DyeStat.com – News – Washington Men, Oregon Women Win Pac-12 Conference Titles

UW Men Won Every Distance Race From 400 Hurdles To 10,000 Meters; Oregon Women Exceed Formchart With Points Stacking Up In 19 Of 21 Events

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Crash Kamon photos

WALNUT, Calif. — What does the end of a 95-year conference drought look like?

The face of Brian Fay of Washington, who won the 5,000 meters on Sunday with the Pac-12 Conference men’s crown still a jump ball between the Huskies and USC, carried as much of the pent up emotion as any at Mt. SAC’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium. 

Fay was one of eight Washington runners who went to the starting line of the 5,000 meters, looking for every last point. 

It turned out the Huskies had plenty. It was 157 for Washington, 137 for USC and Stanford was third with 96. 

Oregon may have seen a 15-year streak of conference titles end on the men’s side, but there was still plenty for Ducks the cheer about in the first year with Jerry Schumacher at the helm. 

The women’s team scored in 19 of 21 events and broke open what was considered to be a close team race with 158.5 points. 

USC’s women took a hit right off the bat, with a botched hand-off on the final exchange of the women’s 4×100, but the team still scored 127 points — finishing well behind Oregon but far ahead of third-place Washington (85.5). 

Washington’s total team effort included wins in every distance event from the 400 hurdles on up to 10,000 (including the decathlon 1,500). 

USC produced two of the most sensational performances in one of its signature events: the 400 meters. Freshman William Jones came on late and beat his teammate and defending Pac-12 champion Johnny Blockburger to win in 44.65 seconds. Jones’ previous best was 46.06. Blockburger also ran a personal best with 44.80. 

And Jan’Taijah Jones followed with a sensational performance in the women’s final, running 50.44 seconds to lead a 1-2-3-5 effort for the Trojans. 

Cal’s Mykolas Alekna, the world silver medalist and world leader this year, broke his own Pac-12 meet record with a discus mark of 70.40m (230-11). 

(more coming)