Carolina Cross Country Unveils 2021 Schedule
Six weekends of competition highlight the slate, including three in the Palmetto State
COLUMBIA—University of South Carolina cross country coach Andrew Allden unveiled the Gamecocks’ cross country schedule on Tuesday when it was announced that three events this fall will be held in South Carolina. The Gamecocks are set to compete in a total of six weekends in 2021.
“We’re excited to return to competition after a shortened season last year,” Allden said. “Our first two meets will give a relatively young team the chance to build some experience before we head off to higher level competition at Paul Short and ultimately the SEC Championships and Southeast Regional. We probably won’t show our whole hand in these first two competitions as we ease some folks in and out of the lineup to set things up for later in the year.”
Trips to USC-Upstate and Winthrop kick off the Gamecocks’ slate. Carolina heads to Spartanburg on Friday, Sept. 3, for an evening meet and follow up with a trip to Rock Hill for the Winthrop 5K on Sept. 18.
The Paul Short Run on the campus of Lehigh promises to bring quality competition for a young Gamecock group. The trip to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is slated for Oct. 1. Carolina also makes a trip to East Carolina to run in the Pirate Invitational to face quality opponents on Oct. 15.
The SEC Championships kick off the postseason on Oct. 29 in Columbia, Missouri. The Gamecocks finished 11th as a team at the conference meet a year ago and were led by top finisher Heather Stone.
The Southeast Regional calls Lexington, Kentucky, home this year. Tickets to the NCAA Championships will be punched on Nov. 12.
The Gamecocks have youth all over the roster in 2021. Hope Dominique returns for her sophomore season. She was the 10th-best freshman at the SEC Championships a year ago.
Hannah Twine, Calin Saylor and Katerina Hendrix also return for the Gamecocks. Twine owns a 3,000-meter personal best of 9:57 on the track, Saylor finished in the top 50 at the FSU Invite and Hendrix ran for Carolina at the 2020 SEC Championships.
Carolina also brings in a crop of new athletes with Syrah Ghijselings entering the fold from Belgium. She boasts a 4:24.4 personal best in the 1,500 meters on the track.
Alex Constantino, Ally Wilson, Lily Weeks and Sarah Neville are also key additions to the Gamecocks’ incoming class.
CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE
Sept. 3 – Eye Opener (USC Upstate)
Sept. 18 – Winthrop Invitational
Oct. 1 – Paul Short Run
Oct. 15 – Pirate Invitational (East Carolina)
Oct. 29 – SEC Championships
Nov. 12 – Southeast Regional
Nov. 20 – NCAA Championships (Tallahassee, Florida)
