March 28, 2009

Results

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina track and field team posted 18 wins Saturday and earned 12 regional qualifying marks at the end of a rainy Weems Baskin Invitational held at the Weems Baskin Track.

In the women’s 400m dash, Brandi Cross earned her first regional qualifying time with her win at 54.20. Sophomore Janica Austin was the top collegiate finisher and earned her first regional qualifying time of the year in the 100-meter hurdles with a second place showing at 13.61 seconds. The women’s 4x100m relay team of Cross, Lakya Brookins, Gabrielle Glenn and Breehana Jacobs earned a qualifying time by running the event at 45.70. Two Gamecocks earned qualifying marks in the women’s pole vault as Sallie Gurganus and Liza Todd led a 1-2-3 Gamecock finish with both clearing 12-09.50 (3.90m).

Regional qualifiers for the men include Johnathan Hancock who ran a season best 10.47 in the 100m dash to win the event. Freshman Booker Nunley earned his spot to Greensboro after winning the 110-meter hurdles at a qualifying time of 13.92. Nunley also won the 400-meter hurdles but narrowly missed the qualifying mark with his time of 54.18. The men’s 4x100m relay team of Hancock, Obakeng Ngwigwa, Quentin Moore and Antonio Sales improved on their regional qualifying time by winning the event at 40.49. Senior Jason Cook tossed the school’s seventh-best outdoor mark to win the shot put at a regional qualifying mark of 59-11.25 (18.27m). Sophomore Michael Zajac won the hammer throw at a qualifying mark of 204-05 (62.31m), and junior Erik Heymann tossed a season best 206-09 (63.02m) in the javelin throw to win at a qualifying mark. Junior Elliott Haynie won his second consecutive meet as a Gamecock with his qualifying mark of 16-08.75 (5.10m) in the pole vault to lead a 1-2-3 Gamecock finish.

Winners for the women include Breehana Jacobs who won the women’s 100m dash at 11.85. Freshman Radiance Basden won the 400-meter hurdles in a season best 1:02.97, just two seconds away from earning her first regional qualifying mark. For the second consecutive meet to open the outdoor season, freshman Beatrice Biwott won the 3,000-meter steeplechase, taking first place in a time of 11:18.47 to lead a 1-2-3 finish with teammates Kelsey Bristol (19:13.28) and Katie Walls (12:43.70) who competed unattached. Last week, Biwott set the school record in the event. In the final running event of the day, freshman Elizabeth Heath won the women’s 5,000-meter run in a time of 19:13.28.

Junior Obakeng Ngwigwa led a 1-2 finish in the men’s 200m dash as he won the event at 21.49 and sophomore Antonio Sales followed at 21.86. Another Gamecock duo matched the feat in the 400m with Aaron Anderson claiming the win at 48.44 and Quentin Moore following at 48.50. Junior Daniel Smoak won the men’s 5000-meter run at 15:59.19. Junior Jeff Merkt tossed a season best 163-10 (49.95m) in the discus throw as the top collegiate finisher in a second place finish.

South Carolina will travel to the Pepsi Florida Relays in Gainesville next week.