May 6, 2012

CLEMSON, S.C. – South Carolina posted a strong number of personal bests at the Bob Pollock Invitational to improve their marks on the conference and East Region descending order lists one week before the team heads to the SEC Outdoor Championships in Baton Rouge, La.

Junior Jarrod Hutchen jumped his way up to No. 2 in the Gamecock record books with his win in the long jump at 26’1 ¾ (7.97m). The transfer now ranks second in the SEC heading into the upcoming SEC Outdoor Championships and has put himself into national qualifier considerations with a mark that currently sits third in all of NCAA Division 1 as championship seasons begin to start.

Junior Breanna Radford cracked Carolina’s all-time top 10 in the women’s hammer throw at a personal best 170’3 (51.89m) to claim the win in the event. Radford, who moves to No. 8 in the Gamecock record books, is the first woman to break the impressive top 10 list in six years when Precious Akins made her mark on the list. Radford also won the shot put at 50’3 ½ (15.33m) to lead a 1-2 finish with freshman Kaysee Sullivan taking second at 48’2 ¾ (14.70m).

The Gamecock men had a trio of third-place finishes at the Bob Pollock Invitational with Eric Winfrey and Juan Stenner taking third in the 400-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles, respectively, and Matt Shuler placing third in the men’s pole vault. Winfrey ran 47.68 in the dash while Stenner ran 52.92 in the intermediate hurdles. Shuler hit a season best in the pole vault at 17’3 (5.26m) to put himself into last year’s form at the peak moment of the season.

Megan Wall hit a personal best in the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 12’0 (3.66m). She placed eighth overall in the event. Ceci Kryst hit a personal best in the triple jump at 39’0 ½ (11.90m) to finish fifth overall after also taking seventh in the long jump at 18’7 ¼ (5.67m).

The Gamecocks also earned wins in the men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relays. The men’s team of Damiere Byrd, Clayton Gravesande, Chris Royster and Eric Winfrey ran 40.04, and the women’s team of Vashti Bandy, Christal Green, Tamera Harris and Amber Allen ran 46.17.

Freshman Chris Walker improved his times in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, placing 23rd in the 100-meter at 10.70 and 10th in the 200-meter at 21.36. Chris Royster (21.18) and Damiere Byrd (21.21) took seventh and eighth, respectively, to round out the Gamecock participants in the 200-meter dash.

Andrew Seay hit a season best in the men’s hammer throw at 173’10 (52.98m) to take seventh, and he also competed in the discus throw with a mark of 127’05 (38.85m).

South Carolina travels to Baton Rouge, La., to compete at the SEC Outdoor Championships this week from May 10-13 at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium.