Baylor
NCAA Outdoor Championships
Wariner, 4x400 Relay Add Two More NCAA Titles
6/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
June 12, 2004
AUSTIN, Texas - Baylor sophomore Jeremy Wariner (Grand Prairie, Texas) ran a stadium-record 44.71 to capture the 400-meter crown, then helped lead the 4x400-meter relay to the title at the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by the University of Texas Saturday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
Wariner also won the NCAA indoor title in February and holds the top time in the nation and second-fastest in the world this year at 44.50. Wariner becomes Baylor's second champion in the event outdoors, joining Raymond Pierre, who won the title in 1989.
Junior Darold Williamson (San Antonio, Texas) finished sixth with a time of 45.26 to earn All-America honors for the third-straight year. Wariner became the 10th Bear to earn All-America honors in the event and the 10 runners have combined for 21 top-eight finishes in the past 20 years.
Wariner and Williamson then led the 4x400-meter relay team to the national title with a time of 3:01.03, the fastest time in the country this year. Sophomore Wil Fitts (Desoto, Texas) led off and handed to freshman Braelon Davis (Dallas, Texas). Wariner shot ahead for the Bears then Williamson finished it off, holding off Minnesota down the stretch. The Bears went undefeated all year long in the event, including the NCAA Indoor Championships.
The relay championship is Baylor's eighth outdoors in the event and has now earned All-American honors 24-straight times.
Senior Kyle King (Sulpher Springs, Texas) scored what turned out to be huge points for Baylor by finishing fifth in the 5,000 meters with a time of 14:18.38. King also earned All-American honors for the second time this year.
The Bears finished seventh in the team standings with 27 points, their best finish behind three third-place showings in 1985, 1990 and 2001. Baylor was also had the highest finish of any other team in the Big 12 Conference, edging out Texas Tech at 26.5.
