Ayesha Boyd Class: Junior Hometown: Spartanburg, SC High School: Spartanburg Height: 5-7 Event: Sprints Birthdate: 04/23/1982

AS A SOPHOMORE: Emerged as the top candidate to replace 2002 graduate Liz Grow as the top sprinter on the Irish roster ... dramatically improved into one of the best sprinters in the midwest ... began the indoor season in the Tri Meet against Western Michigan and Ball State, winning the 60 meters and taking third in the 400 meters ... ran a faster time against Michigan State in the 60 meters, taking first in 7.54 ... also won the 200 meters against Michigan State in 24.47 ... continued winning streak and time improvement at the Meyo Invitational, taking first in the 60 meters in 7.51 ... key member of the 4x400 relay team which blistered the field at the Meyo Invitational to win in 3:38.58 ... fourth-straight 60-meter victory occurred at the Windsor Team Challenge (7.57 in the finals) ... earned first all-BIG EAST honor of her career at the league indoor meet, finishing third in the finals of the 60 meters in a season-best 7.44 ... repeated her all-BIG EAST honor in the 200 meters, taking second in the finals (24.00) ... third all-BIG EAST honor came in the 4x400 relay, helping the Irish finish third ... ran the 200 meters at the Alex Wilson Invitational, finishing second (24.02) ... competed in her first NCAA Championship meet, qualifying for the 200 meters and finishing third in her preliminary heat ... also a member of the 4x400 relay team that ended up ninth at the NCAA indoor championship ... kicked off her strong outdoor season with a third-place effort in the 100 meters and second-place time (23.60) in the 200 meters at the Arizona State Invitational ... took a trip down to the Florida Relays, ending up eighth in the 200 meters and helping the 4x100 relay team post a brilliant 44.70 effort to take third place ... ran first 400-meter race of the outdoor season at the Spring Opener, cruising to a second-place finish ... helped the Irish women's team dominate the Tom Botts Invitational, winning both the 100 meters (11.73), 200 meters (23.84) and helping the 4x100 relay team take first in 44.73 ... won the 100 meters at the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays in 11.69 ... helped the 4x400 relay team qualify for the NCAA Championship with a 3:36.62, first-place effort at the Drake Relays ... earned all-BIG EAST honors in the 100 meters (11.65) and just missed all-BIG EAST honors in the 200 meters (fifth place, 23.74) at the league outdoor meet ... combined with Liz Grow, Tameisha King and Kristen Dodd to win the 4x100-meter relay BIG EAST Championship (44.77) ... appeared in the second NCAA Championship of the year, earning All-America honors with the 4x400 relay team which finished fifth in 3:32.12 ... also competed with the 4x100-meter relay team at the NCAA outdoor meet, taking 10th place.

AS A FRESHMAN: Stepped onto the track and immediately contributed fast times and event victories for the Irish in 2001 ... finished fifth in the 400 meters vs. Ball State and Western Michigan, her first collegiate race ... posted two runner-up finishes in the 60 meters and 200 meters vs. Michigan State ... had an impressive second-place finish in the 60 meters at the Meyo Invitational with a season-best 7.64 ... also finished third at the Meyo in the 200 meters with a season-best 25.01 ... finished second, just behind teammate Tameisha King (7.69 vs. 7.70), at the Windsor Team Challenge in the 60 meters ... competed in the 60 and 200 meters at the 2001 BIG EAST Indoor Championships, placing eighth in the 200 meters ... improved dramatically during the outdoor season ... placed third in the 100 meters at the Arizona State Invitational ... established herself at the Tom Botts Invitational, winning her first individual title (400 meters) and taking second in the 200 meters ... also a member of the school-record setting 4x100 and 4x400 outdoor relay teams ... the 4x100 and 4x400 teams each won their heat at the prestigious Drake Relays ... earned all-BIG EAST honors at the 2001 BIG EAST Outdoor Championship, finishing third in the 100 meters (11.86) ... member of the BIG EAST champion 4x100 relay team ... also competed in the 200 and 400 meters at the BIG EAST outdoor meet ... 4x100 team attempted to qualify for the NCAA Championship at the Georgia Tech Invitational, posting a blistering 44.45 to set a school record.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: A four-year letterwinner in track at Spartanburg High School ... won three gold medals at the 2000 state championship meet in the 100, 200, and 400 meters ... her performance helped the Spartanburg team win its first-ever team state title ... named MVP of the track team all four years at Spartanburg ... set school records in the 100, 200 and 400 meters ... also set county records in all three events ... career-best times in all three events while at Spartanburg: 55.00 in the 400, 24.00 seconds in the 200 and 11.56 seconds in the 100 meters ... served as captain of the track team her junior and senior years ... earned all-state, all-city, and all-conference accolades all four years of high school competition ... participated in several extra curricular activities including Black History Club, Symphony Orchestra, Mu Alpha Theta and served as president of the Beta Club ... born April 23, 1982, in Spartanburg, S.C. ... enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters.