COLLEGE STATION, Texas (May 31, 2025) – Whyte ties USC 200m record, runs with winning 4x100m relay, setting facility records in both.
The USC women's track and field team sprinted around the track in electric fashion to earn 11 NCAA Championships berths during the final day of the 2025 NCAA West Preliminary Rounds being held at E.B. Cushing Stadium in College Station, Texas today (May 31). With Ashley Erasmus advancing in the shot put on Thursday, the Trojans will have 12 opportunities to score points at the NCAA Championships. The Trojans big day included posting six all-time Trojan top 10 times, tying a school record and setting two facility records.
To advance to the 2025 NCAA T&F Championships in Eugene, Ore. from June 11-14, an athlete needs to finish in the top 12 of an event at the regional. In running events today, an athlete needed to finish in the top three of her quarterfinal heat or have one of the next three best times to advance to a semifinal at the NCAA T&F Championships.
- The women's 4x100m relay team got the running portion started by matching its season best and second-fastest time in school history of 42.36. The group of senior Samirah Moody, junior transfer Dajaz DeFrand, sophomore Madison Whyte and junior Jassani Carter's time was first among the qualifiers and set the facility record. The USC women's team has not scored in the 4x100m relay at nationals since winning the title in 2021.
- USC women dominated the 100m quarterfinal with four Trojans advancing in the event to the NCAA Championships semifinals with the first, third, fifth and sixth-fastest times. DeFrand won her heat and had the fastest time of the day, matching her PR of 11.00 (+0.2) set on Thursday, which ranks fourth on USC's all-time list. USC's runners were a little bottled up with four athletes in the final heat, but three were able to get through. Moody tied her PR of 11.02 (-0.1) which ranks fifth on USC's all-time list to take second in the heat, freshman Brianna Selby had a PR of 11.03 (-0.1) to take third and move to sixth on USC's all-time list and Carter had a time of 11.06 (-0.1) to take fourth. The four advancing Trojans currently rank fourth, fifth, sixth and tied for seventh (Carter – 11.04) on USC's all-time list. DeFrand, Moody and Carter have reached the NCAA 100m semifinals before, with only DeFrand scoring, placing eighth in 2023. Freshman Tiana Eyakpobeyan had a time of 11.36 (-0.1) to finish 20th overall.
- The Trojans also earned four NCAA semifinal berths in the women's 200m dash. Whyte tied the USC record and broke the facility record with a time of 22.16 (+0.9) to lead all qualifiers. She had originally set the facility record with a time of 22.32 early this season, saw it broken in the first quarterfinal heat today and reclaimed it in the final heat. Whyte moved from tied for third to tied for first on USC's all-time list with Angie Annelus (2019). DeFrand won her heat with a PR of 22.33 (+1.4) to advance fourth out of the regional and tie Inger Miller (1993) for fifth on USC's all-time list in the 200m. Carter took third in her quarterfinal heat and fifth overall with a season-best time of 22.52 (+0.9). Moody had a time of 22.86 (+1.4) to place fourth in her heat and 11th overall to advance on time. Both Carter (fifth) and DeFrand (seventh) scored in the 200m at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
- Junior Yemi John won her women's 400m quarterfinal heat with a time of 51.14 to automatically advance to the semifinals for the third straight season. Her time ended up being fourth among the qualifiers. Junior Christine M. Mallard had a time of 54.55 to place 22nd overall.
- The women's 4x400m relay team of John, Carter, junior Takiya Cenci and Whyte won its quarterfinal heat with a time of 3:29.42 to automatically advance to nationals. The quartet's time ranked fifth among the qualifiers.
- Sophomore Nonah Waldron had a time of 13.16 (+1.5) in the women's 100m hurdles and senior Jalaysiya Smith had a time of 13.18 (+1.3) to finish 13th and 14th, the first two positions out of advancing to the NCAA semifinals in the event.
- Also, today in field events, competing in the discus throw were sophomore Reese Garland (176-3 – 15th), freshman Ashley Erasmus (169-10 – 31st) and junior transfer Karyssa Owens (168-4 – 32nd). In the triple jump were junior Lauren Reed (PR of 42-9.00 – 23rd) and junior Jada Foreman (41-10.50 – 29th).
– University of Southern California Athletics
