June 2, 2001
EUGENE, Ore. - Arizona State senior sprinter Marcus Brunson wrapped up his collegiate career finishing third in the 100 meters, fourth in the 200m and fourth as a member of the men's 4x400 relay team as the 2001 NCAA Track & Field Championships concluded at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., Saturday.
Completing the national meet with 19 points, ASU's men tied for 15th overall with Texas, earning the Sun Devils' top NCAA team finish since taking fourth in 1981. The women meanwhile, who were led on the final day by Kelly MacDonald's third-place effort in the 5000m, secured their best NCAA finish since 1994 (10th-place), tallying 18 points to tie for 14th with Appalachian State.
"I'm really proud of the kids and the team here, particularly our seniors," ASU head coach Greg Kraft said. "To come here and finish just outside the top-10 speaks volumes for what (assistant coaches) Walt Drenth, Darryl Anderson and Dawn Dumble have done. When you come to a national meet and you're not in the hunt for the title, you always come away a little disappointed and a little hungry for next year, but I think we have to take stock of where we've been and where we are as a total program.
"When you have that type of stability you can become a program that routinely challenges for championships. I think this was a good step for our program, both men and women, and I think it caps a very solid year for us across the board."
Out of the blocks quickly in the 100m, Brunson was passed midway by Tennessee's Justin Gatlin (10.08) and TCU's Kim Collins (10.13) who finished in first and second, respectively. Crossing the finish line in 10.252, Brunson just held off Sean Lambert of Tennessee, who settled for fourth in 10.256, just four-thousandths of a second behind Brunson.
Later in the 200m, Brunson missed his second third-place finish of the day by only a tenth of a second. While Gatlin once again emerged victorious (20.11) and UTEP's Caimin Douglas took second (20.56), TCU's Darvis Patton crossed the finish line in 20.59 to edge Brunson's 20.60.
"I said I wanted to go out with a bang and I pretty much did that," Brunson said. "I competed against a great group of guys, so to come away with third and fourth makes me very happy. Being a three-time All-American here, I'm very happy."
In the men's 4x400 relay, ASU's team of senior Michael Campbell, Brunson, junior Pete Lopez and senior Tony Berrian concluded the four-day meet with a fourth-place finish in 3:04.45. Baylor earned the event title in 3:03.89, just ahead of Auburn in 3:03.90.
One evening after placing third in the inaugural running of the women's NCAA steeplechase final, MacDonald completed her ASU track career in her home state placing third in the 5000m. Running in sixth place with just over three laps to go, the Tualatin, Ore., native surged in the final laps to cross the finish line in 16:03.57. While her time was a season best, it was just over six seconds shy of her ASU record pace of 15:55.90. Winning the 5000m was Stanford's Lauren Fleshman with a time of 15:52.21, while Texas A&M's Melissa Gulli crossed the finish line second in 15:55.64.
"Those last couple laps are really crucial," MacDonald said. "I was tired and really started to tighten up but it was my last chance on this track as a senior so I just gave it all I had. It was definitely worth it."
Said Kraft, "I'm extremely happy for Kelly MacDonald, she has really been a pioneer for our women's team in cross country and track. To come here and get two thirds (places) in a dramatic double, after doubling and winning both in the Pac-10 meet, is fantastic."
Rounding out ASU action Saturday, Oregon native David Wood, making his first appearance at the NCAA Championships, placed 12th in the men's shot put with a mark of 59 feet, 8.50 inches. Wood, from Pendleton, Ore., won this year's Pac-10 title with a personal-best 62 feet, 6.50 inches.
In all, ASU's men's and women's track teams combined for seven All-America honors at the 2001 NCAA Track & Field Championships: Marcus Brunson 100m, 200m, Kelly MacDonald 3,000m steeplechase, 5000m, Fasil Bizuneh 10,000m, Tiffany Greer long jump, men's 4x400 relay (Michael Cambell, Brunson, Pete Lopez, Tony Berrian).
Winning the men's NCAA team title was Tennessee with 50 points over TCU with 49. USC won the women's NCAA team title with 64 points, while UCLA was second with 55.