May 12, 2007

Results

Tuscaloosa, Ala. – At the third day of the SEC Track and Field Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala., two Gamecock men won bronze medals: one in the javelin, redshirt-freshman Erik Heymann, and one in the pole vault, senior Dan McKenzie. South Carolina advanced nine to the finals in addition the eight USC advanced on Friday. Leading the way in the prelims was NCAA indoor collegiate record holder Natasha Hastings who dropped a 51.10 on the track to win the 400m prelim by two seconds (see below for Gamecocks who advanced to finals).

South Carolina put five athletes in two individual event finals each on Sunday: Chiquita Martin in the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles; Hastings in the 200m and 400m finals; Shalonda Solomon in the 100m and 200m finals; Krystal Cantey in the 400m and 400m hurdles finals and Thomas Hilliard in the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles.

“The men are having a phenomenal meet. They are well ahead of the points I expected they would score. We had a freshman, Erik Heymann, throw a huge PR in the javelin after Tommy John surgery – which is normally a career-ender. And Dan McKenzie graduated yesterday with a degree in Chemical Engineering finishing with a 3.94 GPA, flew in last night and won the bronze medal in the pole vault,” said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye. “The women have only scored two points with Columbia native Brittney James jumping a PR in the long jump – we are really proud of her. We had a great performance out of Natasha Hastings and a monster performance in the 400m out of Krystal Cantey who is attempting the 400m/400m hurdles double. We have a lot left on the table tomorrow. They will all have to come to race for points tomorrow and not just the glory of making the finals. I’m really proud of the effort that junior Derron Flood put in to make the finals of the 400m – he really dug deep in the last 30 meters. It was a great day to be a Gamecock and expect nothing less tomorrow.”

Heymann, who had Tommy John surgery on his elbow last Spring, threw a 10-foot personal best at 223′ 7 on his final throw to finish with the bronze medal. Schroeder hit 207′ 6 to finish sixth. Both are regional qualifying marks. Heymann’s throw was the second-best ever in school history and Schroeder’s throw was the fourth-best in school history. It was just the second time for Schroeder to throw this year due to a pectoral strain.

“Erik has had a great return for surgery. A javelin thrower throwing a 10 foot PR on their last throw – it’s like a baseball pitcher – you only have so many 100 mile pitches in you so that was really strong. To throw 223 feet on the sixth throw – we know there is more there. It was a tremendous effort today and he wanted to push his limits with every throw,” said USC throws coach Mike Sergent. “Joe has been hurt for the last four – six weeks and he hasn’t been doing anything until the last 10 days. For Joe to do what he did today was really exceptional as well.”

The USC Scholar-Athlete of the Year McKenzie won the bronze medal in the pole vault, crossing the bar at 16′ 6 ¾ – matching his own NCAA Regional qualifier. He came in late last night after graduating at USC yesterday.

Two Gamecocks also scored in other, field events. Tyler Trout, who finished fourth in the hammer on Friday, was eighth in the discus with a three and a half foot. His throw is also a regional qualifier. Dreher High School graduate Brittney James was seventh in the long jump at 19′ 11, also bettering her NCAA Regional mark.

Hastings ran the top time of the day in the 400m at 51.10. Also qualifying in the 400m was Krystal Cantey at 52.80 – a regional qualifier, who finished third in her heat.

Shalonda Solomon, who enter’s Sundays finals with the top time in the 200m, finished second in her heat of the 100m at 11.43 to make the finals

USC also advanced two men to the 400m finals with Ray Miley winning his heat at 46.99 to regionally qualify and Derron Flood finished third in his heat to qualify for the finals and the NCAA Regional at 46.77. It is the first final for both.

Honors College member Rebecca Chain finished sixth in her heat of the 1500m to advance to the finals with a four-second PR at 4:37.13.

USC pushed three hurdlers through in the high hurdles – two women and one man. Chiquita Martin (13.60) was second in her heat and Ronnetta Alexander (13.54) was fourth in her heat as both advanced to the finals. Thomas Hilliard finished second in his heat of the 110m hurdles to qualify for the finals at 13.73.

Others who competed but did not advance to the finals: Trier Young was fifth in her heat of the 100m hurdles (14.07); Keith Hinnant finished fifth in his heat of the 400m (47.43); Jamil James finished fifth in his heat of the 400m (47.67), Quentin Moore was third in his heat of the 400m (47.38); Fariagn Giles (55.57) in the 400m finished third in her heat; Brandi Cross was third in her heat (54.31) of the 400m; Nick Lytle was sixth in his heat of the 100m (10.80) and Sharee Howze was seventh in her heat of the 100m (12.49).

*- Regional Qualifier

Saturday’s Finals
Men
Pole Vault

Javelin

Discus

Women
Long Jump

Gamecocks who made Sunday’s finals on Saturday, May 12, 2007

Men

Gamecocks’ who made the finals on Friday night (May 11)

200m

400m Hurdles

Men

400m hurdles