Baylor
NCAA Indoor Championships
Norman Captures NCAA Indoor 60-Meter Title
3/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
March 11, 2006
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Baylor freshman Jacob Norman (Temple, Texas) equaled his season-best and school record time of 6.56 to win his first national title in the 60-meter dash Saturday at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center.
"I just have to give glory to God because this is unexpected," Norman said. "Some dreams seem far-fetched, but God brings those dreams to reality. It was all about just winning, I thought I could get the collegiate record (6.45) if I went out and attacked it, but I'm just happy to win a championship for Baylor University."
"It's been amazing working with Coach (Michael) Ford, since the first of the year we've been working out of the blocks and on accelerating," Norman said. "I've just been building up all year long and I don't want Baylor to just be known as Quartermiler-U. He's taught me well and told me I could run this fast. I had no idea at first, but the work is really paying off."
Norman's mark is also the fastest 60-meter time in Big 12 Conference history. He is the Bears' first national champion in the event and is only the second freshman in school history to win an NCAA indoor individual championship. Deon Minor was also a freshman when he won the 400 meters at the 1992 NCAA Indoor Championships.
The men's 4x400-meter relay did not finish as the third leg, senior Wil Fitts (DeSoto, Texas), pulled up with an injury around the fourth turn of his first lap. The Bears were firmly in second place, just behind eventual champion LSU. It marked only the second time in the last 21 years, the indoor relay did not finish in the top five and did not earn All-America honors.
The women's 4x400-meter relay of senior Angel Perkins (Cerritos, Calif.), sophomore Carla Grace (San Antonio, Texas), junior Lauren Tillman (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and junior Kandace Tucker (Irving, Texas) ninth with a time of 3:33.19.
The men finished eighth overall with 21 points and would have finished fifth had they earned the eight points for a second place finish in the 4x400-meter relay. The women tied for 45th overall with four points.
The Bears open their outdoor season by hosting the Dr Pepper Invitational March 25 at Hart-Patterson Track & Field Complex.
Players Mentioned
