March 27, 2008

The USC women’s track and field team, who has finished in the top 10 the last 10 of 11 seasons at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, are ranked No. 16 in the USTFCCCA Division I Preseason Outdoor Track & Field National Rankings. The Gamecock men are not ranked. Nationally, the LSU women and the Florida State men are ranked No. 1.

South Carolina’s track and field teams will host the Weems Baskin Invitational on Sat., March 29 with more than 12 schools from six states, including ACC champion Virginia Tech and Southern Conference runner-up Appalachian State, competing in the daylong meet that is free to the public. The field events begin at 10:30 am with the hammer throw and track events will start at Noon with the 3000m steeplechase. Carolina opened the outdoor campaign by winning eight events at the Shamrock Invitational last weekend after claiming multiple All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships two weeks ago.

In addition to South Carolina, Virginia Tech and App State, schools schedule to compete on Saturday include Benedict College, Claflin University, Georgia Southern University, Limestone College, Morris College, Tennessee State University, UNC Pembroke, University of Wisconsin Whitewater, USC Upstate and VMI.