June 16, 2014
NEW ORLEANS – Ten Gamecocks combined to receive 13 Second-Team All-America citations, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has announced. The honors are awarded based on performances at the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships that took place last week in Eugene, Ore.
The men’s 4×100-meter relay squad of sophomore Kendall Kee, senior Chris Royster, sophomore Brandon Sanders and junior Eric Winfrey ran a 39.57 in Eugene to place 14th. The quartet combined for the third-fastest time in school history at the NCAA East Preliminary Round at 38.98.
Three Gamecock women earned a pair of relay Second-Team certificates. Sophomores Tyler Brockington and Ahtyana Johnson along with junior Tamera Harris ran on both the 4×100-meter relay and the 4×400-meter relay squads. Sophomore Alexis Murphy joined the trio on the 4×100 while freshman Briana Haith ran on the 4×400. In the 4×100-meter relay, South Carolina finished 12th (44.54) and the 4×400-meter relay finished 16th (3:36.09).
Senior pole vault school record holder Petra Olsen is the Gamecocks lone individual second teamer after finishing 12th in the women’s pole vault. She cleared 13’3 ½” (4.05m) in her third career NCAA Outdoor appearance.
Five South Carolina athletes earned Honorable Mention nods as well. Freshman Jussi Kanervo made his NCAA debut in the 400-meter hurdles, taking 21st with a time of 52.80. In the men’s javelin, redshirt freshman also Kaleb Zuidema finished 21st, recording a mark of 204’11” (62.47m). Royster was derailed by a cramp in the 100-meter dash and did not finish, but still earned Honorable Mention recognition. The senior also qualified for the 200 meters, but scratched after his trouble in the 100 meters.
On the women’s side, Brockington took the track for the 400-meter hurdles and finished 19th with a time of 59.92. Johnson finished just outside of a Second-Team spot in 17th with a time of 23.69 in the 200-meter dash.
First-Team All-America honors were awarded to those who finished among the top eight in an individual or relay event as part of a team; Second-Team All-America honors went to those who finished between ninth and 16th; and Honorable Mention honors were given to the remaining finishers.
Honorable Mention honorees should not be referred to as All-Americans.
Click here for full USTFCCCA release.
2014 Second-Team All-America
Kendall Kee – Men’s 4x100m Relay
Chris Royster – Men’s 4x100m Relay
Brandon Sanders – Men’s 4x100m Relay
Eric Winfrey – Men’s 4x100m Relay
Tyler Brockington – Women’s 4x100m Relay, Women’s 4x400m Relay
Briana Haith – Women’s 4x400m Relay
Tamera Harris – Women’s 4x100m Relay, Women’s 4x400m Relay
Ahtyana Johnson – Women’s 4x100m Relay, Women’s 4x400m Relay
Alexis Murphy – Women’s 4x100m Relay
Petra Olsen – Women’s Pole Vault
Honorable Mentions
Jussi Kanervo – Men’s 400mH
Chris Royster – Men’s 100m
Kaleb Zuidema – Men’s Javelin
Tyler Brockington – Women’s 400mH
Ahtyana Johnson – Women’s 200m
