March 30, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Booker Nunley was named the SEC Male Runner of the Week following his world-leading performance in the 110-meter hurdles last week, the conference office announced Tuesday.

The weekly honor is the first career SEC honor for Nunley and marks the second consecutive week a Gamecock hurdler has been named SEC Men’s Runner of the Week after Johnny Dutch earned the honor last week.

Nunley ran 13.59 to win the 110-meter hurdles at the Weems Baskin Invitational Saturday. The time is the fastest run by an individual in the world this year, surpassing the 13.60 run by American Frederick Townsend and the 13.62 run by American Andrew Brunson on the same day at a different venue. Making the time even more impressive for Nunley was that it was non wind-aided, one of only two times in the top seven list to be without wind assistance.

With his mark, Nunley consequently also took over the top spot in the NCAA this year by nearly two-tenths of a second, surpassing teammate Dutch who moves to No. 2 on the NCAA list with a time of 13.73.

South Carolina returns to action this weekend with the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla. The team then returns to Columbia to host the Gamecock Open on Wed., April 7.