Gamecocks Claim Eight Wins in Season Opener

CLEMSON—The South Carolina track and field teams collected eight event victories in their first meet of the season at the Clemson Opener on Friday.
 
“It’s a great year and we’ve got a great young crowd,” said head coach Curtis Frye. “They have got great attitudes. It was awesome. We’ve got six weeks before we get back into it, but for now, it was a good test. I would give us a B+ today.”
 
Jayla Jamison put her name on the Gamecocks’ all-time list in her first collegiate meet. The freshman won the 60 meters with a time of 7.30. Her performance puts her at No. 7 in school history in the event. 
 
Jamison said she just didn’t think she would run as good of a time as she did during the first meet of the season.
 
“I just went out and ran,” Jamison said. “This year, I’m excited to just to PR and run well in all of my events: the 100, 200 and 400.”
 
Destinee Rocker was also impressive in the 60-meter hurdles. She won the event with a time of 8.18, which is just .05 seconds off her personal best. Rocker was a Second Team All-American in the 60-meter hurdles last indoor campaign.
 
Rocker said she already had the expectation to run such a fast time on Friday.
 
“I’m happy to be able to run a decent race today without any injuries,” Rocker said. “I don’t have time to let up and be complacent. Now it’s time to go back to the lab and really focus and perfect my craft. The job is just starting.”
 
Stephanie Davis and Alysia Johnson won the 300 and 400 meters, respectively. Davis took the crown in the 300 meters with a time of 37.41 and Johnson won the 400 meters with a time of 54.52.
 
The women’s 4X400-meter relay squad earned a win as well. Jahnile Registre, Alysia Johnson, Stephanie Davis and Angel Frank made up the squad that won the event. They ran a time of 3:37.52.
 
On the men’s side, Dillon McCarthy started the day with a victory in the pole vault. The East Regional qualifier cleared 4.85m/15-11 for a victory. He won a tiebreaker over teammate Carson Lenser who took second. Seth Rabinowitz finished in a tie for fourth, putting all three Gamecock pole vaulters in the top five.
 
William Spencer Jr. took home an individual victory in the 400 meters. He ran a time of 47.14 to win the event. Jackson Junkins was right behind Spencer in second with a time of 48.07.
 
Spencer Jr. said it was a good start to the season.
 
“That time is a good start,” Spencer Jr. said. “I’m looking to get it lower as we move through the season. I want to be running my best around championship races, so today’s race was a good start. Just don’t overlook me.”
 
The Gamecock men also advanced four athletes through to the 60-meter final. Evan Miller (second), Anthony Greenhow, Jr. (fifth), Dominic Dutton (seventh) and Prescott Jefferson (eighth) all made it to the 60-meter final.
 
Rogerio Amaral claimed the individual crown in the men’s 3,000 meters. He ran a time of 8:39.06 in his first collegiate race to earn a victory.
 
The Gamecocks return to the track Jan. 8 for the Orange and Purple Elite in Clemson, South Carolina.
 
Men’s Individual Results
 
60 Meters (Prelims)
1. Evan Miller – 6.78q
2. Anthony Greenhow, Jr. – 6.79q
5. Prescott Jefferson – 6.88q
7. Dominic Dutton – 6.92q
11. Gatlin Lawson – 6.97
 
60 Meters (Final)
2. Evan Miller – 6.79
5. Anthony Greenhow, Jr. – 6.83
7. Dominic Dutton – 6.89
8. Prescott Jefferson – 6.89
 
300 Meters
17. Gatlin Lawson – 34.87
 
400 Meters
1. William Spencer Jr. – 47.14
2. Jackson Junkins – 48.07
 
1,000 Meters
3. Hayden Cobbe – 2:29.83
 
3,000 Meters
1. Rogerio Amaral – 8:39.06
 
4X400-Meter Relay
2. Miller, Junkins, Spencer Jr., Simmonds – 3:10.28
5. Greenhow, Jr., Jefferson, Lawson, Dutton – 3:20.52
 
Pole Vault
1. Dillon McCarthy – 4.85m/15-11
2. Carson Lenser – 4.85m/15-11
T4. Seth Rabinowitz – 4.55m/14-11
 
Women’s Individual Results
 
60 Meters (Prelims)
1. Jayla Jamison – 7.41Q
 
60 Meters (Final)
1. Jayla Jamison – 7.30
 
300 Meters
1. Stephanie Davis – 37.41
4. Jahnile Registre – 38.78
5. Angel Frank – 38.89
6. Aaliyah Pyatt – 39.37
 
400 Meters
1. Alysia Johnson – 54.52
4. Pearl Nagbe – 56.13
 
600 Meters
8. Macie Kavanaugh – 1:36.79
9. Briana Reckling – 1:37.19
16. Kieley Gayle – 1:39.23
 
1,000 Meters
4. Kensi Gray – 3:07.16
6. Emily Smith – 3:09.47
7. Elizabeth Davison – 3:10.75
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Destinee Rocker – 8.25Q
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Final)
1. Destinee Rocker – 8.18
 
4X400-Meter Relay
1. Registre, Johnson, Davis, Frank – 3:37.52
5. Pyatt, Nagbe, Rocker, Gayle – 3:52.11
 
Pole Vault
6. Emily Valentine – 3.45m/11-3.75
–. Emma Stone – NH
–. Mia Joseph – NH