March 11, 2011

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By Miquel Jacobs
Media Relations Assistant

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – South Carolina senior Lakya Brookins tied her own facility, school and meet record with a preliminary round winning time of 7.13 in the 60-meter dash in the first day of competition at the NCAA Indoor Championships held at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.

Brookins’s time matched the 7.13 that she ran on March 14, 2009 – the day she won the 2009 NCAA title at the very same track as an underdog sophomore. Hailed as the favorite to win the title as a senior, Brookins calmly race across the line in heat eight, which happens to be the same lane that she won the title two years ago to also set the school, facility and Gamecock records.

In the 60-meter hurdles, sophomore Kierre Beckles placed 11th overall with a time of 8.23, missing out on the finals by three spots. It was the first Division I NCAA Indoor Championships appearance for the Gamecock, and she was the third finisher among SEC competitors in the race.

In the men’s pole vault competition, senior Matt Shuler cleared two bars but did not score in his first NCAA Indoor Championships appearance. Shuler cleared 17’2 ¾ (5.25m) on his second attempt to place 13th overall.

Brookins will compete for her second national title in three years Saturday at 7 p.m. (ET). The other Gamecock competing tomorrow will be senior Michael Zajac in the men’s weight throw at 6 p.m. (ET).