OUTLOOK: Member of the Penn 4x400 relay team that brought home the pinwheel...Expected to step it up this season and be a major factor at both the SECs and NCAAs.
2004: As a sophomore indoors, at the Carolina Big 12 meet, Watkins placed 15th in 800m ... At the Kentucky Invitational placed eighth in the 400m ... Placed fourth in the 400m at the SEC Invitational in Gainesville ... At the Gator Invitational placed 13th in the 400m ... Earned a fourth-place finish in the 400m at the Meet of Champions in New York ... At the SEC Indoor Championships placed 12th in the prelims of the 400m ... Finished fifth at the Last Chance meet in Gainesville in the 800m ... Outdoors, at the Florida Relays placed 14th in the 400mH ... At the Georgia Tech Invitational placed third in the 400mH ... Placed first at the SC State Championships in the 400mH ... At the Orange and Purple Classic turned in a third place finish in the 400mH.
2003: Indoors, began her collegiate career with third-place finish in 400m at George Mason Early Invitational ... Placed eighth in the 400m at the SEC Four-Way Meet ... Finished 10th in the 400m at the Florida Invitational ... Won first meet of collegiate career by running time of 59.42 to claim 400m final at USC Invitational ...Outdoors, finished fourth in the 400m hurdles at the Weems Baskin Relays ... At the Florida Relays, finished eighth in the 400m hurdles with a season best time of 1:00.13 ... Won the 800m run at the SEC Quad Meet with a season best time of 2:11.79 .... Placed 13th in the 400m hurdles at the Sea Ray Relays ... At the Penn Relays, finished 20th in the 400m hurdles ... Was the third-place finisher in the 400m hurdles at the Orange & Purple Classic ... At the SEC Championships, finished second in her heat of the 400m dash, setting a season best and personal record time of 53.95 then ran a 55.02 in the finals to finish sixth overall ... In the 400m hurdles at the SEC Championships, finished fourth in the preliminary heats then finished eighth overall in the finals ... Placed sixth in her heat of the 400m hurdles at the NCAA East Regional ... Set a personal best split time of 52.6 as the third leg of the 4x400m relay team that won with a time of 3:35.45... Leading the comeback at the Regionals as she took the baton in fifth place and handed off the baton to teammate Aleen Bailey for the final leg in the lead ... Also at the NCAA East Regional, ran a personal and season-best time of 54.97 in the 400m dash ... Earned first All-America honors of her collegiate career as part of third-place 4x400 relay team at the NCAA Outdoor Championships ... Capped outdoor season with a U.S. Junior National Championship in 400m hurdles ... Member of Team USA for the Junior Pan American Games in Barbados.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended John F. Kennedy High School ... Coached by Kenneth Samra ... Lettered in track and field (1999-02) and band (1999-02) ... Watkins was county, league and state champion all four years ... Watkins won national championship in 2002 in 400m hurdles.
PERSONAL PROFILE:
Date of birth/Location: March 27, 1984/Delaware
Parent: Melissa Watkins Taylor
Major: Liberal Arts
Favorite food: Rice and beans
My most memorable moment: When I won Junior Nationals in high school
Hobbies: Watching TV and going to the movies
Favorite movie: Finding Nemo
What I love most about USC: That we're able to go through our ups and downs and still come out on top
I chose USC over: Baylor, Seton Hall and Texas
