May 27, 2006

Greensboro, N.C. – South Carolina will compete in the final day of the NCAA East Region Track and Field Championship Saturday afternoon. USCsports.com talked with USC’s first NCAA qualifier Greig Cryer (Charleston, S.C.) after he finished as the runner-up in the long jump. He is set to compete in the triple jump in the final day.

USC: You came here to qualify for the national meet and to repeat as the long jump winner. You qualified, but you finished as the runner-up. Are you happy, disappointed? Is it bittersweet?

Cryer: I feel blessed to be able to go to nationals again. I would like to have won, but considering my swollen knee coming into the meet I feel like I did pretty well. I am happy I have another chance to compete at nationals.

USC: Last year you didn’t have the best time at the national meet, fouling all your jumps in the prelims. What is your first goal this year at nationals?

Cryer: To make it to the finals (he smiles big). After I do that then I will worry about winning, but right now I just want to make it to the finals.

USC: You were third at the NCAA Indoor Championships this year. Will that experience help you outdoors?

Cryer: Most definitely. I was very focused indoors and if I continue to have the attitude I had indoors I should do very well outdoors.

USC: You train with former NCAA runner-up Tony Allmond as he finishes his USC degree this year. Has he given you any tips that have helped you this year?

v Cryer: Whenever we have jump practice together, he puts a line in the sand and says I should jump this far. He’s taught me it is very good to practice to like you are in a competitive state. It makes you more ready for the competition as opposed to going out there and jumping without trying to hit a mark or reach a goal. So it has been helpful.

USC: You and Tony are both finishing your degrees and did so well during your tenures at Carolina. Do you feel like you’ve left the Carolina jumps program in good shape?

Cryer: USC is making the move to being an outstanding jump program in the country. I don’t know if we were known for being a jump school before we got there, but I think now that I am finished and when Derek Pressley (sophomore who qualified for the NCAA region meet in the triple jump) finishes we will be able to call USC one of the top jumps programs in the country.

USC: You have already qualified for the national meet in the long jump here in Greensboro. What is your goal in the triple jump on Saturday?

Cryer: To make it to nationals. I think it will take 52 feet high. I am very capable of doing that. To just be in the top five I will be happy with that. To be able to compete in the long and the triple jump at nationals would be outstanding.

USC: After nationals, what is next for Greig Cryer?

Cryer: I have qualified for the USATF Nationals so I will continue to train. Depending on how well I do I might continue to compete at a few more meets. But, it not I will rest and get ready for next season. I hope to continue competing in the years to come. As the same time I would like to be a volunteer coach at USC and take the GRE so I can go to grad school. I will work on a degree in sports psychology. I’d like to be a track coach at a Division I, preferably SEC, school.

USC: Maybe South Carolina?

Cryer: That would be a great honor to follow up Coach Frye. That would be big shoes to fill, but I think I will be alright.