Underneath the Hayward Field stands, shielded from the persistent Pacific Northwest rain that had taken over the NCAA championship track and field meet, four mostly unknown college athletes gathered one last time as teammates.
The updated standings flashed on a nearby TV. Georgia, 52. Stanford, 51. USC, 43. The women didn’t need to read any further.
One event left, and it was theirs. If the USC 1,600-meter relay team could just do what they came to do, the Trojans would be awarded 10 points and the NCAA team national championship. Fortunately, they didn’t have time to overthink it.