Last track season, the women’s 4x100m relay team made history, racking up awards from CSU, to Big South records, to NCAA All-American status. The quartet of Jessica Thomas, Dionne Gibson, Misha Morris and Gabrielle Houston was not content when they shattered the Big South’s record at the NCAA East Region becoming the first women’s relay team to break the 45-second mark. The team went on to become the League’s first relay team to earn a bid to the national championship meet.

Most people would have been content to be at the meet, but not the ladies in the Blue and Gold. They ran a sub-45 time for the third-straight time to finish third in their heat behind LSU and Baylor, qualifying them for the finals and giving them a chance at earning All-America honors.

“It all started at the preliminary race at the East Region when we almost beat Miami,” said Coach Tosha Ansley ’99. “We made it to the finals and knew we had a chance to make it to the national meet. We were a little disappointed in our time in the finals, but I kept checking times across the country that night and realized that we would probably still make it.”

After a whirlwind turnaround that forced the team to drive to Savannah, Ga., fly to Tulsa, Okla., and drive to Fayetteville, Ark., the team arrived at nationals happy to be there but ready to prove they belonged.

The team put down another school record, running 44.35, and again it was a waiting game for Ansley, who thought her team had a chance.

“We just kept watching the other heats and all the times were coming in above ours,” said Ansley. “The final heat came, and Miami won the heat. Anxiously we looked up at the scoreboard and realized we had beaten their time and made the finals. We ran out of the stands cheering and celebrating.”

The ninth finalist on a nine-lane track, the team knew they needed to beat one team to earn the All-American title.

“Our exchanges weren’t as crisp as I would have liked, and even though we still ran a good time, we didn’t improve as I had hoped,” said Ansley. “After the race, we realized that LSU had not finished the race and that put us in eighth place. Through all the celebration, I stressed to the team that they had put themselves in the position to take advantage of LSU’s mistake.”

After the awards ceremony Gibson, the leader of the group and the only senior on the relay team, gave her award to Ansley as the two shared a tearful embrace. Ansley insisted that she keep the award, that she had earned it, but Gibson responded, “Yes, but you coached us to get here.”

The Conference recognized the team by naming them the 2008-09 Big South Track Athletes of the Year.

“Those four young ladies have paved the way in CSU and Big South history by doing some monumental things,” said Ansley. “Not only were they the first relay team, male or female, to qualify for NCAA Nationals, they went the distance and advanced to the finals. They finished eighth and received NCAA All-American Status. Then they received another first by becoming the first relay team to earn the award from the Conference; it truly is an honor.”

The experience of having been there no doubt benefits the current team, but it also helps in recruiting.

“When I talk to recruits, that’s what they want to hear. They want to know that we can compete with anyone in the country,” said Ansley. “It gives them confidence that they can come to a smaller school like Charleston Southern and still compete with the LSUs and Baylors of the world.”

Looking back, Ansley still smiles when she thinks about the team and the experience of going to nationals.

“This team is more dedicated than ever, and the goal of this team is to get back. Whether it is one person or more, we want to go back.”