arrival, but it is potentially the most talented top to bottom.

We are building our cross country program. We are adding onto a foun- dation that we started last season and are growing and growing. We mostly have freshmen and sophomores on the team and actually the only seniors we have are transfers Vivian Grimes and Lorea Ibarzabal. We are starting to develop some depth on the roster and I think that is going to help with practice, especially on the competition side to have quality workouts. I think the biggest benefi t is that we have more bodies out there to challenge each other than we have had previously.

This year we are still a young team, but I think we are learning from our experiences last year, not only from cross country, but track season also. We are starting to learn what it takes to be great in the Pac-12 Conference and nationally, so we are going to take those lessons and really work hard throughout the semester and get ready for the Pac-12 Championships at the end of the semester, that is our goal. We want to keep improving, getting better day-by-day and be better by the end of the season, the championship part of the season.

I think we lost a lot of experience with Kat (Berdousi) and Jenna (Tong) to name a few, but I think the young women who came in this year have Front: Sophia Racette, Kamryn Weber, Lorea Ibarzabal, Amber Gore, Chloe the talent to contribute right away. Hopefully the sophomores who had Berry. Top: Rebekah Ent, Rachel Glynn, Vivian Grimes, Madison Ricks, Mikaela Smith, that experience last year as freshman can lead them a little bit and Lauren Maurer, coach David Freeman. show them what to do, how to compete at this level and speed up the learning process. I think by running a lot of freshman last year will pay off this year and in the next couple of years. Our conference is all about USC Cross Country Wins Season Opener being able to compete with the best both mentally and physically, so that’s the part we have to keep working on. The USC women’s cross country team opened its season in style by winning the Pepperdine Invitational (4K), led by a fi rst-place fi nish for Madison Ricks We have a few people that I think will really step up this year. One of and a fourth-place fi nish for Amber Gore at Alumni Park in Malibu, Calif. on them is Amber Gore. She was banged up last year coming into college. Sept. 1. The victory was USC’s fi rst overall win since the 2014 season when Now with a year under her belt and training at this level and gaining the it defeated UCLA in a Dual Meet and Ricks was USC’s fi rst individual champ experience in cross country and track, she is bringing that confi dence. since Katerina Berdousi won the title at USC-UCLA Dual Meet two years ago. She did win a state championship in high school, so she knows how to win. Another one that had a good summer was Madison Ricks. Our The fi ve-team meet was actually scored as dual meets with each school with goal with her is to keep improving her day-by-day and limiting the set- USC the overall winner, defeating CSU Bakersfi eld 17-41, Long Beach State backs. She has talent, unfortunately she had some of the setbacks 19-37, Pepperdine 19-36 and UC Irvine 25-30. early in her career. She had a good summer and created a good base and hopefully can continue that during the fall. Redshirt junior Rebekah The redshirt sophomore Ricks won by more than eight seconds with a time of Ent was our No. 2 runner last season and returns to anchor this year’s 15:14.37, with Gore close behind in fourth with a time of 15:26.05. Gore went squad. to the lead by the midway point in the race and was joined shortly by Ricks and Vivian Grimes is going to be a good contributor to the program. She they ran 1-2 most of the second half of the course, then Ricks pulled away from and Lorea Ibarzabal are graduate students, so they add the experience the top four runners down the stretch. to our young team. Hopefully the lessons Grimes learned at Boston College, she brings here and hopefully it rubs off with the young ath- Also sophomore Mikaela Smith was seventh overall with a time of 15:52.81, letes. Lorea is from Portland so she has the experience of being part freshman Chloe Berry was 10th with a time of 16:04.29, redshirt senior Lorea of a cross country team also. I think she will help the younger athletes Ibarzabal was 13th with a time of 16:16.10 and freshman Kamryn Weber was learn what it takes to be great, not only at the meets, but also at the 32nd with a time of 17:27.38. day in and day out at practice. They both have seen it all and have experienced the ups and downs of college, so I think they can add a lot “I think it is a good start because we have a lot of freshman and sophomores through their experience. so they don’t know how it used to be, as to not being competitive,” added Free- man. “I think we are changing that mindset and this is a good starting point. We I think we have the most talent on the cross country team since I’ve won the meet and hopefully we can keep that snowball effect going, and our been here, it is just that they are young and have to gain that experi- confi dence starts building up and we’ll see where it takes us.” ence and they have to learn what it takes to be great in the Pac-12 and on the national stage. 2016 USC Cross Country Schedule • Sept. 1 at Pepperdine Invitational (Malibu, Calif.) The difference with this team is that from our No. 1 to our No. 11 runner • Sept. 17 at UC Riverside Invitational (Riverside, Calif.) we are closer together. Our competitiveness at practice shows and • Oct. 1 at Sac. State Regional Preview (Sacramento, Calif.) they get after it a little more and that is what it takes to build a whole team. I think we are starting to have that. This season we have added • Oct. 15 at Highlander Invitational (Riverside, Calif.) a few 6K races during the regular season which should help us prepare • Oct. 21 at Titan Invitational (Fullerton, Calif.) for the championship part of the season. We are trying to add to that • Oct. 28 at Pac-12 Championships (Tucson, Ariz.) experience so one of the things we learned is that we need to run more • Nov. 11 at NCAA West Regional (Sacramento, Calif.) 6Ks so we are used to it. • Nov. 19 at NCAA Championships (Terre Haute, Ind.) USC TRACK & FIELD ACADEMIC CORNER

Lopez Receives Pac-12 Postgraduate 14 Trojans Named To Pac-12 2016 Scholarship T&F All-Academic Teams

USC senior track and fi eld athlete Diego Lopez was selected as one Jaide Stepter was named fi rst team and Erika Peyton and of 23 Pac-12 student-athletes to receive a conference postgraduate Nick Ponzio second team to lead a group of 14 USC student- scholarship for the 2015-16 academic year it was announced today athletes named 2016 Pac-12 All-Academic for the track and (July 25). The scholarships, worth $9,000 each, are awarded to up fi eld season it was announced by Commissioner Larry Scott to two student-athletes from each Pac-12 school annually. These today (June 9). To be selected, an athlete must maintain worthy student-athletes maintained a minimum 3.0 grade point at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, be at least average and demonstrated a commitment to education, campus and a sophomore academically, be a signifi cant contributor community involvement, and leadership. and have completed at least one full academic year at the institutions. “This year’s recipients are excellent representatives of the Pac-12 and wonderful examples of the power of collegiate sports to help The senior Stepter, who earlier this season was named the young people reach their goals,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Pac-12 Women’s Scholarw-Athlete of the Year, maintained a Scott. “We are honored to help these student-athletes continue their 3.84 GPA in Communications with a minor in Animation and education and look forward to watching them positively impact their Digital Arts. She also is a three-time Pac-12 Champion in the communities.” 400m IH and will be competing today in the semifi nals of the event at the NCAA Championships. Lopez, who majored in Human Biology and continues on at USC in graduate school in Occupational Therapy, maintains a 3.35 GPA. Peyton, a redshirt junior, has a 3.67 GPA in English, Creative Lopez was a co-captain on USC’s men’s track and fi eld team which Writing at USC. She fi nished fi fth in the hammer throw at the fi nished 12th at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Lopez threw the Pac-12 Championships and has a best mark of 190-7. javelin for USC and had a personal-best of 195-1 (59.47m) to win the USC-UCLA Dual Meet on May 1 this season. The sophomore Ponzio has a 3.60 GPA in Social Sciences and Psychology at USC. He fi nished fourth in the shot put at the Pac-12 Championships and earned second-team All-America honors in the event yesterday.

Trojans that were named Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention were: Kendall Ellis, Deanna Hill, Diego Lopez, Tera Novy, Madisen Richards, Madison Ricks, Will Robinson, David Sellens, Dominic Smallwood, Natasha Strickland and Jenna Tong.

Stepter Named CoSIDA Third-Team Academic All-American

USC senior track and fi eld All-American Jaide Stepter was named to the 2015-16 CoSIDA Academic All-America third team it was announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) today (June 24.).

The USC track and fi eld co-captain Stepter won her third consecutive Pac-12 400m IH title and then went on to earn All-America status in the event for the second-straight year at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Stepter also ran on USC’s school record-setting 4x400m relay team, which also earned All-America honors.

Stepter, who earlier this year was named the 2016 Pac-12 Women’s Track and Field Student-Athlete of the Year, had a 3.85 GPA in Communications, with a minor in Animation and Digital Arts.

Stepter will compete in the 400m and 400m IH at the U.S. Olympic Trials in July and will also represent the U.S. at the NACAC U23 Championships (North America, Central America, Caribbean Athletic Association Championships) in El Salvador from July 15-17. We’re Back....!

Dior HallMarquis Morris Eric Sloan Just’N Thymes Ky Westbrook

USC welcomes the return of a potential fi ve NCAA scores in severall events who missed virutally the entire 2016 outdoor sea- son due to injury. Among the returning Trojans are All-American hurdler sophomore Dior Hall, Pac-12 110mm HH Champion sophomore Marquis Morris, Olympic Trial triple jump fi nalist redshirt juniro Eric Sloan, NCAA relay scorer redshirt senior Just’N Thymes and NCAA 100m All-American sophomore Ky Westbrook.

Legendary Coach Banks Passes Away; - USC T&F Head Coach Position Endowed In His Memory -

Legendary track and fi eld coach Ted Banks, in whose name the USC head T&F coaching position is endowed, passed away due to gastric cancer at the age of 82 in Gunter, Texas on Aug. 25.

Bank guided the UTEP track and fi eld program from 1972-81 and led them to a combined 17 NCAA titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and fi eld. Three times he was able to coach UTEP to the triple crown – NCAA titles in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track in the same season. Banks was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2000.

He is survived by his wife Judy; his children Jennifer, Ted and Tom; and two grandchildren, Hunter and Jade Nix. Hunter Nix played football at UTEP from 2011-13.

De Grasse and Norman Featured On Trojans Live...

During the Sept. 26, 2016 Trojans Live Radio Show held at The Lab just off campus, 3-time 2016 Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse spoke with hosts Jordan Moore and John Jackson about the journey from USC to the Olympics. Shortly after that, per- haps the next Trojan superstar Michael Norman joined the show to discuss the upcoming season and the success he enjoyed this summer at the Olympic Trials. Important Upcoming Events Nov. 5 Homecoming/Reunion Weekend L.A. Coliseum (USC vs. Arizona) Dec. 4 Out of the Blocks Banquet Town and Gown

Indoor Schedule Jan. 20-21 Rod McCravy Invite Lexington, Kent. Jan. 27-28 Razorback Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. Feb. 3-4 New Mexico Classic Albuquerque, N.M. Feb. 10-11 Tyson Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. Feb. 10-11 Husky Invitational Seattle, Wash. Feb. 24-25 MPSF Indoor Championships Seattle, Wash. March. 10-11 NCAA Indoor Championships College Station, Texas

Outdoor Schedule March 17-18 Trojan Invitational Loker Stadium March 29-April 1 Texas Relays Austin, Texas April 1 California Collegiate Invitational La Jolla, Calif. April 8 Battle on the Bayou Baton Rouge, La. April 13-15 Beach Invitational Long Beach, Calif. April 13-15 Mt. SAC Relays Cerritos, Calif. April 21-22 Triton Invitational San Diego, Calif. April 29-30 USC-UCLA Dual Meet Loker Stadium May 5-6 Pac-12 Multi-Events Championships Corvallis, Ore. May 13-14 Pac-12 Championships Eugene, Ore. May 25-27 NCAA Preliminary Rounds Austin, Texas June 7-10 NCAA Championships Eugene, Ore. June 22-24 USA Junior Championships Sacamento, Calif. June 22-25 USA Outdoor Championships Sacramento, Calif. Aug. 4-13 IAAF World T&F Championships London, England

Sponsors Needed... The USC track and fi eld program is searching for sponsors for the awards at the Out of the Blocks Banquet to be held on Dec. 4 at Town and Gown. Sponsors will be helping keep the awards program going and will have their names recognized in the Out of the Blocks program. Also, there is a need for a sponsor to upgrade and preserve the amazing historical items in the Hall of Fame Room in the USC track and fi eld offi ce.

Trojan track and fi eld fans who would like to be added to the Trojan Force e-mail list should send their e-mail addresses to: [email protected].

USC’s school record-setting 4x100m relay team of Tynia Gaither, Alexis Faulknor, Deanna Hill & Destinee Brown