Oregon’s record-setting 4x100 will be tested by LSU’s relay royalty

Ducks boast two of three fastest times in collegiate history after Mt. SAC Relays, but LSU has more championships than any program, including last year’s title

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Oregon holds the collegiate record in the women’s 4x100-meter relay. Louisiana State is the defending NCAA Outdoor champion and the most decorated program in Division 1 history with 14 titles in the event.

But as both teams demonstrated Saturday at the 59th Mt. SAC Relays, neither quartet is ready to back down from a challenge in pursuit of this year’s title, and perhaps another record-setting performance.

Oregon’s Makenzie Dunmore, Deajah Stevens, Hannah Cunliffe and Ariana Washington rallied for the victory in 42.12 seconds, with LSU’s Mikiah Brisco, Kortnei Johnson, Jada Martin and Aleia Hobbs clocking 42.14, both lineups breaking the previous record of 42.34 set April 1 by the Ducks at the Florida Relays.

“We don’t really set out to run an exact time, we just set out to execute better than the last time and I feel like we did that,” said Stevens, who also prevailed in the 100-meter dash in 11.00 and the 200 in 22.31.

“I won’t make any predictions, but I think we can go faster.”

Only national teams from 12 countries have ever run faster than Oregon and LSU. Both relays would have qualified for every Olympic and World Championship final, in addition to winning the gold medal at the 2015 IAAF World Relays.

“I think it’s exciting because we usually don’t race these schools during the regular season because we kind of stay in the South,” Martin said. “It felt good to come out and put down a really good time before we get to championship season.”

Oregon, LSU and Texas A&M are now responsible for the top 12 relay times in collegiate history. Texas A&M entered the outdoor season with the 2009 collegiate record 42.36, a time which now ranks fourth in history.

“We’ll definitely take the time. I feel like we all know what we can work on with our exchanges, so it’s something we have to look forward to working on during the week and leading up to nationals,” Brisco said. “I feel like that’s something we all dream of doing, just to be on the same stage as people we used to look up to and still do look up to. Just to be able to compete with them is a blessing.”

A rematch likely won’t come until June 10 in the NCAA final at Hayward Field, but even with the final on their home track and the Ducks pursuing their first 4x100 championship, Oregon isn’t taking anything for granted after last season.

The Ducks appeared on track last year to capture the championship after Cunliffe, Stevens and Washington teamed with Jasmine Todd to clock 42.68 at the Mt. SAC Relays. But a hamstring injury suffered during the West Regionals sidelined Cunliffe from running in the NCAA final and Todd wasn’t able to compete because of eligibility issues, resulting in LSU winning the title in 42.65 and Oregon – replacing them with Danielle Barbian and Sasha Wallace – placing third in 42.91.

“It’s always great to have healthy competition because that’s what you want when you go into a big meet,” Stevens said. “It’s only going to push both of us to go faster. I’m excited to see what happens.”

It was the fourth time LSU had raced the 4x100 this year and the second time for Oregon. LSU inserted Hobbs, a junior, in place of Rushell Harvey this season to join Brisco, Johnson and Martin, with Oregon leading off with Dunmore, a freshman, in its three record-setting performances thus far, including the 4x200 at the Florida Relays.

“The chemistry is really good and that’s a big part of the relay,” Dunmore said. “We’ll just go back to practice and see what we have to work on and clean up. We just focus on executing and doing what we do best and just go out there and perform.”

With Cunliffe rebounding from illness in the week before Oregon’s annual trip to Southern California, the Ducks found themselves trailing entering the anchor leg Saturday.

Washington, who was caught from behind by Dutch star and 2015 World Champion Dafne Schippers of Tumbleweed Track Club in the 4x200 in a 1:28.77 to 1:28.78 setback at the Florida Relays, surged past Hobbs in the final 25 meters to secure the narrow victory.

“They’re not going to get me twice,” Washington said. “We were kind of behind when I got the stick and my goal, as the anchor, is just to cross the line first, so I was going to do whatever it took to make sure we got to the line first.”

Even with the setback, LSU dropped more than a half-second from its performance April 8 during the Battle on the Bayou. Just like Oregon, the Tigers know there is plenty of room for improvement before they compete at the SEC Championships, East Regionals and the national finals.

“I feel like the goal each time we run, I think everyone can agree, is to run a clean race with good exchanges,” Brisco said. “I don’t feel like we did it in this race, so we’re just excited to see what we can do later on this season.”

Although the Ducks have twice set the 4x100 collegiate record, they are already focused on their next opportunity to make history, when they get a chance to defend their title April 27-28 at the 123rd Penn Relays.

“We’re only as good as our last race and as you can see, our last race was another collegiate record, so we hope we can bring it every single time we get on the track,” Washington said. “As long as we clean up the handoffs, we’ll be good.”