May 27, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A pair of South Carolina athletes earned All-SEC honors for the 2014 outdoor season, the league office announced today. Both redshirt sophomore Sarah Graham and freshman Kaleb Zuidema collected All-Southeastern Conference nods on the second team. It’s the first honor for both Gamecocks.

Graham earned a silver medal in the high jump at the SEC Outdoor Championships with a clearance of 5’9 ¾” (1.77m). The Gamecock entered the competition as the No. 12 seed, but rode the momentum of a lifetime best clearance of 5’10” (1.79m) in the heptathlon high jump to her finish in the individual event two days later. Her mark of 5’10” is the third best in school history.

In the men’s javelin Zuidema won a bronze medal in his SEC Championship debut. Zuidema’s first throw of 223’2″ (68.02m) moved him into the finals, where he unleashed a personal best heave of 229’2″ (69.87m) to earn the bronze. The toss is the third best in program history and is the third best throw in the nation by a freshman this season.

The All-SEC teams also were announced on Tuesday. The All-SEC First Team consists of the event winner in each event at the SEC Outdoor Championships, while the All-SEC Second Team consists of the second and third-place finishers in each event.

Graham and Zuidema join a group of Gamecocks traveling to Jacksonville, Fla., next weekend for the NCAA East Preliminary Round. The top 48 in each event (24 for relays) advances to the preliminary round with the top 12 advancing to Eugene, Ore., for the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The East Preliminary is scheduled for May 29-31. The NCAA Outdoor Championships are set for June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore.