Yuma's Johnson makes NCAA track history

DES MOINES, Iowa — Yuma High grad and Arizona State senior track star Jacquelyn Johnson became the fourth woman ever to win four NCAA championships in a single event when she captured the heptathlon on Saturday.

The LSU women edged defending champion Arizona State for the women’s championship, a race that came down to the meet’s final event, the 1,600 relay.

Johnson wrapped up her outstanding collegiate career with the 800, the final of the seven events of the heptathlon. She finished with 6,053 points to 5,811 for runner-up Liz Roehrig of Minnesota.

The only other women to win four NCAA titles in one event were Suzy Favor of Wisconsin in the 1,500 (1987-90), Seilala Sua of UCLA in the discus (1997-2000) and Angela Williams of USC in the 100 (1999-2002).

Johnson, a multi-sport high school standout for the Criminals, won her four titles over five years. She took off the 2005 season to play college basketball.

Johnson’s big goal was not the NCAA championship, but a top-three finish at the U.S. Olympic trials in two weeks that would earn her a spot in the Beijing Games.

‘‘When I leave here ... it might hit me a little, might bring some tears,’’ Johnson said of her four NCAA titles, ‘‘but you know you’ve got put two tears in a bucket and look forward to the trials.’’