Gamecocks Earn Three All-SEC Honors on Final Day of SEC Indoor Championships
The Gamecocks had an individual champion and saw some NCAA times bolstered in College Station
COLLEGE STATION, Texas—The South Carolina track and field teams wrapped up the SEC Indoor Championships inside of Gilliam Indoor Stadium on Saturday night and earned three All-SEC honors in the process.
“SEC’s is the second-best meet next to the NCAA’s,” said head coach Curtis Frye. “What you do here has an impact on the national championship. We had a pretty good final exam.”
Anass Essayi, in just his second collegiate race, became the first ever Gamecock to run a sub-4 minute Mile in his victorious effort in the men’s Mile. Essayi ran a time of 3:57.67 to capture the first ever men’s Mile SEC title by a South Carolina athlete.
Essayi’s time also set the new SEC Indoor Championships meet record. He led for almost the entire race before being overtaken late. Essayi waited patiently and used his kick to retake the lead down the final straightaway. Essayi beat two athletes who are in qualifying position for the NCAA Indoor Championships on his way to the SEC title.
Rachel Glenn also earned All-SEC honors for her performance in the women’ high jump. She cleared 1.88m/6-2 to finish as the conference’s runner-up. Glenn made easy work of the first five heights, and only stumbled at 1.91m/6-3.14 when she missed on three straight jumps. Glenn moved up to a tie for No. 2 in the country and sealed what already was a safe mark to make the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Filip Demsar was the other Gamecock to earn All-SEC honors. He finished third in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.75. Demsar’s time was a season-best and was just the third time this season he has run under 7.80 seconds. Demsar’s time moved him to 21st in the country.
Stephanie Davis took fifth in the women’s 400 meters. She ran a new indoor personal best of 51.29 and moved into fifth nationally. All four times ahead of her were run at the SEC Indoor Championships. Davis also moved into No. 2 on the Gamecock all-time indoor performance list. She is only behind Natasha Hastings who ran a time of 50.80 in 2007.
Evan Miller finished fourth in the men’s 200 meters with a time of 20.71, which set a new indoor personal best. Miller moved up to No. 13 in the country and is now in qualifying position for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Jackson Marseille and Kobe Franklin racked up team points for the Gamecock men in the high jump. They combined for eight points with Marseille’s fourth-place finish and Franklin’s sixth-place effort. Marseille cleared 2.11m/6-11, which was his second-highest clearance of the season. Franklin set a new personal best, clearing 2.06m/6-9 to score for the first time at a conference meet.
The women’s 4X400-meter relay team of Makenzie Dunmore, Davis, Glenn and Aaliyah Pyatt took fourth overall with a time of 3:31.76. The Gamecock women are set to take on the NCAA Indoor Championships in March.
The Gamecock men’s 4X400-meter relay team of Miller, William Spencer Jr., Doval Simmonds and Jackson Junkins took eighth with a season-best time of 3:08.49.
Elisha Brooks and Dylan Targgart also earned new personal bests in their respective events. Brooks scored 5,207 points in the heptathlon and Targgart threw the shot put 18.39m/60-4.
The Gamecock men finished 12th in the team race with 30 points and the Carolina women finished 12th with 17 points.
A handful of Gamecocks will turn their attention to the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 11 and 12 in Birmingham, Alabama.
“I’m excited about Birmingham and Nationals because it’s close, so families can come see us,” Frye said. “Last time we were there, we had a national champion 4X400-meter relay team with our women. We think we can do some special things.”
The rest of the Gamecock squad heads toward the outdoor season which opens on March 18 at the Tiger Track Classic in Auburn, Alabama.
“We’re coming up on spring break,” Frye said. “So we will have some kids who go home and train some. We’re going to see if we can keep those who are really interested and have conversations with their event coaches to see if we can keep them in town.”
Men’s Team Results
1. Arkansas – 86 points
2. Florida – 77 points
3. Alabama – 71 points
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12. South Carolina – 30 points
Men’s Individual Results
200 Meters
4. Evan Miller – 20.71
Mile
1. Anass Essayi – 3:57.37
60-Meter Hurdles
3. Filip Demsar – 7.75
4X400-Meter Relay
8. Miller, Spencer Jr., Simmonds, Junkins – 3:08.49
Shot Put
10. Dylan Targgart – 18.39m/60-4
High Jump
4. Jackson Marseille – 2.11m/6-11
6. Kobe Franklin – 2.06m/6-9
Heptathlon
9. Elisha Brooks – 5,207 points
Heptathlon – 60-Meter Hurdles
11. Elisha Brooks – 9.05
Heptathlon – Pole Vault
10. Elisha Brooks – 4.25m/13-11.25
Heptathlon – 1,000 Meters
6. Elisha Brooks – 2:45.70
Women’s Team Results
1. Arkansas – 127.5 points
2. Florida – 97 points
3. Kentucky – 79 points
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12. South Carolina – 17 points
Women’s Individual Results
400 Meters
5. Stephanie Davis – 51.29
4X400-Meter Relay
4. Dunmore, Davis, Glenn, Pyatt – 3:31.76
Triple Jump
15. Shaianne Sipsey – 11.71m/38-5
Shot Put
15. KD Young – 15.04m/49-4.25
High Jump
2. Rachel Glenn – 1.88m/6-2
Pole Vault
–. Emily Valentine – NH
–. Emma Stone – NH
–. Kelsey Worthington – NH
