Trojans Rack Up Pac-10 Track And Field Awards
June 19, 2007 | Track & Field
June 19, 2007
Lionel Larry was named the Pacific-10 Conference Men's Track Athlete of the Year, while USC teammate Noah Bryant collected the conference's Men's Field Athlete of the Year honors it was announced today by Pac-10 Commissioner Tom Hansen. USC also swept the Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year honors as Ahmad Rashad was tabbed the Men's Track and Field Newcomer of the Year, while Trojans Shalina Clarke and Shana Woods were named Women's Track and Field Co-Newcomers of the Year.
Larry, a junior from Compton, Calif., collected top honors in the 400m race (44.73) at the Pac-10 Championships, then went on to win his second consecutive NCAA West Regional 400m title (45.59) and then placed second at the NCAA Championships in the 400m by .02 seconds (44.68). His 400m time is the eighth fastest in Pac-10 history. In addition, he anchored USC's winning 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams at the Pac-10 Championships. He is the ninth Trojan to be named Pac-10 Track Athlete of the Year, the first since hurdler Ryan Wilson was honored in 2003.
Bryant, a senior from Santa Barbara, Calif., successfully defended his Pac-10 title in the shot put (20.29m/66-7), then won the NCAA West title (20.25m/66-5 1/4) and culminated his season by winning the NCAA Championship in the shot put (20.04m/65-9). Bryant is the first Trojan to capture the NCAA shot put title since the legendary Dallas Long won three consecutive titles from 1960-62. Bryant broke the 35-year-old school record in the shot put earlier in the season with a toss of 20.56m (67-5 1/2). Bryant also won the shot put title at the 2007 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Rashad, a freshman from Flint, Mich., won both the 100m (10.20w) and 200m (20.56) dashes at the Pac-10 Championships. He also won a Pac-10 title in the 4x100m relay, running USC's second leg. Rashad was hampered by a sore hamstring at the NCAA Championships, but was able to place 8th in the 200m dash.
Clarke, a freshman from Evanston, Ill., picked up 12 points for the Women of Troy at the Pac-10 Championships with an eighth-place finish in the 100m (11.66), a fourth-place finish in the 100m high hurdles (13.70) and a third-place finish in the 400m intermediate hurdles (59.05).
Woods, a freshman from Long Beach, Calif., finished fifth in the heptathlon (5,459) at the Pac-10 Championships, then went on to place 13th at the NCAA Championships with 5,507 points, the top mark for a freshman. Her point total in the seven track and field events is the third-highest by a Trojan female in school history.
Players Mentioned
