COLUMBIA, S.C. — Saturday will go down in the history books as one of the finest days in the history of the University of South Carolina track & field team, as head coach Curtis Frye’s program made a global impact on the track and retired the jerseys of two all-time legends at the Gamecock Invitational. Three Gamecocks surged to the top of the NCAA leaderboard in their events, with two assuming 2019 world leads, and Carolina alumni Miki Barber and Terrence Trammell became the first college track & field athletes in history to have their jerseys retired.

Prior to the start of the prime-time window, South Carolina officially retired the jerseys of Barber (1999-2003) and Trammell (1998-2000). The duo combined for 11 NCAA event championships and 33 All-America finishes. They were each named 2000 USTFCCCA Athlete of the Year as the top collegians in track & field, and they each represented the United States of America at the Olympic level, with Trammell earning a pair of silver medals in the 110m hurdles.

Inspired by the presence of the program’s all-time greats, the current group of Gamecocks combined for an incredible day of performances. Quincy Hall (men’s 400m) and Isaiah Moore (men’s 110m hurdles) moved to the top of the 2019 world leaderboard in their events, and Yann Randrianasolo (men’s long jump) joined Hall and Moore at the top of the NCAA list. Overall, the Gamecocks posted nine new entries in the program’s top-time record book, with Hall setting a school record.

In total, Carolina won eight events Saturday at Cregger Track. Hall, Moore and Randrianasolo were joined by Jordan Fields (women’s high jump), Kelsey Larkin (women’s 3000m steeplechase), Amanda Murphy (women’s hammer throw), Hailey Sweatman (women’s pole vault) and Armand Woodley (men’s pole vault).

Hall was once again incredible in his Cregger Track debut, setting a new South Carolina record for the sixth time this season. This time it came in the 400m, where he ran 44.53, the fastest time in the world this season. That breaks the previous Carolina record of 44.57, set in 2003 by Otis Harris, and it boosts Hall to the top of the 2019 NCAA leaderboard. In the same heat, Arinze Chance ran 46.05, the sixth-best mark at Carolina and 18th in the country this season.

Moore posted a massive time in the 110m hurdles prelims, running a wind-legal 13.39, which was a personal best. But the senior wasn’t finished; he came back in the final to run a wind-aided 13.25, which ranks as the fastest time in the world and the top mark in the NCAA rankings this season. It’s also the third-best time in school history.

Randrianasolo was spectacular right out of the gates Saturday, jumping 8.07m (26-5 ¾) on his first attempt of the day. That mark vaults the senior into a share of the 2019 NCAA lead along with Texas Tech’s Charles Brown. It’s the second-best outdoor long jump in South Carolina history and also the first eight-meter jump by a Gamecock since 2004.

Sweatman had a career day, clearing 4.20m (13-9 ¼) to win the women’s pole vault. That matches the junior’s best high watermark, which ranks second in Carolina outdoor history. It also ranks 25th in the NCAA this season. Adele Blalock finished third, clearing 3.80m (12-5 ½).

Carolina’s first win of the day came from Murphy in the women’s hammer throw. The redshirt sophomore set a new personal best for the second time in three weeks, with an effort of 56.95m (186-10). She stands fourth in school history.

Fields continued her 2019 season with her second victory of the year in the women’s high jump. The 2018 NCAA indoor qualifier claimed the victory by clearing 1.70m (5-7).

Larkin led wire-to-wire in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and finished nearly a minute in front of the field. Her time was 11:31.56, and the victory was her first in the event as a collegian.

The final win of the day came from Woodley, who cleared 5.25m in the pole vault. That season-best mark moves the senior up to 28th on the NCAA leaderboard.

Wadeline Jonathas was the top collegiate finisher in the women’s 400m and did so with the best run of her career. Two weeks after guiding Carolina to the top of the NCAA’s 4x400m listings, Jonathas ran 51.56, the second-best time in the NCAA this season and No. 7 on the Carolina records list.

Much like Jonathas, Stephanie Davis turned in an incredible performance in a second-place finish. Davis ran 23.01 in the 200m, smashing her previous best by fourth-tenths of a second. Her time ranks seventh in Carolina history and ninth in the NCAA this season.

Makyla Stanley turned in a strong effort in the women’s 100m. Her time of 11.43 is posted eighth in Carolina history and puts the senior 24th on this season’s NCAA leaderboard.

In the men’s hammer throw, Malik Paul snagged a podium finish. The junior came in second and just missed a PR with a mark of 52.20m (171-3).

Otis Jones tallied a strong run in the men’s 800m. He finished second, and his time of 1:50.32 is a season best.

Eric Favors was the top collegiate finisher in the men’s shot put. The redshirt junior’s top attempt measured in at 18.27m (59-11 ¼). At the same time Favors was in the shot put ring, Carisma Holland was chalking up a third-place finish in the women’s discus with a mark of 46.32m (151-11). She later placed third in shot put, at 14.67m (48-1 ¾).

The Gamecock men finished their day on the track with a season-best effort in the men’s 4x400m relay. Chance, Hall, Jones and Ty Jaye Robbins ran 3:03.33, which ranks fourth in the NCAA this season and fifth all-time in Gamecock history. The Gamecock women came in second, with Davis, Aliyah Abrams, Tatyana Mills and Jonathas running 3:29.49.

FROM THE COACH