Southern Miss Lady Eagle Tracksters Finish Ninth at Conference USA Championship
The Houston women’s track and field team broke South Florida’s string of consecutive Conference USA titles, winning the 2002 C-USA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship, while first-year member TCU captured the men’s title on Saturday, Feb. 23 in Bloomington, Ind.

The Cougars posted a score of 107 to earn its second-ever C-USA women’s indoor title. South Florida followed in second with 89.5 points, while Marquette (77.5), East Carolina (66) and TCU (52) rounded out the Top 5 spots. Southern Miss finished ninth (30). On the men’s side, TCU won its first-ever C-USA Indoor Track and Field title with a score of 133, followed by second-place Charlotte (120.5) and third-place Houston (84.5). East Carolina (75) and DePaul (62) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

In day two of the championship, Southern Miss' Prudence Reid led the Golden Eagle squad, finishing second in the 60-meter dash (7.47) and fourth in the 200-meter dash (24.93). Jessica Crump finished second in the 800 meters (2:14.67). Janet Rono just missed out on a top eight finish with a ninth-place finish in the mile. The 4x400-meter relay team finished seventh (3:50.39).

In day two of the championship, the UH women’s squad was led by Lauren Smith and Courtnie Ratliff. Smith captured the 60-meter hurdles title with a time of 8.44, while Ratliff finished first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.64. They were also members of the Cougars’ 4x400-meter relay team, who finished first with a C-USA record time of 3:44.40.

Cincinnati’s Angie Kist won the one-mile run with a C-USA meet record time of 4:50.01, just nearly defeating Marquette’s Brianna Dahm, who also notched a C-USA record time (4:50.70) for second-place honors. South Florida’s Bente General posted an impressive time of 2:08.66 to win the 800-meter run and provisionally qualify for the NCAAs.

Louisville’s Shola Kadiri captured the weight throw event with a NCAA provisional mark of 58-10.75, while also claiming the shot put title with a throw of 48-06.

TCU’s Eliud Njubi registered a C-USA meet record time of 4:07.17 to win the men’s one-mile run. Njubi broke the four-year record held by South Florida’s Sheldon Monderoy, who posted a time of 4:10.93 at the 1998 C-USA Indoor Track and Field Championship.

The East Carolina team of Lawrence Ward, Domonick Richmond, Frankie Green and Benjamin Henderson captured the 4x400-meter relay with a C-USA record time of 3:13.34.

In the men’s field events, Houston swept the pole vault event, taking the top three spots. Daniel Patton finished first with a leap of 16-00.75, followed by teammates Jason Myers (15-07) and Alex Cantu (15-01), who

finished second and third, respectively.

DePaul’s Ryan Carey set a C-USA record with a mark of 68-04.25 for first-place honors in the men’s weight throw. The Blue Demons also claimed the men’s shot put when Frank Guzman finished first with a NCAA provisional throw of 57-05.75.

For the awards, TCU’s Monte Stratton won the C-USA Men’s Track and Field Coach of the Year honors, while Houston’s Leroy Berrell claimed the C-USA Women’s Track and Field Coach of the Year accolade. Eliud Njubi of TCU earned C-USA Men’s Athlete of the Year honor and Louisville’s Shola Kadiri won C-USA Women’s Athlete of the Year award. East Carolina’s Benjamin Henderson, who anchored the Pirates victorious 4x400 relay, captured the league’s Freshman of the Year (men), while South Florida’s Bentz General won the Freshman of the Year award on the women’s side.

C-USA Championship Final Results

Final Women’s Team Scores

1. Houston 107; 2. South Florida 89.5; 3. Marquette 77.5; 4. East Carolina 66; 5. TCU 52; 6. Cincinnati 49.5; 7. Louisville 44.5; 8. Charlotte 34; 9. Southern Miss; 10. Tulane 28.5; 11. Memphis 18; 12. DePaul 16.5; 13. UAB 11

Final Men’s Team Scores

1. TCU 133; 2. Charlotte 120.5; 3. Houston 84.5; 4. East Carolina 75; 5. DePaul 62; 6. Marquette 54; 7. Memphis 53; 8. Tulane 39