One would think a girl from Arizona wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the typical Iowa blizzard that happened during the Big 12 Indoor Track Championships – unless, of course, that girl is Rebecca Williams.

Williams, a senior from Yuma, Ariz., set a new Iowa State record en route to becoming the Big 12 conference 60-meter hurdles champion. She won the title in a time of 8.19 seconds, the eighth fastest time in the nation this season.

Williams winning has almost become a sure thing this year – she has lost only one final race this year and is undefeated inside the walls of the Lied Recreation Athletic Center. Even with all those accomplishments, Williams was still in shock after the race.

“This was my goal. My goal for the year was to break the indoor record and to place in the top three in the conference,” Williams said. “To win it is a little bit beyond what I thought would happen. It’s an amazing feeling at this point.”

ISU sprints and hurdles coach Scott Roberts believed Williams could win, but when racing in the Big 12, there are no givens.

“You always have that in the back of your mind when you have a good athlete: You want them to be able to win the Big 12,” Roberts said. “But it’s really tough to do, so it’s not something you ever count on.”

Williams’ first place finish this season is her second trip to the Big 12 podium in as many years. She improved from an 8th place finish at the 2006 championships, a season in which Williams was not competing at 100 percent because of lingering injuries.

“Honestly it wasn’t even something I could think of coming from last year. I had ankle surgery and pulled my hamstring twice,” Williams said.

Williams mentioned she could not have fared this well without her teammates and coaches.

“I am just really thankful for my coach, I’m thankful for Jenna [Caffrey], and my other training partner Megan [Nielsen],” she said. “They keep me grounded and push me.”

And her coaches and teammates couldn’t be happier for her.

“I’m so excited for Rebecca right now – she is so deserving and there is no better person who could have won it,” said Caffrey, a freshman who took fourth in the 60m hurdles finals.

Roberts feels as if winning the championship has made all the hard times and heartache worth it.

“It’s been a long, long struggle and it’s so wonderful to see it pay off,” Roberts said. “For someone like Rebecca, she has really grown not only as an athlete but as a person. I just can’t say enough good things about her.”