Trojans' Sprint Crew, Led By Jan'Taijah Jones, Samirah Moody, Jasmine Jones, Johnnie Blockburger and Justin Braun Set To Compete At Podium

Story and Photos by Keenan Gray of DyeStat

Indoor action returns Friday to The Podium Powered by STCU in Spokane, Wash. with the elite Spokane Sports Showcase followed by the Spokane Indoor Challenge, which runs through Saturday. 

The USC Trojans make their way back to Spokane for the Friday meet after opening their season at the Cougar Classic last winter, with returning All-Americans making season debuts and incoming freshmen making collegiate debuts.

WATCH THE SPOKANE SPORTS SHOWCASE LIVE ON RUNNERSPACE (+PLUS required)

On Friday evening and Saturday, the Spokane Indoor Challenge will keep the busy weekend going with additional college and open competition.

WATCH THE SPOKANE INDOOR CHALLENGE LIVE ON RUNNERSPACE (+PLUS required)

All-Americans Samirah Moody and Jassani Carter from the 4x100 relay quartet get things going for the Trojans in the women’s 60 meters, taking on Washington State’s Skyler Walton and Academy of Arts’ Juvonna Cornette. 

Carter will double back later in the day in the 300, alongside All-American teammates Jan’Taijah Jones, Yemi John and Christine Mallard, with Madison Whyte, a New Balance Nationals Outdoor All-American in the 200 meters, making her collegiate debut.

Travis Williams and Ashton Allen provide a solid 1-2 punch for the Trojans in the men’s 60 as they’ll face Division 2 All-American Robin Black of Academy of Arts from San Francisco. Allen and Black will also meet in the 200.

Jasmine Jones aims to get back into championship form when she debuts in the women’s 60 hurdles. Jones earned a runner-up finish in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2022 NCAA Championships, along with winning the Pac-12 outdoor title. 

All-American Johnnie Blockburger and freshman Justin Braun square off with San Jose State’s Cameron Tarver in the men’s 300, which will also feature a trio of former Washington State high school standouts making their collegiate debuts in Stanford’s Will Floyd, USC’s Jake Andrews and Washington State’s Grant Buckmiller. 

Braun, Andrews and Floyd are also slated to run the 60. 

Elias Gerald and JC Stevenson look to carry over outdoor season success in their respective field events for the Trojans, with Gerald competing in high jump and Stevenson in long jump. 

USC's Allie Jones, fourth in the NCAA heptathlon last year June, is entered in the shot put. 

Marne Sullivan, a transfer from Boston College, will make her USC indoor debut in the women’s 800, facing Montana State’s Madison Smith and Hawaii’s Carlin McFadden. 

In distance events, Gonzaga standout Wil Smith looks to lower his facility record in the men’s mile when he races against Montana State’s trio of Levi Taylor, Ben Perrin and Harvey Cramb. Smith outlasted former Bobcat Duncan Hamilton in last year’s WSU Open in a 3:59.36 to 3:59.75 as the only two sub-four mile performers in The Podium’s two-year history.

Idaho’s Lorenz Hermann is scheduled to run the mile, as well as race in the men’s 800 against Nathan Cumberbatch of USC and Alex Scales of Santa Clara.

Mya Dube of Montana State and sixth-year runner Kristen Garcia of Gonzaga will do battle in the women’s mile. Nike Outdoor Nationals All-American in the steeplechase, Jessica Frydenlund, will make her indoor debut for Gonzaga. 

Jeremiah Walker and Christopher Coats of San Jose State will collide with USC’s duo of Yougendy and Darius Rainey in the men’s 400.

Washington State’s Jasneet Nijjar and San Jose State’s Alyssa Bean are set to race in the women’s 400.

Charleston Southern transfer Lauryn James, now representing Academy of Arts, will look to win her second 200-meter race of the indoor season, following a win at the GVSU Holiday Open back on Dec. 8. The former All-Big South performer will face Washington’s State Elise Thomas-Unruh and San Jose State’s Bean. 

Pole vault All-American Garrett Brown of Stanford looks to add another victory to his early indoor season following a win at the Commonwealth College Opener on Dec. 2. Big Sky champion Zach Klobutcher of Eastern Washington and Big Sky runner-up Colby Wilson of Montana State will challenge Brown in the competition. 

Big Sky indoor champion Savannah Schultz highlights the women’s pole vault competition. The senior opened her year with a sixth-place effort at the Spokane Invitational on Dec. 9.

NCAA Outdoor competitor Eve Divinity of San Jose State will compete in long jump for the first time since placing 20th overall in Austin, Texas at last year’s championships.

Idaho’s Tayler LyDay, last spring’s Big Sky outdoor champion in triple jump, returns to the jumping pit to open her indoor season in the triple.

Mountain West Indoor runner-up Cierra Jackson of Fresno State hopes to build upon her weight throw success from last season with her junior season debut, with teammate Amelia DiPaola joining her. Jackson will also compete in shot put with another teammate in Jocelynn Budwig.