Brianna Rollins Breaks Own Collegiate Record

by CU Athletic Communications - Sat Jun 08 20:24:46 GMT-04:00 2013

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson red-shirt junior Brianna Rollins dazzled the Historic Hayward Field crowd for a second time this week as she ran to another collegiate record in the 100 hurdles on Saturday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She blew away the field to a time of 12.39, one of the top times in history by an American athlete, to lead Clemson’s women to a ninth-place team finish. It was the program’s third straight top-10 finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Rollins used a great start and perfect form over the 10 hurdles en route to a second straight record-setting performance in front of a capacity crowd at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Devers, two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 100 dash, set the American record with a time of 12.33 at the age of 33 in Sacramento, CA in 2000. Rollins does not turn 22 until August. With her title, it was her third National Championship in the hurdles. She joins Clemson Ring of Honor inductee Tina Krebs as the only three-time NCAA gold medalist in program history.

“I try not think about my opponents and focus on what I can control and the 10 hurdles in front of me,” said Rollins, whose margin of victory was .4 on Saturday. “I am thankful I was able to glorify God today.”

Keni Harrison took fifth place in the same final as Rollins. She ran to a time of 12.87, tying a personal best set earlier this season. It was the first time in history Clemson had two NCAA finalists in the 100 hurdles.

The women’s 4x100 relay earned the bronze medal for the second straight year at the NCAA Championships. The team of Harrison, Rollins, Stormy Kendrick and Dezerea Bryant combined to a time of 43.76. Bryant took the baton in at least fourth place, but charged to push the Tigers past Oregon for third in the final meters.

Bryant followed about 40 minutes later with a fifth-place effort in the 200 dash final. The Wisconsin native ran a personal best 22.54, albeit with a strong +3.5 wind at her back. She capped her season with three top-five finishes in the short sprints at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, with a bronze medal in the 4x1 as well. Her fifth-place finish was the best for a Tiger female since 2001, when Shekera Weston took fourth.

Spencer Adams earned his third straight bronze medal in the high hurdles Saturday. Competing in his last race as a Tiger, he ran to a time of 13.34 with a heavy wind (+3.8) at his back. Adams earned six of Clemson’s seven points as a team, leading the Tigers to a tie for 35th place as a team on the men’s side.