2019 Season Preview - Jumps & Multis
Gamecocks return four All-Americans from successful 2018 season
2019 Track & Field Preview – Jumps and Multis
The University of South Carolina track & field team returns to action January 11 for head coach Curtis Frye’s 23rd season in charge. In the days leading up to the start of the 2019 season, GamecocksOnline.com will preview each section of the Carolina squad, taking a glance at key returners and highlighting newcomers who could make their names as the next great Gamecock superstars. Today’s preview focuses on Carolina’s jumps squad.
FROM THE COACH
“Yann comes back very enthusiastic about the season. Of course, we had to delay some training so he could get some rest from the summer, because he did compete the whole time, but he’s excited, and we’re excited. He believes in me, believes in our program, and he’s back here with the intent to be on the podium.” – Assistant Head Coach Delethea Quarles
“Our women are working very hard. The fall has been a little unique for them; each one of them had some things to improve in the training room and had to get some things fixed after a little bit of wear and tear from jumping. But they are excited, and training is going well. They’re doing a lot in the weight room to be more strong and powerful and ready to leave the ground come next year when the season starts. They’re doing a phenomenal job.” – Assistant Head Coach Delethea Quarles on returning All-Americans Yann Randrianasolo, Hanifah Abdulqadir, Jordan Fields and Lissa Labiche
2018 REVIEW – MEN’S TEAM
Long jump specialist Yann Randrianasolo took a great leap forward in 2018, qualifying for both NCAA championship meets and standing on the SEC Championships podium for the first time. As a junior, Randrianasolo climbed both the indoor and outdoor Carolina record books, and he also tried his hand at triple jump for the first time.
Though injuries ultimately derailed his senior campaign, high jumper Tye Williams also found success last season. He set a new indoor school record, at 7-2 ½, claiming ownership of both Gamecock high jump records at the close of his career.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICAN – YANN RANDRIANASOLO
Randrianasolo’s junior season saw improvement in every way imaginable as the French national team member set several personal milestones. In the indoor season, he won three regular-season meets, earned a silver medal at the SEC Championships and qualified for his first NCAA Championships, finishing 14th. Outdoors, he won five more regular-season titles and finished 13th at the national meet. Things got better over the summer, where Randrianasolo jumped eight meters for the first time and represented France at the Athletics World Cup and the European Championships. Now that he’s competed and succeeded on some of the biggest stages in the sport, Randrianasolo aims to end his collegiate career with one more run at SEC and NCAA titles.
OTHER KEY RETURNERS – MEN’S TEAM
Randrianasolo is the only returning Gamecock that specialized in the jumps last season. Redshirt senior Isaiah Moore holds a spot on Carolina’s long jump top-10 list, though he hasn’t competed in the event since 2016. Sophomore Benjamin Womble will represent the Gamecocks in the men’s multi events.
KEY NEWCOMERS – MEN’S TEAM
The Gamecocks landed a major transfer during the fall signing period, when long jump specialist Tyler Jones joined the Gamecock roster after one season at Kennesaw State. That freshman season was memorable, as Jones jumped 25-2 to win the Atlantic Sun Conference title and 25-1 at the NCAA East Regional to punch a ticket to nationals. Jones also competes in triple jump, where he finished third at the ASUN indoor meet, and the 110mH, where he placed fourth at the conference level.
Freshman Kobe Franklin earned a high jump state championship in 2018, setting a SCISA record by clearing 6-8 in the final. Texas State transfer Carlos Wilson competed in the long jump and the triple jump during his freshman season, including a sixth-place long jump result at the 2018 Sun Belt Indoor Championships.
2018 REVIEW – WOMEN’S TEAM
The jumps crew was perhaps the deepest and most successful position group for Carolina’s women’s team in 2018. Four Gamecocks qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships, leading to a well-deserved USTFCCCA Regional Coach of the Year honor for Delethea Quarles. Two-time Olympian Lissa Labiche qualified for the NCAA meet indoors and outdoors and also earned a medal at the SEC indoor meet.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICAN – HANIFAH ABDULQADIR
Abdulqadir brought All-America experience to Carolina after two strong seasons at New Mexico Junior College, and she continued on that path in 2018. The Kingston, Jamaica, native finished 11th at the NCAA Indoor Championships and just missed out on the NCAA Outdoor Championships with a 14th-place regional finish. She also took part in the high jump and the long jump in 2018 and enters her senior season holding four top-10 marks in the Carolina record book. Healthy and ready for one final collegiate season, there’s not doubt the senior could make an impact for the Gamecocks in all three events this year.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICAN – JORDAN FIELDS
Fields shook off some 2017 injury issues to establish herself as one of the team’s most dynamic athletes last season. She scored for the Gamecocks in both multi events at the conference level, but she had her most success in high jump, where she finished ninth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. She also qualified for the regional meet outdoors in the high jump and, armed with a PR of 1.85m, she’s a candidate for big points at both the conference and national level this season. Fields will also look for continued success in the pentathlon and heptathlon, with an eye toward factoring into the national picture in both.
RETURNING ALL-AMERICAN – LISSA LABICHE
Labiche was already a decorated athlete before joining the Carolina roster, bringing four African Championship titles and two Olympic appearances with her. She added to that résumé last season, starting with a silver medal at the SEC Indoor Championships. Labiche won the high jump at the Penn Relays and finished in the top-14 in both NCAA meets to collect a pair of second-team All-America laurels. She surged to No. 2 on Carolina’s indoor and outdoor high jump lists dispite battling lingering foot issues throughout the campaign. Labiche sports a high jump PR of 1.92m, and in her second collegiate season, the Seychelles product is one of the favorites to win the title at the conference and national championships.
KEY RETURNERS – WOMEN’S TEAM
High jump specialist Dymier Jeffery redshirted in her first season out of Richmond, Va. Senior Makyla Stanley, a 4x100m All-American last season, is one of the ten best long jumpers in Gamecock history.
KEY NEWCOMERS – WOMEN’S TEAM
Fields isn’t the only member of Coach Dee’s crew that looks to factor into the multi events. Freshman Mathilde Coquillaud-Salomon has international experience competing in the long jump, and she’s also likely to compete in multis as a true freshman.
UMass Boston transfer Wadeline Jonathas was the NCAA Division III long jump national champion in 2018 and holds a PR of 20-7 ¼. Though primarily a sprinter, Jonathas could also jump this season.
