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NCAA West Preliminary Rounds
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Photo by: Image of Sport
USC Track & Field To Send 32 Athletes To NCAA West Preliminary Rounds In Arkansas
May 22, 2022 | Track & Field
Weekly Release (PDF)Schedule of Events (PDF)Live StatsStreaming LinksMen's Heat SheetsWomen's Heat Sheets
Men ranked No. 16, women No. 18 heading into NCAA Championships
The USC Track & Field team will be competing at the 2022 NCAA West Preliminary Rounds to be held at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Ark. from May 25-28. The top 48 declared athletes in each individual event and the top 24 relays in each region will be competing with the top 12 in each event area and relays advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships to be held in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11. Coverage on SEC+ begins at 4 pm PT the first two days and at 3 pm PT the last two days.
TRAVELING TROJANS -- The following are the 32 qualified and declared athletes for the 2022 NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. The men's team will have 17 individual chances to score, plus the two relays. The women's team will have 21 individual chances to score plus the two relays.
Women (17): Celera Barnes (100m, 4x100m), Breanna Bernard-Joseph (400m H), Alyssa Brewer (800m), Janiah Brown (800m), Jan'Taijah Ford (400m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Karlee Freeman (DT), Kimberly Harris (400m), Jasmine Jones (100m H, 4x100m), Bailey Lear (400m, 4x400m), Gigi Maccagnini (800m), Joy McArthur (HT), Samirah Moody (100m, 200m), Summer Mosley (DT, HT), Temi Ojora (LJ, TJ), Chioma Okonkwo (100m, 200m), Maci Simmons (400m H), Jalaysiya Smith (100m H).
Men (15): Ashton Allen (100m, 200m), Eric Allen Jr. (100m, 4x400), Johnnie Blockburger (400m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Jalyn Jackson (LJ, TJ), Kasaun James (200m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Christian Johnson (HT), Trey Knight (HT), Tade Ojora (110m H), Nikolaos Polychroniou (HT), Bobby Poynter (800m), Nicholas Ramey (400m, 4x400m), Earnest Sears III (HJ), Zach Shinnick (200m), Brendon Stewart (100m, 4x100m), Sam VanDorpe (800m).
MEN 3RD, WOMEN 4TH AT PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS -- The USC men's team won five titles and finished third at the Pac-12 Championships with 101 points. The women's team won two event titles and finished fourth with 78 points. Trojans winning event titles were: Johnnie Blockburger (M-400m), Jan'Taijah Ford (W-400m), Jasmine Jones (W-100m H), Trey Knight (M-HT), Earnest Sears III (M-HJ) and the men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays. The men's team has now finished in the top three in the standings in 10 of the last 13 Pac-12 Championship meets. The USC women's team had its three-year reign as champions snapped, but has now finished in the top four in 30 of the 35 seasons of the women's conference meet. Both the USC men's team (272) and the USC women's team (160) lead the conference in all-time event titles won at the Pac-12 Championships.
TOP 30 TROJANS - The Trojans have 13 athletes and four relays which rank in the top 30 among NCAA performances during the 2022 outdoor season. They are:
Women: Celera Barnes (1st - 100m), Jan'Taijah Ford (8th - 400m), Karlee Freeman (19th - DT), Jasmine Jones (9th - 100m H), Joy McArthur (18th - HT), Bailey Lear (18th - 400m), Samirah Moody (12th - 100m), 4x100m (12th school) and 4x400m (12th school).
Men: Johnnie Blockberger (9th - 400m), Davonte Burnett (6th - 100m, 18th - 200m), Christian Johnson (30th - HT), Trey Knight (4th - HT), Tade Ojora (12th - 110m H), Earnest Sears III (T-1st - HJ), 4x100m (2nd school) and 4x400m (14th school).
BURNETT INJURED AT PAC-12s -- Senior sprinter Davonte Burnett, a two-time outdoor All-American in 2021, injured his left hamstring over the final 15 meters in the 100m dash finals at the Pac-12 Championships and will miss the remainder of the season. Burnett still was able to finish third with a time of 10.22 and also ran on USC's title-winning 4x100m relay which set the USC record with a time of 38.60 earlier in the day. Burnett opened his 2022 outdoor season by winning the 100m dash at the Mt. SAC Relays with a PR of 9.99 (+0.3). His time moved him to tied for second on USC's all-time list and currently ranks 10th in the world. Burnett won the 2022 NCAA indoor 60m title and placed fifth in the 100m and sixth in the 200m at the 2021 NCAA Championships.
SEARS III WINS THIRD PAC-12 HJ TITLE -- Earnest Sears III won the Pac-12 high jump title on May 15 with a clearance of 7-1.50. He became the third conference men's high jumper to win the title three times (2018, 2019, 2022), joining Dick Fosbury of Oregon State (1967-69) and Nick Ross of Arizona (2011, 2012, 2014). Earlier this season Sears III won the Invitational Elite men's high jump competition at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 16 with a PR and the second-leading clearance all-time by a Trojan of 7-6.50 (2.30m). He now only trails Jesse Williams who has the school record of 7-7.25 (2.32m) set in 2006. The 7-6.50 mark was tied for the world-leading height until last week (now 2nd) and also ties him for fifth all-time by a Pac-12 athlete. Sears III has the USC indoor high jump record, which is the same height of 7-6.50.
HE'S COMING AROUND THE BLOCK -- Sophomore Johnnie Blockburger won his second consecutive Pac-12 men's 400m title with a season best time of 45.19 on May 15. That time was his best since running 44.71 on April 10, 2021. He placed 12th in the 400m dash at the 2021 NCAA Championships. Blockburger has also been anchoring USC's 4x100 and 4x400m relays which will be running in Arkansas.
FORD CRACKS USC'S TOP 10 -- Junior Jan'Taijah Ford won the 2022 Pac-12 women's 400m title with a PR of 51.22 on May 15. Ford's time moves her to No. 7 on USC's all-time list and ranks No. 8 nationally this season. The consistent sprinter has run under 53 seconds in all but one of her 12 collegiate 400m races. She placed 14th in the event at the 2021 NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. She also ran the fastest USC women's 200m dash this season of 23.18. Ford has anchored both of USC's relays and they will be in action at the West Preliminary Rounds.
SAMIRAH MAY SURPRISE -- Freshman Samirah Moody has qualified in both the 100m and 200m for the West Preliminary Rounds despite a leg injury limiting her to four total races this season. Moody has a best windy 100m dash of 11.08 (+2.8w) and a wind-legal PR of 11.24 (+1.2). She last ran a 100m race on March 26 when she ran the 11.08 to take third at the Texas Relays. She ran a season-best 200m of 23.43 (-0.8) at the Trojan Invitational on March 19. She ran her only other 200m dash at the Pac-12 Championships (24.24). Moody came to USC from Villanova after the Fall semester. She has a lifetime best of 23.32 in the 200m. She won a pair of medals last summer at the Outdoor High School Nationals in Eugene, Ore. Her 200m time of 23.32 set the all-New England High School record. She also won the 100m dash title at the AAU National Club Championships in Satellite Beach, Fla. on July 17, 2021.
NEXT MEET: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS -- The next meet for the Trojans will be the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships to be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11.
TRAVELING TROJANS -- The following are the 32 qualified and declared athletes for the 2022 NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. The men's team will have 17 individual chances to score, plus the two relays. The women's team will have 21 individual chances to score plus the two relays.
Women (17): Celera Barnes (100m, 4x100m), Breanna Bernard-Joseph (400m H), Alyssa Brewer (800m), Janiah Brown (800m), Jan'Taijah Ford (400m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Karlee Freeman (DT), Kimberly Harris (400m), Jasmine Jones (100m H, 4x100m), Bailey Lear (400m, 4x400m), Gigi Maccagnini (800m), Joy McArthur (HT), Samirah Moody (100m, 200m), Summer Mosley (DT, HT), Temi Ojora (LJ, TJ), Chioma Okonkwo (100m, 200m), Maci Simmons (400m H), Jalaysiya Smith (100m H).
Men (15): Ashton Allen (100m, 200m), Eric Allen Jr. (100m, 4x400), Johnnie Blockburger (400m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Jalyn Jackson (LJ, TJ), Kasaun James (200m, 4x100m, 4x400m), Christian Johnson (HT), Trey Knight (HT), Tade Ojora (110m H), Nikolaos Polychroniou (HT), Bobby Poynter (800m), Nicholas Ramey (400m, 4x400m), Earnest Sears III (HJ), Zach Shinnick (200m), Brendon Stewart (100m, 4x100m), Sam VanDorpe (800m).
MEN 3RD, WOMEN 4TH AT PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS -- The USC men's team won five titles and finished third at the Pac-12 Championships with 101 points. The women's team won two event titles and finished fourth with 78 points. Trojans winning event titles were: Johnnie Blockburger (M-400m), Jan'Taijah Ford (W-400m), Jasmine Jones (W-100m H), Trey Knight (M-HT), Earnest Sears III (M-HJ) and the men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays. The men's team has now finished in the top three in the standings in 10 of the last 13 Pac-12 Championship meets. The USC women's team had its three-year reign as champions snapped, but has now finished in the top four in 30 of the 35 seasons of the women's conference meet. Both the USC men's team (272) and the USC women's team (160) lead the conference in all-time event titles won at the Pac-12 Championships.
TOP 30 TROJANS - The Trojans have 13 athletes and four relays which rank in the top 30 among NCAA performances during the 2022 outdoor season. They are:
Women: Celera Barnes (1st - 100m), Jan'Taijah Ford (8th - 400m), Karlee Freeman (19th - DT), Jasmine Jones (9th - 100m H), Joy McArthur (18th - HT), Bailey Lear (18th - 400m), Samirah Moody (12th - 100m), 4x100m (12th school) and 4x400m (12th school).
Men: Johnnie Blockberger (9th - 400m), Davonte Burnett (6th - 100m, 18th - 200m), Christian Johnson (30th - HT), Trey Knight (4th - HT), Tade Ojora (12th - 110m H), Earnest Sears III (T-1st - HJ), 4x100m (2nd school) and 4x400m (14th school).
BURNETT INJURED AT PAC-12s -- Senior sprinter Davonte Burnett, a two-time outdoor All-American in 2021, injured his left hamstring over the final 15 meters in the 100m dash finals at the Pac-12 Championships and will miss the remainder of the season. Burnett still was able to finish third with a time of 10.22 and also ran on USC's title-winning 4x100m relay which set the USC record with a time of 38.60 earlier in the day. Burnett opened his 2022 outdoor season by winning the 100m dash at the Mt. SAC Relays with a PR of 9.99 (+0.3). His time moved him to tied for second on USC's all-time list and currently ranks 10th in the world. Burnett won the 2022 NCAA indoor 60m title and placed fifth in the 100m and sixth in the 200m at the 2021 NCAA Championships.
SEARS III WINS THIRD PAC-12 HJ TITLE -- Earnest Sears III won the Pac-12 high jump title on May 15 with a clearance of 7-1.50. He became the third conference men's high jumper to win the title three times (2018, 2019, 2022), joining Dick Fosbury of Oregon State (1967-69) and Nick Ross of Arizona (2011, 2012, 2014). Earlier this season Sears III won the Invitational Elite men's high jump competition at the Mt. SAC Relays on April 16 with a PR and the second-leading clearance all-time by a Trojan of 7-6.50 (2.30m). He now only trails Jesse Williams who has the school record of 7-7.25 (2.32m) set in 2006. The 7-6.50 mark was tied for the world-leading height until last week (now 2nd) and also ties him for fifth all-time by a Pac-12 athlete. Sears III has the USC indoor high jump record, which is the same height of 7-6.50.
HE'S COMING AROUND THE BLOCK -- Sophomore Johnnie Blockburger won his second consecutive Pac-12 men's 400m title with a season best time of 45.19 on May 15. That time was his best since running 44.71 on April 10, 2021. He placed 12th in the 400m dash at the 2021 NCAA Championships. Blockburger has also been anchoring USC's 4x100 and 4x400m relays which will be running in Arkansas.
FORD CRACKS USC'S TOP 10 -- Junior Jan'Taijah Ford won the 2022 Pac-12 women's 400m title with a PR of 51.22 on May 15. Ford's time moves her to No. 7 on USC's all-time list and ranks No. 8 nationally this season. The consistent sprinter has run under 53 seconds in all but one of her 12 collegiate 400m races. She placed 14th in the event at the 2021 NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. She also ran the fastest USC women's 200m dash this season of 23.18. Ford has anchored both of USC's relays and they will be in action at the West Preliminary Rounds.
SAMIRAH MAY SURPRISE -- Freshman Samirah Moody has qualified in both the 100m and 200m for the West Preliminary Rounds despite a leg injury limiting her to four total races this season. Moody has a best windy 100m dash of 11.08 (+2.8w) and a wind-legal PR of 11.24 (+1.2). She last ran a 100m race on March 26 when she ran the 11.08 to take third at the Texas Relays. She ran a season-best 200m of 23.43 (-0.8) at the Trojan Invitational on March 19. She ran her only other 200m dash at the Pac-12 Championships (24.24). Moody came to USC from Villanova after the Fall semester. She has a lifetime best of 23.32 in the 200m. She won a pair of medals last summer at the Outdoor High School Nationals in Eugene, Ore. Her 200m time of 23.32 set the all-New England High School record. She also won the 100m dash title at the AAU National Club Championships in Satellite Beach, Fla. on July 17, 2021.
NEXT MEET: NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS -- The next meet for the Trojans will be the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships to be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11.
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