Feb. 8, 2006

South Carolina took sole possession of the top ranking in the women’s collegiate track & field world following the Gamecocks impressive performance at the New Balance Collegiate Championships in New York over the weekend.

The Gamecocks are projected to score 44 points at the NCAA Indoor Championships, according to Trackwire.com, three points more than Michigan. Texas, who was tied with the Gamecocks a week ago, has slipped to third place with 37 projected points at the national meet. Nebraska and Stanford round out the top five.

The Gamecocks are led by Amberly Nesbitt and Shalonda Solomon, who are ranked first in the nation in the 60 and 200 meters, respectively. Solomon is also ranked 10th in the 60, while Nesbitt is sixth in the 200. The Gamecocks are also expected to receive points from Chelsea Hammond (second in the long jump and sixth in the heptathlon), Stephanie Smith (fifth in the 400 meters), Natasha Hastings (eighth in the 400 meters), and from the 4×400 meter relay team (fourth). In addition, Ronnetta Alexander is currently ranked ninth in the 60-meter hurdles.

On the men’s side, the Gamecocks are penciled in for 12 points at the national meet, which puts them in a tie for 15th place with TCU, Southern California and Notre Dame. Individually, Jason Richardson is slated to earn the silver medal in the 60-meter hurdles and Greig Cryer is ranked fifth in the long jump and 12th in the triple jump.

The Gamecocks will get a taste of what’s to come at the national meet when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark. this weekend, site of the NCAA Indoor Championships, for the Tyson Invitational.