Gamecock Track Heads to Tom Jones Memorial Classic

Jan. 23, 2009

Tom Jones Memorial Invitational | Saturday, Jan. 24

COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 16 South Carolina heads to Gainesville, Fla. Saturday to participate in the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational hosted by the University of Florida at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

The field events begin at 11 a.m. with the weight throw, while the running events start at 1 p.m. with the 55m hurdles. The women’s 4×400 relay is the final event and is scheduled to begin at 7:35 p.m. The men’s team will see competition from No. 4 Florida, No. 5 Florida State, Auburn, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Jacksonville and Miami. On the women’s side, ranked competitors include No. 5 Florida State, No. 13 Florida and No. 20 Miami and UCF in addition to the other programs bringing men’s and women’s teams.

South Carolina had a strong showing last season at the Tom Jones Memorial with five provisional qualifying marks and new personal bests from Jason Richardson in the 55m hurdles, Brittney James in the long jump, Brandi Cross in the 400m and Rebecca Chain in the mile run. The Gamecocks will hope for more success this season after opening the season last week at the Kentucky Invitational in exciting fashion. Richardson ran the fastest time in the world this year with a 7.58 in the 60m hurdles in Kentucky as six other Gamecocks posted provisional times in the first race of the season.

Richardson will not compete this week, but fellow hurdlers Johnny Dutch and Booker Nunley will lead a group looking to earn their first provisional times of the year. A group of returning All-Americans will look to increase their times in Johnathan Hancock (55m), Lamar Markett (55m, 200m), Quentin Moore (400m) and Antonio Sales (55m, 200m). Obakeng Ngwigwa and Aaron Anderson will also look to help in the track events as both 400m runners paced Carolina to a provisional time in the 4x400m relay last week.

In the field events, Jason Cook, Marvin Reitze, Michael Zajac and David Zaycek will lead Carolina. Zajac set a provisional mark in the weight throw at the UK Invitational at 64-7″ (19.68m). Reitze, a freshman, jumped a 16-6.75″ (5.05m) in his first collegiate meet.

Lakya Brookins, Gabby Glenn, Breehana Jacobs, Shayla Mahan and Kelsey McCorckle will head the Carolina women’s effort in the short sprints. Brookins set a provisional mark last week with a 7.33 in the 60m. Brandi Cross, Porche Byrd and Nadonnia Rodrigues will pace the Gamecocks in the 400m. Rodrigues won the 400m last week in her first collegiate meet at a provisional time of 53.52, earning her SEC Freshman Runner of the Week honors, while Cross came in second at a provisional time of 54.12. All three will look to help the Gamecocks earn their first provisional mark of the year in the 4x400m relay as well.

Ronetta Alexander has continued to progress from an injury that kept her out of the entire 2008 season and will race in the 55m hurdles. In the field events, Sallie Gurganus, Liza Todd and Allison Nicosia will head the pole vault after finishing 3-4-5 at the Kentucky Invitational. Aimee Kodat and Shantelle Patterson will once again lead the team in the throwing events.

South Carolina heads to the Millrose Games in New York City next week. The prestigious event will be held Friday, Jan. 30 at the Armory Track. Portions of the meet will be televised on ESPN2.