Beard Capped Sensational Year At NCAAs

“Almost” had defined Jessica Beard’s efforts at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships between her freshman year and junior year. Beard finished national runner-up in the 400 in back-to-back years and anchored Texas A&M to a painstakingly close second-place finish in the 4×400 relay in 2010 (0.03 seconds).

“Champion” supplanted that previous characterization in Beard’s senior year. 

Beard, already a three-time NCAA champion from her past efforts at the NCAA Indoor Championships, won her first individual outdoor title when romped to the 400-meter crown. The Aggie standout traversed one lap at Drake Stadium in 51.10 to win by 0.40 seconds, the second largest margin of victory since 2000. 

That actually came after Beard already had a 400-meter effort in her legs from earlier in the morning, when heats of the 4×400 were held due to inclement weather from the day before. 

Beard was just getting warmed up. 

The now 32-year-old native of Euclid, Ohio, returned to the track the following day to anchor Texas A&M in the meet-ending 4×400 relay with plenty on the line. Not only did Beard have some ground to make up on the rest of the field by the time she got the baton in third place; the future winner of The Bowerman had to win – or at least beat Oregon’s anchor – to assure the Aggies a third consecutive outdoor title, something that hadn’t been done since LSU ran off 11 in a row from 1987 to 1997. 

Beard passed Laura Roesler of Oregon (who would eventually win The Bowerman in 2014) for second place as they rounded the second turn and gobbled up the blue track on the backstretch with sights on leader Kai Selvon of Auburn. With 50 meters to go, Beard pulled alongside Selvon and kicked past her to the finish line. 

That was a 49.13 split for Beard, the fastest carry ever recorded in meet history.

Texas A&M ended up winning the team title by four points over the Ducks, 49-45.