FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Texas senior Alexandria Anderson from Morgan Park High School won a national title in the 100 meters at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and helped the 4×400 meter relay team to another national title
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Texas senior Alexandria Anderson from Morgan Park High School won a national title in the 100 meters at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and helped the 4 x 400 meter relay team to another national title and finished third in the 200 meters.
Anderson became the Longhorns’ first 100 meters NCAA Champion since 2005 as she crossed the line in 11.20 for the win and the first individual title of her career. The senior bumped her All-America total to 18 with the victory, giving her the third most All-America honors in UT history.
Anderson, who has led the nation in the 100 meters since April, got out of the blocks a little slow but was able to come back and pass her competitors over the last 10 meters. She is the fourth Longhorn to bring home a national title in the event.
“That was the plan,” said Anderson. “I know a lot of things got me here this year, and I just wanted to give it my all because after this year, you can’t come back so you might as well leave it all out on the track. My start was kind of shaky, but I just remembered what my coach told me to do and that was just to keep digging and execute my race. So that’s what I did, and I’m just so happy right now.”
The next day, Anderson helped carry the University of Texas women’s 4 x 400 meters relay team to its first national title since 2005 after blazing across the finish line in 3:28.51, the 10th fastest time in school history. The Longhorns finished fifth in the team race, their highest finish since winning it all in 2005. Despite having just two individuals and one relay, the Longhorns tallied 36 points behind three individual titles.
Texas’ 4 x 400 meter relay team of freshmen Judy Nwosu, Angele Cooper, Anderson and sophomore Chantel Malone entered the race with the fifth-fastest time out of the preliminaries. Nwosu ran the leadoff leg for the Horns before handing off to Cooper who was able to put the Longhorns in first after her 400.
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In photo: Texas’ Alexandria Anderson, foreground, competes in the 100 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., on June 10. (AP/Beth Hall)
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