March 10, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Selections for the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships were released Monday night by the Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee with the South Carolina track and field programs earning seven entries. The event takes place over March 14-15 in Fayetteville, Ark., at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
The Gamecock men will travel nine athletes to this weekend’s championships after qualifying for three events. Freshman Antonio Sales will run in the 200-meter dash after picking up the only automatic qualifying time for the men’s team. He holds the nation’s fifth fastest time in the event at 20.83, set in the SEC Indoor Championships two weeks ago at the same venue as the NCAA Championships.
Jason Richardson is the other individual selected on the men’s team, marking the fourth consecutive year that Richardson has qualified in the 60-meter hurdles. A four-time All-American, Richardson holds the nation’s fifth fastest time with a 7.71 run at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic in Gainesville, Fla. His best finish at the championships was a third place finish in 2005 after running a 7.70. Richardson did not compete last season due to injury despite qualifying for the event.
The Gamecock men’s 4×400-meter relay team qualified after winning the SEC Championship two weeks ago at the Randal Tyson Track Center at 3:07.19. Keith Hinnant, Aaron Anderson, Jussi Heikkila and Quentin Moore earned the championship and will travel to Fayetteville. All-Americans Derron Flood, Ray Miley and Jamil James will also travel as potential runners for the relay as well.
On the women’s side, three individuals and the mile relay team qualified for the championship. Brandi Cross enters the weekend with the second fastest time in the 400-meter dash in the nation and one of only three automatic times in the event. All three automatic times were set at the SEC Indoor Championships, with the 1-2-3 finish at the conference meet entering the weekend as the top three times in the nation. Cross holds a 52.12 and will look to be the second Gamecock in as many years to win the event. Former Gamecock Natasha Hastings won the title in 2007 in 50.80.
Freshmen Shayla Mahan and Lakya Brookins are both members of the 19-athlete field in the 60-meter dash. Mahan’s top time this season is a 7.28 while Brookins, who hit a provisional time in all her races this season, sports a season-best 7.32.
The women’s 4×400-meter relay team of Krystal Cantey, Brandi Cross, Faraign Giles and Porche Byrd holds the nation’s second fastest time at 3:33.34, which gave them second place at the SEC Championships. Gabrielle Glenn and Sade St. Louis will also travel as potential runners in the relay.
