March 8, 2007
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Live Results | ESPN360.com Coverage
ON TAP THIS WEEK: The Gamecock men’s and women’s track and field teams head to Fayetteville, Ark., for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships over March 9-10 at Randal Tyson Track Center. The men will compete in two events, with Jason Richardson and Thomas Hilliard, IV, running the 60m hurdles and a 4x400m relay team competing as well. Besides Hilliard, Keith Hinnant, Ray Miley, Quentin Moore, Jamil James and Jonathan Fortenberry will be on hand for the relay. For the women, Shalonda Solomon is set to run the 60m and 200m dashes, while Stephanie Smith and Natasha Hastings compete in the 400m dash. Like the men, the Gamecock women have a mile relay set to run. In addition to Hastings and Smith, Krystal Cantey, Brandi Cross, Faraign Giles, Ronnetta Alexander and Chiquita Martin will make the trip as potential relay team members.
WHEN TO CATCH THE GAMECOCKS: The first chance to catch South Carolina’s track and field team in action at the NCAA Indoor Championships is Friday at 5:20 p.m. CT when Thomas Hilliard, IV, and Jason Richardson run in the prelims of the 60-meter hurdles. Natasha Hastings and Stephanie Smith then run the 400-meter dash prelims at 5:40 p.m. Next, Shalonda Solomon will run the prelims of the 60-meter dash at 6:15 p.m. She will then begin her 200m title defense at 7:20 p.m. with preliminary races, and should Solomon reach the finals, she will race at 8:55 p.m. Between the women’s 200-meter dash is the finals of the men’s 60m hurdles at 8:20 p.m. If Hastings and Smith survive the prelims of the 400m they will compete in the finals at 6:55 p.m. Saturday, and Solomon will run at 7:15 p.m. if she makes the 60m finals. The Gamecocks’ men’s 4x400m relay team runs at 8:05 p.m., and the women’s race concludes the meet at 8:20 p.m.
COVERAGE ON ESPN360: The 2007 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships will be covered online at ESPN360. Fans can log on to ESPN360.com to watch the events. Coverage will begin Friday and run from 3:30-10 p.m. ET and Saturday from 5:30-10 p.m. ET.
HOW TO GET VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Highlights of Friday and Saturday’s meet will be provided via satellite at the conclusion of each day. Coordinates for television stations interested in obtaining footage may be found below.
Friday, March 9 (10:00 – 10:30 p.m. ET)
AMC 2 KU Digital, Transponder 3, Channel A9, Downlink 11746.5 (V)
Saturday, March 10 (10:00 – 10:30 p.m. ET)
AMC 2 KU Digital, Transponder 3, Channel A9, Downlink 11746.5 (V)
EXCITING RACES IN STORE FOR GAMECOCKS AT NCAA MEET: The Gamecock women will compete in some exciting races at this year’s NCAA championships, particularly the 200m and 4x400m relay. In the women’s 200-meter dash, South Carolina’s Shalonda Solomon is the defending champion and will look to avenge her loss to Kerron Stewart of Auburn at this year’s SEC Indoor Championships. Solomon lost the SEC title to Stewart last season as well but came back to win it at nationals. Stewart ran the fastest time in the world this year in the final race at SECs with a 22.46 clocking that was just three-hundredths of a second from tying the collegiate record. In the 4x400m relay, South Carolina and LSU have jostled back and forth for the top time in the NCAA this year. LSU held the top ranking until the Gamecocks defeated the Tigers at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational thanks to an amazing 51.2 split time from anchor Natasha Hastings. Carolina went on to defeat LSU the following week at the Tyson Invitational before suffering its first loss of the year to the Tigers at the SEC Championships. The Gamecocks ran their fastest time in 2007 at SECs with a 3:30.03 mark, but it came up a little short to LSU’s 3:29.86.
WHERE THEY RANK IN THE NCAA: Looking at where South Carolina’s marks and times rank among the NCAA, Shalonda Solomon is tied for 10th in the 60m and second in the 200m. Natasha Hastings is No. 1 for the 400m and Carolina’s 4x400m relay is second as well. Hastings also is 13th in the 200m and Stephanie Smith is 12th in the 400m. Also in the 400m list is Krystal Cantey at 35th and Brandi Cross is T42nd. Ronnetta Alexander, Chiquita Martin and Brittney James are T19, T24th and T32nd in the 60mH. James also is 29th in the long jump. Precious Akins stands 31st and 29th for the shot put and weight throw, and Kettiany Clarke’s pentathlon total is tied for 52nd. For the men, Jason Richardson and Thomas Hilliard, IV, are sixth and tied for ninth in the 60mH. Keith Hinnant is 25th in the 400m, and the 4x400m relay team is seventh. Dan McKenzie is tied for 31st in the pole vault as well.
LAST WEEK’S MEN’S RECAP: Some members of the men’s team ran in Blacksburg, Va., at a Last Chance Meet, and Thomas Hilliard, IV, managed to improve his time in the hurdles. The redshirt senior ran 7.23 in the 55-meter hurdles to win the event and move into a tie for ninth in the NCAA for the 60mH with a converted time of 7.76. Dan McKenzie equaled his PR in the pole vault with a jump of 17-0 3/4, a provisional mark, and Jamil James lowered his time in the 400m to 48.08. Derek Pressley competed in the triple jump, but was unable to improve upon his best jump of the year, and Tyler Trout did likewise in the 35-pound weight. Derron Flood ran for the first time since his freshman year in 2004 as well. At Ames, Iowa, Keith Hinnant, Ray Miley and Jonathan Fortenberry ran the 400m. Miley ran his best time of the season with a 47.18 clocking.
LAST WEEK’S WOMEN’S RECAP: Stephanie Smith mananged to improve her time in the 400-meter dash when she ran 53.33 at an NCAA Last Chance Meet in Ames, Iowa. It helped Smith qualify for the event for the second time in three years at the NCAA indoor meet. Faraign Giles also ran in Ames and finished 10th with a time of 54.86. Other members of the women’s team competed in Blacksburg, Va., and Chiquita Martin equaled her best time of the year in the hurdles. Brandi Cross improved her 400 time by one-hundredth of a second to 54.37. Sallie Gurganus made huge strides in the pole vault by clearing 12-8 1/4, more than eight inches better than her previous PR. Brittney James also had a significant improvement in the long jump with a leap of 20-2 1/2, beating her PR by over three inches.
ON THE SEC PERFORMANCE LISTS: Looking at the current SEC performance lists, Jason Richardson is fourth in the 60-meter hurdles and Thomas Hilliard, IV, is right behind him at fifth. The Gamecocks’ 4x400m relay team is in third place, while Dan McKenzie is tied for fourth in the pole vault. Derek Pressley rates fourth in the triple jump and Keith Hinnant is eighth in the 400. Tyler Trout has the eighth-best throw this year in the 35-pound weight, and Curt McGill is sixth in the heptathlon. For the women, Natasha Hastings and Shalonda Solomon are first and second in the 400m and 200m. Hastings also is eighth in the 200, while Solomon is sixth in the 60m. Stephanie Smith is sixth for the 400, and Carolina’s 4x400m team is currently second. Ronnetta Alexander is seventh in the 60m hurdles, and Kettiany Clarke has the third-best total in the pentathlon while Reanna Townsend is sixth. Sallie Gurganus is tied for fifth in the pole vault and Brittney James is in seventh in the long jump. Precious Akins is in fourth in the shot put and weight.
WORLD-CLASS SPEED: Shalonda Solomon recorded what was then the fastest time in the world this year in the 200-meter dash during the prelims of the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 10. Solomon sped to a 22.85 finish, the third-best indoor time of her collegiate career. Kerron Stewart of Auburn topped Solomon’s time at the SEC Indoor Championships with a 22.46 run in the final race. Solomon’s top time is 22.57, which came in the finals of the NCAA Championships last year. One of Solomon’s goals this year is to break the collegiate record in the 200, which is currently 22.43 by Veronica Campbell of Arkansas set at the 2004 NCAAs. The American record was established in 2003 by Michelle Collins (22.18) and the world record held by Merlene Ottey of Jamaica was set in 1993 at 21.87. Solomon also has the second-fastest time by an American in the 55m with a 6.78 clocking that came at the Gamecock Invitational on Feb. 17. Not to be outdone, Natasha Hastings is currently the No. 7-rated 400m runner in the world with a time of 51.70. Her 51.38 at the SEC Championships is not included on the IAAF’s world list since it was done on an oversized track. She is the top-ranked American runner in the event as well and is favored to win the NCAA title in Arkansas this weekend.
HASTINGS NAMED REGION ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Natasha Hastings was named the USTFCCCA’s Southeast Region Female Athlete of the Year for the indoor season. The Gamecocks have claimed the regional award the past two years, as Shalonda Solomon took the honor a year ago. A seven-time All-American, Hastings has yet to be challenged in a 400m race this year. After opening the season with a 52.85 run and following with a 53.22, her times have improved every race. It began when she ran 52.12 in the prelims of the New Balance Collegiate Invitational and then won the event with a 51.70 run. At the SEC Indoor Championships, her 51.62 run in the prelims was the precursor for her school-record time 51.38 that won the event.
PUTTING ON A SHOW FOR THE HOMETOWN CROWD: Natasha Hastings, a native of New York, dazzled the hometown crowd at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational with a 52.12 time in the prelims of the 400-meter dash and then eclipsed that time a day later by running 51.70 to win the event. To conclude the meet, Hastings anchored the 4×400-meter relay to a meet and Armory track-record time of 3:30.95. She ran 51.2 on the final leg to edge out LSU. For her efforts, she was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Competitor. The following week, she picked up SEC Runner of the Week honors.
DANDY DOZEN RANKINGS: Trackwire’s Dandy Dozen rankings currently have Thomas Hilliard, IV, listed at No. 9 in the nation for the 60m hurdles. The Gamecock men’s 4x400m relay is ranked fifth as well. On the women’s side, Shalonda Solomon is ranked ninth in the 60 and No. 2 in the 200. Natasha Hastings is No. 1 in the 400, and USC’s 4x400m relay team holds down the No. 2 position.
CLEANING UP WITH THE SEC WEEKLY AWARDS: South Carolina’s women’s program claimed three of the six SEC Runner of the Week awards for the indoor season. Shalonda Solomon won it after running an automatic NCAA time in the 200 at the Rod McCravy Memorial and then again after clocking what was then the world’s fastest time this year in the 200 with a 22.85 at the Tyson Invitational. She also ran the second leg of Carolina’s 4×400 team that won first with its second automatic time of the year. Natasha Hastings won the honor in week 3 after winning the 400 at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational with a 51.70 time and anchoring the 4×400 squad to a victory in a time of 3:30.95. She was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Competitor. A week after Solomon won her second award, thrower Precious Akins took home SEC Field Athlete of the Week. Akins won the shot put at the Gamecock Invitational with a then-PR 49-3 1/2 and finished second in the 20-pound weight with a throw of 58-6 1/2.
IN THE POLLS: South Carolina’s women are currently ranked fifth in the latest Trackwire 25 and USTFCCCA poll. Carolina’s best ranking of the year is fourth in Trackwire and third in the USTFCCCA. The men are not among the Trackwire 25 or coaches’ poll, although, USC has been as high as 11th in the nation in Trackwire and 12th in the USTFCCCA rankings.
NCAA CHAMPS ON THIS YEAR’S TEAM: The Gamecocks have three women on this year’s squad who have won NCAA championships. Shalonda Solomon is the defending champ in the 200m for both indoors and outdoors. Amberly Nesbitt won the 100m last year at the outdoor meet, and Stephanie Smith was a member of the 4x400m relay team that won gold at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships. Solomon was a member of the relay as well. On the men’s team, Jonathan Fortenberry won an NCAA title his freshman year in 2002 as the anchor runner of the 4x400m team at the national outdoor meet.
WOMEN LOOK TO EXTEND NCAA STREAKS IN 2007: South Carolina’s women’s track and field program looks to extend its streak of top-10 finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championships to eight this year. The Gamecocks have earned three runner-up trophies at the national indoors (2000, 2001, 2003) and placed 10th last season. Outdoors, the women hope to make it 12 straight top-10 finishes. Carolina won the school’s first and only NCAA team championship in 2002, and the women placed second once. In 2006, South Carolina recorded a third-place finish and was just a half-point shy of tying for second. The Gamecocks were third one other time in 2003.
ALL-AMERICA COUNT: A total of 51 Gamecock men have earned the distinction of All-America, collecting 142 certificates. Terrence Trammell received the most awards during his career with 13. For the women, who did not field a full team until 1993, 43 have received All-America praise a total of 225 times. Demetria Washington has the most with 21 citations, followed by Miki Barber with 20.
THEY’VE COME A LONG WAY: Seniors Dan McKenzie and Thomas Hilliard, IV, have come a long way in their events since first coming to South Carolina. Hilliard actually was a member of the Gamecock men’s soccer team in 2003 and 2004, playing defender. In spring 2005, he joined the track program and has steadily improved as a hurdler every year. He did not even run the short hurdles his first year during the indoor season and his best times as a redshirt junior were 7.55 and 8.04 for the 55mH and 60mH. This year, his best in the 55mH is 7.23 and for the 60mH 7.80. Hilliard’s tremendous improvement has earned him the respect of being one of the top collegiate hurdlers in the nation. Not to be outdone, McKenzie entered his freshman year having never cleared more than 13 feet in high school. As a freshman, his top clearance was 15-5 and he improved that mark to 16-6 3/4 during his sophomore season. McKenzie’s top vault in 2006 was 17-0 3/4, making him one of just four Gamecocks in school history to clear 17 feet. He has equaled 17-0 3/4 four times this year.
SEC INDOOR STANDINGS: The final standings for the 2007 SEC Men’s Indoor Track and Field Championships looked like this: 1. Arkansas 126, 2. Tennessee 115.50, 3. Florida 93.50, 4. LSU 79.50, 5. Georgia 66, 6. Auburn 59, 7. Kentucky 40, 8. Alabama 33, 9. Mississippi 27, 10. SOUTH CAROLINA 23.50
On the women’s side, the standings were as follows: 1. Tennessee 120, 2. Georgia 103, 3. LSU 101, 4. Arkansas 83, 5. SOUTH CAROLINA 52, 6. Florida 42, 7. Kentucky 40, 8. Auburn 39.50, 9. Mississippi 36, 10. Alabama 21.50, 11. Vanderbilt 15, 12. Mississippi State 10
