June 25, 2007

Columbia, SC – What a weekend for the Gamecock track and field program in Indianapolis! Seven current or former Gamecocks made the USA World Championship track and field team with five others qualifying for the Pan Am Junior Championship team.

The Pan Am Junior Championship women’s team will be headed up by South Carolina assistant head coach Delethea Quarles.

“First, we are thrilled Delethea has been awarded the opportunity to be the head coach of the Pan Am Junior team. What a feather in her cap,” said South Carolina Curtis Frye. “We had 23 people compete at USAs this weekend – almost everyone of them either graduated or is working to finish. And for the younger athletes – Brandi, Breehana, Kya, Shayla and Johnny – there is a high standard being set by this program and we hope they live up to it. It’s so exciting knowing that people like Terrence Trammell, Tiffany Ross, Rodney Martin, Mechelle Lewis, Demetria Washington, the Barber twins — so many of the athletes that competed at USAs have graduated. It shows that they know that there is life after college and after athletics. I am thrilled to call so many of them graduates – more thrilled than I am to call them USA or Olympic medalists. It’s a proud time to be a Gamecock.”

Those who made the USA World Championship team, competing Aug 24 – Sept. 2 in Osaka, Japan include:

Men
Gamecock graduate Terrence Trammell – 110m hurdles – gold medalist at USAs

Gamecock graduate Rodney Martin – 200m – bronze medalist at USAs

Former Gamecock All-American Leroy Dixon – 4x100m relay pool

Women
Gamecock graduate Miki Barber – 4x100m relay pool – 100m finalist

Gamecock graduate Mechelle Lewis – 4x100m relay pool – 100m finalist

Gamecock graduate Tiffany Ross-Williams – 400m hurdles – gold medalist at USAs

Gamecock junior Natasha Hastings – 400m – silver medalist at USAs (will also be a member of the 4x400m relay pool)

Those who made the USA’s Pan American Championship team – July 6-8, 2007 – Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Men
Johnny Dutch – 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles – won silver in both at USAs

Women
Freshman Brandi Cross – 400m – silver medalist at USAs (also will run the 4x400m relay)

Signee Breehana Jacobs – 400m – bronze medalist at USAs (also will run the 4x400m relay)

Signee Shayla Mahan – 100m – silver medalist at USAs – she will not compete though (also will run the 4x100m relay)

Kya Brookins – 100m – bronze medalist at USAs (also will run the 4x100m relay)