April 8, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – In the first poll of the 2009 outdoor season, the South Carolina men’s track and field team jumped to a No. 6 ranking by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as announced by the organization Wednesday. The Gamecock women come in at No. 19 in the poll.

The ranking is the highest for the Gamecock men since ranking eighth in the first poll of the 2003 outdoor season and comes after a strong weekend at the Pepsi Florida Relays where junior Elliott Haynie cleared a school record 17-10.50 (5.45m) to win the pole vault in just his third meet as a Gamecock. Haynie’s mark is currently fourth in the nation and 14th in the world this year to help push the men up eight spots from their preseason No. 14 ranking.

Oregon is the new men’s No. 1 team this week followed by Texas A&M, Arkansas, Florida and Florida State. Eight SEC teams cracked the poll this week in No. 3 Arkansas, No. 4 Florida, No. 6 South Carolina, No. 7 LSU, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 11 Tennessee, No. 13 Georgia and No. 20 Auburn.

Texas A&M retains the top spot in the women’s poll followed by Oregon, LSU, Virginia Tech and Tennessee. Six SEC teams are ranked this week in No. 3 LSU, No. 5 Tennessee, No. 12 Florida, No. 16 Auburn, No. 19 South Carolina and No. 22 Arkansas.

South Carolina concludes action at the USATF State meet today, Wed. April 8, and heads to Athens, Ga., this weekend to compete at the Spec Towns Relays.