Johnson sets Trojan record (05/17/08)

Alyssa Johnson finished second. But her slim defeat was still a record-breaking and national-qualifying effort.

Johnson, a 2005 Jay County High School graduate, turned in a Taylor University record as she qualified for the NAIA National Championships.

The sophomore battled Brittany Simpson of host Cedarville at the Outdoor Athletic Challenge in the 1,500 run. She came up just short at the finish, placing second by two hundredths of a second in 4-minutes, 40.46 seconds.

Her time set a new Trojan record, and easily surpassed the NAIA automatic national qualifying standard of 4:43.85. She will compete at the national meet May 22 through 24 at Southern Illinois.

Johnson won the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship in the 1,500. She was sixth in the event at the National Christian College Championships.[[In-content Ad]]