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UT Lady Vols’ NCAA Champion DMR (L-R): Phoebe Wright, Brittany Jones, Coach J.J. Clark, Sarah Bowman, Brittany Sheffey

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Tennessee senior Rubin Williams finally stood tallest on the medal stand.

Williams won the 200-meter dash at the NCAA Indoor Championship on Friday at Tyson Track Center. He won in a school-record time of 20.36 seconds and helped the second-ranked Vols score 20 points on the first day of the meet.

Tennessee enters today's final events in second place, trailing No. 1 Florida State, which has 26. No. 4 Arizona State is third with 19.

Williams didn't have to beat defending national champion Walter Dix of Florida State. Dix withdrew from the meet with strep throat, which Seminoles coach Bob Braman said Dix picked up at a Last Chance meet at Iowa State.

There was nothing wrong with Williams' performance, though. Williams broke the previous school record of 20.42 set by Justin Gatlin in 2002.

"It was a good race," Williams said. "I'm happy with the time. I'm blessed to have an individual championship because some people go their whole career without ever getting one."

TTennessee's Jangy Addy, the top-seeded hurdler, struggled in the preliminary and the finals, finishing fifth. Addy was in second place with 3,265 in the heptathlon with the final three events today.

The Vols also picked up points from senior Michael Hogue in the pole vault. He cleared 17 feet, 4 1/2 inches for sixth place, his second consecutive All-American performance.

Sophomore Evander Wells finished sixth in the 200 final. His time of 20.72 in the preliminary was a personal best.

The Lady Vols didn't have the best day but junior Sarah Bowman made sure it ended well. Bowman anchored the distance medley relay team to a title, beating Michigan's Nicole Edwards to the finish line by 1/4 of a second.

The Lady Vols won in a school-record time of 11:01.97. None of it surprised coach J. J. Clark, who told the team it should win the title.

"I told them they could win the race, and they believed it," Clark said.

"I know my athletes. I would never say it if we couldn't do it. They went out and proved me right."

The Lady Vols picked up one point from Courtney Champion, who finished eight in the 200 in 23.36. Tennessee also qualified Bowman for the mile final and Champion in the 60.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.