Byrd, Basden Earn SEC Track Athlete of the Week Honors

Feb. 14, 2012

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By Miquel Jacobs
Assistant Media Relations Director

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior Radiance Basden and freshman Damiere Byrd have both earned SEC Athlete of the Week honors, the conference office announced Tuesday. Basden was named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week, and Byrd was named the Men’s Freshman of the Week, the first conference honors awarded in both of their careers.

Basden won the triple jump at the prestigious Tyson Invitational with the No. 7 mark in the NCAA to highlight the track and field team’s weekend. Basden jumped 42-3 1/4 (12.88m) in her third jump of the day to earn her first win of the season. The mark moves her to third in the Gamecock record book and in position to earn her first bid to the NCAA Indoor national championships. She currently has the top mark in the SEC with two weeks before the SEC Indoor Championships that will be held at the University of Kentucky.

Byrd continued his strong freshman indoor campaign with three runs in the 60-meter dash. After running 6.75 in the prelims, Byrd improved to 6.72 in both the semis and the finals to place sixth overall in the event. The two-sport athlete currently has the No. 3 60-meter dash time for a freshman in the NCAA and has pushed himself into the national top 35.

Basden and Byrd are the second and third Gamecocks to be honored by the SEC this year, and it marks the second straight week that the Gamecocks have earned field event honors after Jeannelle Scheper was also named SEC Female Field Athlete of the Week last week.

The Gamecocks will host the Gamecock Invitational this Saturday before heading to the SEC Indoor Championships next weekend. Competition at the Gamecock Indoor Invitational is scheduled to begin with field events at 10 a.m., and running events are slated to begin at 11:30 a.m. Competition will take place at the USC Fieldhouse.