Good Sports: Fresno Pacific women's relay team wins national championship

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fast and fashionable.

The Fresno Pacific women's 4x100 relay team is the real deal.

"When the lights go on, we'll be ready," says coach Robert Foster.

The five Sunbirds have returned to the Valley with the title of DII national champions.

"Shocking to know that we did it," says Shaniya Randolph.

"We knew we could do it, but to actually see it done is kind of insane," says Brianna Green.

Foster knows a thing or two on the track.

The former sprinter won two national championships in the 110m hurdles with Fresno State, en route to two Olympic appearances for Jamaica at the 1996 and 2000 summer games.

"I just tell them what to do, it's up to them to do it," he said.

During Thursday's prelims, Foster called up freshman Riley Allen to fill in for Jamaica's Nydia Chance.

Without skipping a beat, the Sunbirds finished in second, poised for a podium finish with Allen anxiously watching come Saturday's final.

"I was definitely nervous -- I felt like I was in the blocks like Nydia was," Allen said.

The women not only won the event, but crossed the finish line with a blazing time of 43.85 - a new DII national record.

"This is like breaking the world record and winning an Olympic medal on the collegiate stage," Foster said.

That national title also led the FPU women to a fourth place finish overall, the highest in program history.

"I know that we're a small school, but we have strength," Randolph said.

With records set and hardware in house, Coach Foster is already looking for the next big race.

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