Four Individuals, One Relay Advance to NCAA Championships
Four more Gamecock individuals and one relay team punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships on the third day of action at the NCAA East Regional at the Haugh Track & Field Complex on Friday.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.—Four more Gamecock individuals and one relay team punched their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships on the third day of action at the NCAA East Regional at the Haugh Track & Field Complex on Friday.
Head coach Curtis Frye said he was excited about his men’s team’s performances on Friday.
“This is a very young track team,” Frye said. “Everybody coming back on the men’s side. To get all of those kids through like Will in the intermediate hurdles and Evan in the 200 meters, both of those guys second in their heat to advance. Our 4X100-meter relay was just a group of kids who put together a great run. We got a good effort there and Coach Brown does a great job with them.
“What was really big was the high jump. Jackson earned his way there. He cleared 2.18 meters, which is a good jump and did it as one of the top eight in the region. That’s fantastic.”
Jackson Marseille’s fantastic performance earned his way to Eugene, Oregon, for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Marseille battled and when down to his last attempt at two different bars, cleared the height, including at 2.18m/7-1.75 to clinch a spot in the NCAA Championships’ field.
On the track, three Gamecock individuals also clinched berths to the NCAA Championships.
Anass Essayi finished as the fastest qualifier in the 1,500 meters, running a time of 3:39.11 to win his heat and earn an automatic bid to Nationals. Essayi battled with collegiate record holder Eliud Kipsang just as he did in the first round. The result was again the same with Essayi taking control in the final lap to win the heat.
In the 400-meter hurdles, William Spencer Jr. clocked in the second-fastest qualifying time, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships with a time of 50.09. He finished as his heat’s runner-up to earn the automatic qualifier. The berth to the NCAA Championships marks the second consecutive NCAA appearance for Spencer Jr.
Evan Miller earned a berth to his second NCAA Championship meet of 2022. He stormed back in the final 50 meters of his 200-meter race, going from seventh to second, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Miller’s time clocked in at 20.51 with a gusty 3.0 wind at his back.
The men’s 4X100-meter relay team earned one of three time qualifications after finishing fourth in their heat. The team of Christian Lewis, Miller, Anthony Greenhow, Jr., and Elisha Brooks clocked in a time of 39.51 to move on to Eugene.
The men’s 4X400-meter relay team of Doval Simmonds, Miller, Spencer Jr., and Jackson Junkins barely missed out on advancement to Nationals, finishing in 13th with a time of 3:07.35, which was .56 seconds off of the final time qualifying team.
Filip Demsar also missed out on advancing to the NCAA Championships in the 110-meter hurdles. Demsar clocked a time of 13.77, which was just .07 seconds away from the final time qualifier.
Simmonds’ season also came to a close in the 400 meters, running a time of 46.91, which put him at 19thoverall.
“My heart goes out to Filip,” Frye said. “He had a cramp during his race. Filip and the 4X400-meter relay were two that we thought could have made it. But, then the 4X100-meter relay made it and I though they wouldn’t, but the 4X400-meter relay would, so we got some, but we lost some.”
Miller, Essayi, Spencer Jr., Marseille and the men’s 4X100-meter relay team join Dylan Targgart as the Gamecock men headed to the NCAA Championships.
Saturday’s action rounds out the NCAA East Regional. Tickets to Eugene will again be on the line, but for the women’s squad this time around. The Carolina women have five individuals and two relays with opportunities to advance. Action is slated for a 2:30 p.m. start with Rachel Glenn in the high jump.
Men’s Individual Results
200 Meters – Quarterfinals
6. Evan Miller – 20.51wQ
400 Meters – Quarterfinals
19. Doval Simmonds – 46.91
1,500 Meters – Quarterfinals
1. Anass Essayi – 3:39.11Q
110-Meter Hurdles – Quarterfinals
15. Filip Demsar – 13.77
400-Meter Hurdles – Quarterfinals
2. William Spencer Jr. – 50.09Q
4X100-Meter Relay – Quarterfinals
10. Lewis, Miller, Greenhow, Jr., Brooks – 39.51q
4X400-Meter Relay – Quarterfinals
13. Simmonds, Miller, Spencer Jr., Junkins – 3:07.35
High Jump – First Round
8. Jackson Marseille – 2.18m/7-1.75q
