The men got it done on Friday, and on Saturday it was the Oregon women’s turn to win the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field. The Ducks rode brilliant performances from sprint star Jenna Prandini and freshman 800m stud Raevyn Rogers to the title, their first on the ladies side since 1985. Oregon totaled 59 points with Kentucky 2nd with 50 and Texas A&M 3rd with 47 points. 11,734 fans, a majority of them Oregon loyalists, witnessed one of the fastest days in NCAA female history. 

 

It was a maddening final day in Eugene, and here are the top moments from Day 4 at Hayward Field.

 

Oregon Freshman Raevyn Rogers Crushes 1:59.71, 4th In Collegiate History

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After NCAA indoor champion Natoya Goule busted to the front with a 56 first 400m, Oregon frosh Raevyn Rogers tracked her down and wound up with one of the most stunning performances in NCAA Championship history. The 18-year-old crossed the line in 1:59.71, a World junior lead, nearly a two second personal best, and the 3rd fastest in school history. For the Ducks, it was the second straight year that they captured the women’s 800m after Laura Roesler won the 2014 title.

 

Epic Women’s 200 Won By Kentucky’s Bryant In 22.18, 2nd In Collegiate History

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The women’s 200m was touted as a battle between Oregon’s Prandini and NCAA indoor 200 champ Kyra Jefferson, but it was Kentucky’s Dezerea Bryant who crashed their party with a lighting fast 22.18 wind-legal time, #3 in the world in 2015 and #2 in collegiate history. 

 

Bryant had to make up ground on Prandini in the final 50 meters, who shot out of the blocks to the early lead through 100 meters. Prandini had won the 100 meter final just 45 minutes prior, and would finish 2nd in the 200 in 22.21, #4 in collegiate history. Prandini was also 2nd in the 200 in 2014. Defending champion Kamaria Brown of Texas A&M was 3rd in 22.24, 8th fastest in collegiate history.

 

Price Upsets Defending Champ Houlihan With Stunning Kick

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2014 NCAA 1500m champion Shelby Houlihan took the women’s 1500 out aggressively in 65 seconds through 400 meters, and maintained that rhythm as she led Mississippi State’s Rhianwedd Price at the bell in 3:05. 

 

Houlihan held a slight edge over Price, who owned the fastest 1500 in the NCAA in 2015 (4:10.95), with 200 to go and the Arizona State senior had increased her lead to 25 meters at 120 out. As Houlihan sprinted into the final stretch, it appeared that she had locked up her second straight title. Price, however, was not done yet, and she kicked furiously as Houlihan began to slow. 

 

The sophomore Price, who finished runner-up at the SEC Championships 1500 just a month prior, would cross the line first at the NCAA Championships in 4:09.56, a new personal best and one of the best kicks of 2015. 

 

Houlihan would finish 2nd in a new PB of 4:09.67.

 

Prandini Out-leans Texas’ Akinosun In 100, Scores 26 Points For Oregon

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Oregon’s Jenna Prandini was the busiest woman at the 2015 NCAA Championships, competing in four events over just two days of competition. Although her Saturday got off to a less than ideal start with Oregon getting DQ’d in the 4x100 due to missing an exchange zone, Prandini more than made up for that misfortune by winning the 100 meter title in a wind-aided 10.96 by the narrowest of margins over Texas’ Moralake Akinosun who was 2nd in 10.97.

 

The junior from Clovis, CA had already finished runner-up in long jump on Thursday as she entered the meet’s final day with big expectations in the 100 and 200. After collecting the 100 meter title, Prandini came back 45 minutes later to finish 2nd in the 200 meter final in one of the fastest half-lappers in women’s NCAA history. Prandini’s 22.21 was only outdone by Dez Bryant’s 22.18, making the Oregon superstar the fourth fastest 200 meter runner in NCAA history. 

 

Prandini is unquestionably the best athlete in the NCAA right now, and perhaps one of the best ever. To finish as high as she did in her three individual events with such limited rest is unimaginable, equaled by no other male or female at this level. 

 

Colleen Quigley Upsets Defending Steeple Champ O’Connor In 9:29.32, 3rd In Collegiate History

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Entering the women’s 3,000m steeplechase final, Michigan State’s Leah O’Connor was the odds-on-favorite to repeat her 2014 steeple title, and she set the pace throughout on Saturday, making it a very honest tempo that left just herself and Florida State senior Colleen Quigley in contention with one lap to go. 

 

As the duo of O’Connor and Quigley hit the bell in 8:20, they ramped up the pace another notch, neither woman able to shake the other. Quiqley, who had run the #2 time in 2015 of 9:33 earlier in the season, made the first big move at 200 to go, which O’Connor covered as they approached the final water barrier.

 

Quigley, who missed the 2014 outdoor season with an injury, gained a huge edge out of the water pit, propelling herself to a 10 meter lead as she approached the final barrier with 80 meters to run. The Seminole hurdled it perfectly, and sprinted away to a 9:29.32 victory at Hayward Field, making her the 3rd fastest performer in NCAA history, behind only Jenny Simpson (formerly Barringer) (9:25.54) and Emma Coburn (9:28.26). 

 

2015 NCAA leader Courtney Frerichs of UMKC would kick down O’Connor for 2nd in a PB of 9:31.36, while the 2014 champ would settle for 3rd in 9:33.38, also a personal best.