Gamecocks Honor Seniors, Win 11 Events at USC Open

April 22, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Another day at Sheila & Morris Cregger Track produced another round of victories for the University of South Carolina as the Gamecocks found the winner’s circle 11 times at the 2017 USC Open. Mary Reiser (3000m), Allie Mueller (1500m), Yann Randrianasolo (long jump), Rougui Sow (long jump), Otis Jones (800m), Nakita Gray (high jump), Kara Lyles (400mH), Eric Favors (shot put) and Tye Williams (high jump) earned individual victories, and the men’s 4x100m and women’s 4x400m relays also took home wins.

Saturday was the final regular-season home meet of the season for the Gamecocks, who honored 26 graduating student-athletes as part of Senior Day festivities.

The day started on a high note, with Reiser taking the 3000m victory in her final regular-season event on the Carolina campus. The senior kicked into high gear over the final 200 meters, reclaiming the lead late and finishing with a time of 10:01.41.

A week after Ncincilili Titi electrified the crowd with the NCAA’s top 200m time this season, he ran the anchor leg on Carolina’s fastest 4x100m relay of the season. Titi was joined by DeVon Lewis, David Winters and Ryan Bermudez, and the group turned in a time of 39.37. That matches the 10th-best mark in school history, and it’s the 13th-best time in the NCAA this season.

Mueller earned her first career victory in the 1500m. She took the lead on the final turn and surged to a time of 4:38.71, almost three seconds clear of the field.

Randrianasolo was victorious last week at Cregger Track, and he added a second consecutive triumph on Saturday. His top mark of 24-9 ¼ was the winning attempt against a very strong field.

In her first long jump appearance since setting the world’s best long jump effort of the season two weeks ago, Sow was victorious once again. She was the lone competitor to go over 20 feet on Saturday, with a best effort of 20-10 ¾ into a headwind. Her closest competitor was teammate Makyla Stanley, at 18-6.

After silver medal finishes in his last two races, Jones brought home his first victory of the season in the 800m. His time of 1:51.81 bested the field by more than a full second.

Gray won the high jump last week at the Gamecock Invitational, a feat she matched Saturday in her final home competition. She equaled her top mark from last week as well, clearing 5-10 ¾.

Lyles also earned a Cregger Track victory for the second weekend in a row. The sophomore captured the 400mH in a time of 59.26, her second-best effort of the season.

Favors earned his first career victory in the shot put. His top effort checked in at 55-5 1/2, two feet clear of the field.

Williams set a new outdoor PR on Saturday, clearing seven feet outdoors for the first time. His final mark was 7-1 ¾, which ranks third in Gamecock history and 12th in the NCAA this season.

The final victory came from the women’s 4×4 relay. Carolina fielded two of their indoor All-Americans in the same heat for the first time this outdoor season, and the final results was a time of 3:33.68 from Precious Holmes, Marisa Bellamy, Tyler Brockington and Kara Lyles. That time ranks 16th in the nation this season.

QUOTING HEAD COACH Curtis Frye

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

Carolina competes in its final regular season meet of 2017 next week at the 123rd Penn Relays Carnival. The meet runs April 27-29 at famed Franklin Field in Philadelphia.