March 26, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Four members of the University of South Carolina men’s track team were named to the 2008 SEC Indoor All-Freshman Team, the conference office announced Wednesday afternoon. Aaron Anderson, Johnny Dutch, Antonio Sales and Michael Zajac were each named to the inaugural SEC All-Freshman Team after placing the highest of all freshmen in their respective events at the SEC Indoor Championships this season.

Anderson (Fayetteville, N.C.) earned honors after placing ninth in the 400-meter dash at a time of 47.58. He also ran the second leg of the men’s 1,600-meter relay team that won the SEC Championship at 3:07.19.

Dutch (Clayton, N.C.) placed seventh at the conference meet in the 60-meter hurdles, crossing the line at 7.87 to score for the Gamecocks.

Sales (Chapel Hill, N.C.) placed third in the 200-meter dash after recording the first automatic time of the season for the men’s team. Sales ran a 20.83 to earn the bronze medal, a time that moved him into second place on the USC indoor record list and made him the first Gamecock freshman sprinter to score at the indoor championships since Jonathan Fortenberry took eighth in the 400-meter dash in 2002.

Zajac (Lynchburg, Va.) earned honors after placing fourth in the weight throw at a personal-best mark of 63-3 ¼. The throw marked bested his previous PR by seven and one-half inches.

The South Carolina men took seventh at the SEC Indoor Championships with 42 points. The four All-Freshman Team members were responsible for 23 of the team’s points (1,600m Relay-10, 60mH-2, Weight Throw-5, 200m-6).

On the men’s side, South Carolina and Kentucky each led the league with four selections each, followed by Tennessee with three and Alabama, Arkansas and LSU each with one. For the women, Tennessee and LSU led the way with three athletes named, followed by Arkansas and Florida with two. Alabama, Auburn and Kentucky each had one named to the list.