Feb. 12, 2010

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Lakya Brookins ran the nation’s third-fastest 60m dash and Vica Shobe broke her pole vault school record for the second consecutive meet to lead South Carolina at the Tyson Invitational.

After dropping her first meet of the season with a runner-up finish at the New Balance Collegiate last weekend, Brookins responded Saturday with her fourth win of the season after running 7.23 in the 60m. The time is a season best and makes Brookins one of four women in the nation with an automatic ticket to the NCAA Indoor Championships that will also be held in Fayetteville, Ark.

Shobe set a school record two weeks ago when she cleared 13’8 ¼ (4.17m) at the Texas A&M Challenge. The senior pole vaulter sat out last weekend to continue training in Columbia, and the move paid off as she upped her school record to 13-9 ¾ (4.21m). She placed fourth among collegiate competitors.

Sophomore Nadonnia Rodrigues claimed third among collegians and sixth overall in the 400m dash at 53.47, hitting a season best in the event and moving up five spots on the national descending order list. She came within six-hundredths of a second from hitting a new collegiate best.

On the men’s side, freshman Robert Razick improved his collegiate best in the mile run to 4:16.63 and placed 14th. Classmate Lincoln Carr had his first competition of the year in the long jump by placing 12th with a jump of 22-5 ¾ (6.85m).

South Carolina returns to action Saturday beginning with the women’s 200m dash at 2 p.m.