March 4, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Fresh off the strongest performance of the season for the men and women’s track and field programs last weekend, Coach Curtis Frye’s teams – which both took big leaps in the national rankings released today – will meet with fans Thursday night prior to the South Carolina-Tennessee men’s basketball game at Colonial Life Arena.

Members of the track and field teams will be on-hand to sign autographs in the Colonial Life Arena atrium from 6-7 p.m. prior to the Operation: Garnet basketball game that begins at 7 p.m. Included in the group will be 2009 SEC Champion Jason Richardson as the team gears up for the NCAA Indoor Championships to be held next weekend.

MOVEMENT IN THE RANKINGS
Both programs enjoyed strong jumps in the USTFCCCA national rankings today following their performances at the SEC Championships last weekend. After taking fifth at the SEC’s, the women’s team improved 19 spots from last week and is now ranked No. 8 in the country – the third highest ranked program from the SEC. A big part of the jump comes from the SEC champion 4x400m relay team of Nadonnia Rodrigues, Brandi Cross, Breehana Jacobs and Porche Byrd that ran the fastest time in the nation Sunday at 3:33.50.

The men’s team improved three spots and now sits at No. 14 in the nation, also the third-highest ranking for a program from the SEC after the Gamecocks took fourth at the championships last weekend. The men’s mile relay team also boosted the team ranking after taking second at the SEC Championships at 3:06.11, a time that not only was second in the meet but second in the nation.

South Carolina will send a few athletes to the NCAA Last Chances Meets in Ames, Iowa, Blacksburg, Va., and Fayetteville, Ark. on March 7 before heading to College Station, Texas for the NCAA Indoor Championships from March 13-14.