April 23, 2009

PHILADELPHIA – The No. 20 South Carolina women’s track and field team began competition Thursday at the 115th annual Penn Relays and finished with four regional times in the first day of action, including the 4x100m relay team’s showing that advances them to the Championship of America round.

The 4x100m relay team of Lakya Brookins, Gabrielle Glenn, Brandi Cross and Breehana Jacobs advanced to compete in the final after placing fifth Friday at 45.27. The regional qualifying time is a season best for the team, and the final will be run Friday at 1:10 p.m. The 4x400m relay team of Cross, Glenn, Nadonnia Rodrigues and Porche Byrd placed 12th at 3:45.08.

Sophomore Janica Austin raced to her first NCAA Regional time of the year in the 400m hurdles after finishing second in her heat and seventh overall at 1:00.10. The Trenton, N.J., native will next compete Friday at 3:40 p.m. in the 100m hurdles, an event that she has posted four qualifying runs already this season. Freshman qualifier Radiance Basden placed 25th in the 400m hurdles at 1:02.43, and Kettiany Clarke came in 28th at 1:02.67.

Junior Sallie Gurganus placed third in the Championship pole vault section with a clearance of 12-11.50 (3.95m). Senior Liza Todd, the reigning champion in the event, came in seventh at 12-07.50 (3.85m) as Gurganus and Todd both hit qualifying marks for the fifth time this year. In the collegiate pole vault division, freshman Allison Nicosia finished in a tie for 14th at 11-05.75 (3.50m).

Freshman Stacee Roberts tossed a personal best 46-05.50 (14.16m) to place sixth in the shot put. Aimee Kodat came in 12th at a season best 42-08.75 (12.88m), and Katie Vuckovich followed in 13th place at 42-03.25 (12.74m). Kodat later placed fourth in the discus throw field of 29 athletes at 154-08 (47.15m).

Staley Foster took eighth in the high jump at a season best 5-06.00 (1.68m). Cory Bowen and Kayla Blake both cleared 5-04.50 (1.64m) as Bowen placed in a tie for ninth and Blake in a tie for 12th.

Freshman Beatrice Biwott placed 11th in the 3000m-steeplechase at 11:19.11.

South Carolina returns to the track tomorrow as NCAA bronze medalist and two-time All-American Johnny Dutch hits the track at 9:00 am to compete in the men’s 400m hurdles. A total of 26 Gamecocks will compete in 17 events Friday, including the 4×100, 4×200 and 4x400m relay qualifying rounds.