California Golden Bears Athletics
California
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Alysia Johnson Runs Sub-2 Minute 800 to Win NCAA Title
6/9/2007 12:00 PM | Track & Field
June 9, 2007
SACRAMENTO - California junior Alysia Johnson ran a school-record and lifetime-best 1:59.29 to capture the women's 800-meter run title on Saturday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium. Today was the last day of the meet, and the Golden Bears women finished in a program-best eighth place with a program-best 26 points. Their previous highs came in 1990, when the Bears scored 23 points and finished 11th. They also placed 11th in 1987.
The Cal women finished in the top 10 for the first time at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, though the Cal men have 13 top 10 finishes, including the team title in 1922.
This also marks the 11th individual or relay national title in all sports for the Bears this season, the most in school history.
Arizona State won the women's competition at Hornet Stadium with 60 points.
On the men's side, Cal finished 68th with 2.50 points, while Florida State won the team competition with 54 points.
Johnson edged Michigan's Katie Erdman, who made a late charge and ran a 1:59.35 to place second. Johnson broke her school-record 2:01.48 that she ran to win the 800 at this year's California Collegiate Challenge.
The 1:59.29 is currently the third-fastest time in the nation, college and otherwise, and qualifies her for the USA Outdoor Championships, which are scheduled for June 21-24 in Indianapolis. It is also the second-fastest time in NCAA meet history, behind Suzy Favor's 1:59.11 set in 1990.
The Canyon Country, Calif., product, who was third in the 800 at the outdoor championships last year, adds this year's outdoor title to the NCAA indoor 800 title she won earlier this season.
"I'm very excited," said Johnson said, who ran the outdoor race in front of her family, including her parents, grandmother and cousins.
"Alysia is one of the best female athletes to ever to go to the University of California," Cal director of track and field Chris Huffins said. "She's an absolutely phenomenal athlete and a great representative of what a University of California student-athlete should be.
"We are a top 10 program, which is what I came here to build," Huffins added. "I'm very proud that the women are in the top 10 following a top 15 finish indoors."
This is the Cal women's second national title of the NCAA Outdoor Championships, including senior Kelechi Anyanwu's victory in the women's discus throw on Friday, and third overall this year. Johnson ran an indoor school-record 2:03.47 when she won her first NCAA title of the season.
"They're both wonderful titles that I desperately wanted," Johnson said of her NCAA victories, "but the difference with this one was that I was able to get a very important standard that I wanted, that will give me the possibility to compete in the world championships and, possibly, the Olympics."
Erdman, who entered today's meet with the top time in the nation, closed to within a few feet at the end of the outdoor race.
"I felt very good," Johnson said of her race. "Maybe I was a little tight in the last 10 meters, but I feel like I had a lot left in me. If I had eyes in the back of my head and was more aware of the upcoming danger, I feel like I had another gear that I could've put forth."
When asked about running under two minutes, Johnson said, "It felt good. I feel like I could get used to it."
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Women's Team Standings (Top 10)
School Points 1. Arizona State 60 2. LSU 53 3. Michigan 36 4. Texas A&M 34 5. UCLA 30 6. Texas 29 7. USC 27 8. California 26 9. Georgia 24 10. Stanford 23 10. Texas Tech 23
Cal Result
Women's 800-Meter Run Final
1. Alysia Johnson 1:59.29*.
* School record
