May 10, 2018

Outdoor Meet #9 — 2018 SEC Outdoor Championships

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina track & field program begins the outdoor postseason this week when it travels to Knoxville, Tenn., for the 2018 SEC Outdoor Championships. The meet runs May 11-13, 2018 at Tom Black Track, with the University of Tennessee serving as host.

The SEC Championships once again feature the deepest group of talent in all of collegiate track & field as all 27 squads begin their quest for postseason titles. On the men’s side, USTFCCCA Top-25 clubs include No. 1 Florida, No. 3 Alabama, No. 5 Texas A&M, No. 6 Georgia, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 12 LSU, No. 13 Kentucky and No. 20 Mississippi State. The Gamecocks rank one spot outside of the top-25, at 26th. The women’s field features No. 1 LSU, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 5 Kentucky, No. 6 Georgia, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Florida, No. 15 Tennessee, No. 17 Alabama, No. 18 Missouri and No. 23 Ole Miss.

WATCH THE GAMECOCKS LIVE ON SEC NETWORK

SEC Network and SEC Network+ will feature wall-to-wall coverage of the 2018 SEC Outdoor Championships. SEC Network+ coverage begins Friday at 11 a.m., Saturday at 10:15 a.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. SEC Network will televise Sunday’s finals beginning at 6 p.m.

FROM THE COACH

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS (Click to Expand)

LAST TIME OUT • APRIL 26-28 • GAMECOCKS PERFORM ON THE BIG STAGE AT PENN RELAYS

South Carolina won two championship-flight titles at the Penn Relays. On Friday, Yann Randrianasolo won the long jump title for the second consecutive season. It was his fifth long jump title in six outdoor events this year. On Saturday, Lissa Labiche won the high jump crown. She was the only jumper to clear 1.82m, which ranks 10th nationally this season and second in Gamecock history.

Carolina also won the college final of the 4x400m relay. Stephanie Davis, Precious Holmes, Tatyana Mills and Briana Haith turned in a time of 3:37.30, a season-best mark.

Overall, the Gamecocks finished with nine podium finishes at Franklin Field. Hanifah Abdulqadir (triple jump), Hailey Sweatman (pole vault) and the shuttle hurdle relay squad earned second-place results. Josh Awotunde (shot put), Milan Parks (100mH) and Armand Woodley (pole vault) each finished third. Parks ran a PR in the 100mH final, with her mark of 13.24 ranking eighth in Carolina history.

LAST YEAR AT THE SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

South Carolina hosted the 2017 SEC Championships May 11-13 at Cregger Track, and the Gamecocks used the home field advantage to post their best conference meet in several years. The Carolina men finished in eighth place with 46 points, their best result since 2010. The women placed 11th, their best finish since 2012, with 31 points.

Individually, the Gamecock effort was highlighted by graduated senior Tyler Brockington. The Greensboro, N.C., native ran 55.97 to win the individual SEC title in the women’s 400mH. The individual conference victory was the first for a Gamecock since 2015.

Brockington’s victory was one of eight podiums recorded by the Gamecocks at the SEC Championships. Josh Awotunde finished with a silver medal in the shot put, while bronze medal winners included current Gamecocks Ben Bonhurst (shot put), Markus Leemet (decathlon), Isaiah Moore (110mH), Rougui Sow (long jump) and Tye Williams (high jump).

SOUTH CAROLINA’S SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY

Carolina’s women are three-time SEC outdoor champions. They captured the overall title in 1999, 2002 and 2005. The best finish on the men’s side for Carolina came in 2010, when the team placed third.

Overall, the Gamecocks have combined for 47 individual and relay SEC outdoor titles on the women’s side and 26 more on the men’s side. Miki Barber leads all Gamecocks, men and women, with eight career SEC outdoor crowns, including three victories in the 400m dash. Natasha Hastings was part of six SEC wins, while Lisa Barber, Tiffany Ross and Shalonda Solomon accumulated five outdoor conference titles each.

For the men, Otukile Lekote and Brad Snyder each won four SEC titles in their careers, with Johnny Dutch, Otis Harris, Jason Richardson and Terrence Trammell each topping the podium three times. Trammell won the 110m hurdles each season from 1998-2000, while Snyder was the shot put champion in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

Carolina’s most recent individual SEC title came last season, as Tyler Brockington sped away with the 400m hurdles crown in front of the home crowd.

GAMECOCKS IN THE NCAA EAST REGION INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Through eight weeks of outdoor competition, the Gamecocks have 19 individual student-athletes and two relay teams accounting for 25 NCAA Division I East Regional top-50 marks in their respective events. The top-48 in each event at the conclusion of the SEC Championships will qualify for the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Round, May 24-26 in Tampa, Fla.
• Ncincilili Titi ran the fastest 200m time in the NCAA this season at the USC Open, checking in with a time of 20.00. He also ranks ninth in the region and 15th nationally in the 100m, at 10.16.
• Lissa Labiche moved up to No. 4 in the region in the high jump with her winning effort of 5-11 ½ at Penn Relays. Hanifah Abdulqadir is listed 29th in the region, at 5-8 ¾, and Jordan Fields is 36th at 5-8 ½.
• Yann Randrianasolo has been on fire as of late, and his long jump mark of 26-2 ¾ from the Tennessee Relays is the fifth-best mark regionally and the No. 8 mark in the NCAA.
• Rougui Sow jumped a season-best 21-6 at the Spec Towns Invitational, sixth in the region and fifth in the NCAA.
• Josh Awotunde is ranked sixth in the men’s shot put at 65-2 ¼, which is listed as the No. 9 mark in the NCAA, while Eric Favors checks in 13th at 61-5 ½.
• In the triple jump. Abdulqadir’s mark of 43-2 ½ ranks ninth in the East and 14th in the NCAA.
• Hailey Sweatman is up to No. 10 regionally (17th in the NCAA) in the pole vault at 13-9 ¼.
• Aliyah Abrams holds a pair of regional top-40 spots; she’s 12th in the 400m (52.78) and 41st in the 200m (23.40).
• Otis Jones posted a new 800m PR at the Tennessee Relays; his time of 1:48.38 ranks 14th in the region.
• Two Gamecocks are ranked in women’s shot put listings: KD Young (52-4 ½; 14th) Alycia Springs (52-2; 16th).
• Awotunde is currently 18th regionally in the discus, at 185-3, a mark achieved at the Penn Relays.
• Rivaldo Leacock is listed 19th in the 400mH with a time of 51.60.
• Milan Parks is up to No. 23 in the 100mH this week, at 13.24, and Caitlyn Little‘s 13.270 is ranked 26th. Both times came in the Penn Relays final.
• In the men’s pole vault, Armand Woodley is ranked 25th in the East with a mark of 17-0 ¾ from Penn Relays.
• Shelby Freedman is ranked 29th in javelin, throwing 153-2 in her season-opener.
• Markus Leemet is ranked 20th nationally in the decathlon, with 7,351 points. The top-24 in the nation at the end of the conference championship weekend advance to the NCAA Championships regardless of region.
• Two Carolina women’s relays are highly-ranked; the Gamecock 4x100m squad is listed 37th (44.90) and the 4×4 squad is slotted 38th this week (3:37.30).

APRIL 21 • TITI’S RECORD ONE OF 18 VICTORIES AT USC OPEN

South Carolina won 18 events in its final regular-season home meet of 2018, the USC Open. Though the fantastic performances were not hard to come by, one in particular stood out: Ncincilili Titi‘s new school record in the 200m dash. Titi turned in a time of 20.00, which in addition to topping the Carolina leaderboard ranks tops in the NCAA and third in the world this season.

For his efforts, Titi was named SEC Men’s Runner of the Week for the second time this season.

Additional victories came from Hanifah Abdulqadir (Triple Jump), Aliyah Abrams (200m), Josh Awotunde (Shot Put), Eric Favors (Discus), Precious Holmes (400m), Otis Jones (800m), Lissa Labiche (High Jump), Allie Mueller (800m), Amanda Murphy (Hammer), Milan Parks (100m Hurdles), Yann Randrianasolo (Long Jump), Bryce Simpson (Pole Vault), Alycia Springs (Shot Put), Makyla Stanley (Long Jump), Tye Williams (High Jump), and the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

APRIL 12-14 • SIX GAMECOCKS EARN TENNESSEE RELAYS VICTORIES

Six Gamecocks were victorious at the Tennessee Relays as Carolina got its first look at this season’s SEC Championship venue. Aliyah Abrams (400m), Josh Awotunde (shot put), Shelby Freedman (javelin), Yann Randrianasolo (long jump), Ncincilili Titi (200m) and Armand Woodley (pole vault) each topped the leaderboard in a single event at Tom Black Track.

Randrianasolo was perhaps the top Gamecock in action, jumping 26-2 ¾. That’s the second-best long jump effort in Carolina outdoor history. Titi also logged a big PR, supplementing his 200m victory with a run of 10.19 in the 100.

APRIL 6-7 • CAROLINA FINDS SUCCESS AT SPEC TOWNS INVITATIONAL, GAMECOCK INVITATIONAL

Three Gamecocks won their events April 7 at the Gamecock Invitational, the team’s second home meet of the season. Aliyah Abrams won the 400m, while Josh Awotunde took home the discus title and KD Young captured the shot put.

Several Gamecocks also took part in the Spec Towns Invitational, April 6-7 in Athens, Ga. Yann Randrianasolo won the long jump competition at Georgia, while Lissa Labiche took third in her outdoor high jump collegiate debut.

Two-time NCAA qualifier Markus Leemet made his season debut in the decathlon. The senior scored 7,351 points, the 20th-best mark in the NCAA this season.

MARCH 29-31 • TITI, SPRINGS NET VICTORIES AT FLORIDA RELAYS

Two Gamecocks were victorious at the Florida Relays, held March 29-31 in Gainesville, Fla. The most impressive performance came from Ncincilili Titi, who made his season-debut outdoors and ran a blistering-fast 20.36 in the 200m despite cold, rainy conditions.

Carolina’s second win came from Alycia Springs, who took the collegiate flight of the shot put. The sophomore’s mark of 51-5 3/4 was a new PR.

Josh Awotunde made his outdoor shot put season debut in Florida, finishing second with a mark of 64-10 3/4. Hanifah Abdulqadir competed in the triple jump for the first time outdoors this year, finishing third with an effort of 42-11 3/4. The Gamecocks also got podium finishes out of their men’s sprint medley relay and women’s shuttle hurdle relay teams.

MARCH 23-24 • GAMECOCKS DOMINATE WEEMS BASKIN INVITATIONAL

South Carolina hosted the Weems Baskin Invitational March 23-24 and won 10 events, the most of the 50 teams in Columbia. Over 1,500 student-athletes competed at Sheila & Morris Cregger Track, setting a new meet record.

Individually, Yann Randrianasolo led the way with a winning long jump mark of 25-9 1/2. Eric Favors also had a career day in the shot put. His mark of 61-5 1/2 ranks sixth in Carolina history. Last but not least on the men’s side, Josh Awotunde earned a win; he threw 178-3 in the discus in his first outdoor meet of 2018.

On the women’s side, Aliyah Abrams was part of three wins, including an individual victory in the 400m, her second week in a row winning the event. Shelby Freedman (javelin) and Hailey Sweatman (pole vault) also won for the second-straight week. Sweatman set a new PR with a vault of 13-1 1/2. Amanda Murphy earned her first collegiate victory, taking the open hammer throw. Finally, the Carolina women earned victories in the 4×300, 4×400 and 4×800 relays, with Abrams running the first leg on the 4×3 and 4×4.

MARCH 16-17 • FOUR GAMECOCKS VICTORIOUS AT BLACK & GOLD CHALLENGE

The South Carolina track & field team opened the 2018 outdoor season at the Black & Gold Challenge, hosted in Orlando, Fla., by UCF. Following several weeks of indoor postseason competition plus a week of training in the Florida sun, Carolina sent a slimmed-down lineup to compete over the weekend, but those that were in action started the outdoor season on the right foot.

Four Gamecocks tallied an event win. On Friday, Hailey Sweatman won the pole vault; her mark of 12-11 1/2 was a new PR. Shelby Freedman also was victorious, winning the javelin in her first collegiate meet since the 2016 outdoor season.

On Saturday, another returning Gamecock earned a victory, as Aliyah Abrams returned for her first event since the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships to take the 400m. Her time of 52.90 was her best season-opener yet. Rivaldo Leacock also got into the winner’s circle with a victory in the 400mH on the men’s side.

TITI NAMED SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

University of South Carolina senior Ncincilili Titi earned SEC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors on Feb. 21. Titi is the fourth Gamecock in history to win the league’s Scholar-Athlete honor in track & field, joining Natasha Hastings (2007), Marvin Reitze (2012) and Jeannelle Scheper (2015). Titi finished fifth nationally in the 200m and holds a 3.400 GPA.

SEVEN GAMECOCKS EARN ALL-AMERICA LAURELS AT NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

South Carolina sent seven student-athletes to the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas. Josh Awotunde (shot put), Ncincilili Titi (200m) and Rougui Sow (long jump) earned First-Team All-America honors, with Awotunde’s bronze-medal finish leading the way. Titi placed fifth in his event, and Sow eighth. The All-America honor was Titi’s seventh, while Sow became a three-time First-Team honoree.

Four additional Gamecocks qualified for the meet and left as Second-Team All-Americans: Hanifah Abdulqadir (triple jump), Jordan Fields (high jump), Lissa Labiche (high jump) and Yann Randrianasolo (long jump). All four Gamecocks left College Station with their first career All-America honor.

The South Carolina men finished tied for 21st, their best finish since 2010.

QUARLES EARNS USTFCCCA REGION ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR LAURELS

Assistant head coach Delethea Quarles was named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year, the organization announced at the conclusion of the indoor season. Quarles, who is in charge of Carolina’s jumpers and multi athletes, guided five of her student-athletes to NCAA Indoor Championships berths.

“This is long overdue. This award hasn’t existed for very long, but in my opinion Coach Dee has been a coach of the year for 20 years,” South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye said. “Coach Dee could have won this award many times before, but there are a lot of great teams and great coaches in our region. She’s a mentor to so many young coaches in our business, and so many coaches around the business are excited to see Coach Dee get her due. I’m so happy she’s finally being recognized by her peers; it says a tremendous amount about how well-respected she is in our profession.”

FOUR GAMECOCKS NAMED INDOOR ALL-SEC PICKS

Four members of the University of South Carolina track & field team were honored as All-Southeastern Conference selections for the 2018 indoor season. Josh Awotunde earned First-Team All-SEC laurels, Lissa Labiche and Yann Randrianasolo were Second-Team honorees and KD Young was named to the All-Freshman Team.

Awotunde was honored as a First-Team selection after winning the shot put at the 2018 SEC Indoor Championships. The senior from Franklinville, N.J., dominated the field, and his mark of 21.33m (69-11 ¾) set a new SEC meet record and a new Carolina program record. It’s ranked as the 10th-best mark in collegiate history.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

Carolina heads to Tampa, Fla., May 26-28 for the 2018 NCAA East Regional Preliminary Round. The top-48 individuals and top-24 relay teams in the May 14 edition of the NCAA East Region standings will make the journey to Tampa. Once at the meet, the top-12 in each event will qualify for the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships, May 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.