Feb. 17, 2005

USC Invitational Schedule in PDF Format
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Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina men’s and women’s track and field will host the USC Invitational Saturday, February 19th for their first home meet of the season. The competition will be held at USC’s indoor facility starting at 9:30 a.m.

Schools participating in Saturday’s meet include Charlotte Country Day School, Claflin University, Clayton State University, College of Charleston, Georgia Southern, Morris College, Savannah State University, UNC Pembroke, Voorhees College and Wofford College.

The meet will begin at 9:30 with field events, while action on the track will begin with the 55m preliminaries at 12 noon.

WOMEN TO WATCH:

-Natasha Hastings, Tiffany Ross, Stephanie Smith, and Shevon Stoddart make up USC’s 4x400m relay team that is currently ranked No. 2 in the Trackwire’s Dandy Dozen. Look to see these women fight for the No. 1 spot as they prepare for the SEC Indoor Championships next week in Arkansas.

-Erica Whipple set a season best and the fastest time of the meet in the 200m at the Armory in New York two weeks ago with a time of 23.59. Whipple is ranked No. 3 in this week’s top-12.

-Natasha Hastings continues to have an unbelievable indoor freshman season. For the second week in a row, Hastings set a personal best in the 400m with a time of 51.85 earning a second place finish at the Tyson Invitational last weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. Hastings is currently ranked No. 3 in the 400m. She also ran a personal indoor best in the 200m last weekend with a time of 23.62. Expect to see Hastings light up the track as she too prepares for a record-breaking freshman indoor season finish for the Gamecocks.

-In the field, Kemesha Whitmire continues to make her mark in the long and triple jumps. Whitmire finished fifth last weekend in the Tyson Invitiational long jump championship with a leap of 20’0 1/4. Look to see Whitmire make a significant impact at the SEC Indoor Championships next week.

-Distance runner Shay Shelton is on a comeback after an impressive performance in Saturay’s Tyson Invitational college 800m. Shelton ran a season best 2:09.19 to claim first place in the event last weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.

Results for Saturday’s meet will be available at www.uscsports.com.