DEMUS CHOOSES SOUTH CAROLINA PALMDALE TRACK STAR `RELIEVED'.

Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News

College coaches have been chasing Lashinda Demus since she was a freshman at Long Beach Wilson High. For Demus, who lives in Palmdale, the only pursuit remaining during her senior year is a national high school record in the 300-meter low hurdles.

But the 1999 Track & Field News national high school girls' athlete of the year ended one of the nation's biggest recruiting battles when she signed a letter of intent with South Carolina during the early signing period last week. She chose the Gamecocks over USC, UCLA, Texas and LSU.

``It was a hard decision, but I am relieved,'' said Demus, who began receiving letters from universities during her freshman year.

Demus, part of Wilson's national 1,600-meter relay-record team as a ninth grader, wanted to make an early commitment to allow her to concentrate on her senior track season. In particular, she wants to set the national 300-hurdle record of 40.18 seconds.

In the state championships in June, Demus clocked 40.41 for the No. 3 mark of all time en route to her second consecutive title. Demus also posted lifetime bests of 52.97 in the 400 and 13.76 in the 100 high hurdles, the seventh- and eighth-best times, respectively, on the national yearly list.

``She's so multitalented,'' Wilson coach Terry Kennedy said.

South Carolina coach Curtis Frye believes Demus' future is in the 400 and the 400 hurdles, but he has no intention to have her abandon her other events. In fact, Frye is encouraging versatility.

Demus is expected to run a full indoor season, ranging from the 60 hurdles to the 400. Outdoors, she could drop down to the 100 and 200 and the 400 and 1,600 relays. It's all part of Frye's plan to develop Demus' raw power and speed to carry over to the 400 hurdles.

``She has great range,'' Frye said of the 5-foot-7 Demus. ``All the great ones are like that. You don't need to fix anything that is not broken. It takes a great athlete to be an intermediate hurdler.''

The Gamecocks are projected to have one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. They have also received commitments from sprinters Khalilah Carpenter of Ohio and Erica Whipple of Florida, tops in the nation in the 100 and 200, respectively, and Tiffany Ross of Florida and Shevon Stoddard of New York, Nos. 2 and 5 in the country, respectively, in the 400 hurdles as juniors.

Demus has a legacy of her own - her mother, Yolanda Rich, was a national collegiate 400 champion at Cal State L.A.

In 1999, Demus, a national age-group record holder in the 800, became only the second sophomore to earn national athlete of the year honors. The other was 2000 triple Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones, a former Frye recruit when he was at North Carolina.

``Lashinda is not a recent phenomenon,'' Frye said. ``She has outstanding coaching and been part of the development process that many Olympic athletes had followed.''

Demus has steadily improved during high school training under Earl McCullough, a former USC football player and high hurdle world-record holder.

She had planned to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400-meter hurdles but said she needed a break from a long season that began with indoor competition in January. It was the first summer break Demus had taken from track since she began as an age-group competitor.

``I want it to be my best year,'' Demus said. ``I was disappointed with my times last year. I thought I could do much better.''

But Demus' stock among college recruiters remained high this summer. In August, she took recruiting trips to Texas and UCLA. Last month, Demus made visits to LSU and South Carolina.

Demus said the most important criterion was choosing an established program that was competitive at the NCAA level. LSU, USC and UCLA finished 1-2-3 in the NCAA championships in June. Texas was fifth and South Carolina tied for sixth.

Frye's success in the hurdles played a big part in her decision. Allen Johnson, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist in the 110 high hurdles, and 2000 Olympic 100 hurdle bronze medalist Melissa Morrison, are members of his Speed Elite track club.

Johnson and Morrison each serve as South Carolina volunteer coaches. Frye also works with 2000 Olympic 110 hurdle silver medalist Terrence Trammel, the 1999 and 2000 NCAA champion.

At South Carolina, Demus joins a team that returns three runners from its NCAA champion 1,600 relay with junior twins Miki and Me'Lisa Barber and Demietria Washington. Miki Barber and Washington finished 1-2 in the NCAA 400 championships.

``Everybody was pretty cool,'' Demus said. ``I felt very comfortable. I got along with everybody.''

BREAKING BARRIERS

A look at the track and field accomplishments of Palmdale resident Lashinda Demus, who has signed a letter of intent to attend South Carolina.

--1999 Track & Field News Athlete of the Year

--1999 Pan American junior 400 champion

--1999 USATF Junior 400 champion

--1999 and 2000 state 300 hurdle champion

--Third fastest of all time in 300 hurdles (40.41)

--National high school record 1,600 relay (3:37.31)

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

National record holder Lashinda Demus of Palmdale, a student at Long Beach Wilson, will continue her standout track career at South Carolina.

Kirby Lee/Special to the Daily News

Box: Breaking Barriers (see text)