2007: Concentrated on 400-meter hurdles and middle distances… Ran third leg of 4×400-meter relay that ran 3:45.89 at SEC Outdoor Championships… Moved into team[apos]s all-time Top 10 in 400-meter hurdles (1:01.68) with third place effort at Vanderbilt Invitational… Also ran 13th overall in 400 hurdles at SEC Championships… Ran leg on distance medley relay team that finished sixth at the SEC Indoor Championships.
2006: Concentrated on 400-meter hurdles and concluded season as one of team[apos]s best 4×400-meter relay runners… Was Commodores[apos] second best 400-meter hurdler behind Latisha Bryant, running collegiate best of 1:02.94 at Vanderbilt Invitational… Ran four sub-57-second legs on 4×400-meter relays, including helping team to garner points at SEC Championships… Ran 26.04 in 200-meter effort at Alabama Relays… Competed indoors at various distances between 400-800 meters… Her 1:35.48 effort in 600 meters at Indiana Invitational was a team season best and eighth fastest ever by Commodore… Indoor best in 400 was 58.52 at East Tennessee State Invitational… Ran 2:22.15 in 800-meter semifinals of SEC Indoor Championships… Ran leg on school-record setting 4×200-meter foursome effort at Sea Ray Relays… Ran four sub-58.0 legs on indoor 4×400-meter relay or distance medley foursomes.
2005: Competed in 400-800 meter races… Outdoor PR in 400 (59.31) at Ole Miss Invitational… Also ran 4×400-meter relay leg of 57.1 at Ole Miss… Indoor PR at 800 (2:15.88) came in prelims of SEC Championships… Best 4×400 relay split of season (56.8) also came at SEC indoor meet.
In High School: Two-year captain, four-year letterwinner of track squad… Multiple All-State and All-Conference selection for powerful squad that captured Michigan state championship during sophomore season… PRs include 24.9 (200), 56.3 (400) and 2:20.02 (800).
Academics: Fortson is working toward a degree in economics from the College of Arts and Sciences.
Personal: Lauren Ashley Fortson… Daughter of Nicholas and Peggy Fortson… June 19, 1986… Oldest of three siblings… Dad is banker; mom works in legal services… Hopes of eventually entering real estate finance… As a youngster, spoke Zulu and Afrikaan languages… Lived in South Africa, attending school with grandchildren of Nelson Mandela… An honors student and NAACP Academic Achievement Award winner… Michigan MEAP Award Scholar.