April 14, 2006

COLUMBIA, SC – USC won three events and finished as the runner-up in three other events in the second day of the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn. on Friday. The meet will continue through Saturday.

On the season, USC now has 14 men’s regional qualifiers in 11 events and 23 women’s qualifiers in 14 events. The women are ranked No. 12 and the men are tied for No. 18 in the latest trackwire.com poll.

USC won the 4x200m relay at 1:35.08. The relay included Nikeshia Brown, Faraign Giles, Natasha Hastings and Stephanie Smith. The men were fourth at 1:24.62.

Jason Richardson was the runner-up in the 110m hurdles, hitting the finish line at 13.68. Thomas Hillard also bettered his regional mark at 14.16, finishing 16th.

Shalonda Solomon won the 100m dash with a time of 11.12 – the top time of the day. On the men’s side Leroy Dixon was the runner-up in the 100m, clocking a 10.25. Both were regional qualifiers, with Dixon’s being his first of the season in the event.

Keith Hinnant was fourth in the 400m at 46.99, a regional qualifier. Natasha Hastings was third in the 400m at 53.63, bettering her mark from last weekend.

Greig Cryer was fourth in the triple jump at 15.66m – improving his regional qualifying mark.

Emily Pease finished tied for fourth in the pole vault, crossing the bar at 3.35m – a regional qualifer.

Ronnetta Alexander won the 100m hurdles crossing the finish line at 13.16. Trier Young was ninth but also picked up a regional qualifer at 13.85.

Jussi Heikkila was eighth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 52.27, also running a regional qualifier – his first of the season.

Former Gamecock SEC champion Tacita Bass won the heptathlon with a score of 5626. Keke Clarke and Reanna Townsend finished 10th and 11th, respectively. On the men’s side Greg Royster was sixth in the decathlon, posting a total of 6776.

Precious Akins finished as the runner-up with the discus, picking up a mark of 176′ 8 – a regional qualifier, but not better than last week’s performance. Akins was eighth in the hammer at 164′ 10 – also a regional qualifier. She now has three regional marks in the throwing events: the shot put, hammer and discus.

Keri Grover was eighth at 156′ 8 in the discus.

USC winners:
Women 4x400m relay – 1:35.08
100m – Shalonda Solomon (11.12)
100m hurdles – Ronnetta Alexander (13.16)