June 11, 2013
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Eleven Gamecocks combined to receive 13 All-America certificates, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has announced. The honors are awarded based on performances at the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships which took place last week in Eugene, Ore.
Sophomore Erika Rucker and junior Jeannelle Scheper received First-Team All-America honors. Rucker finished eighth in the women’s 400-meter dash and is now a six-time All-American. It’s the first-career First-Team recognition for Rucker.
With her fifth-place finish in the women’s high jump, Scheper also received First-Team honors to collect her third All-American certificate. It is Scheper’s second First-Team honor of the year after returning home with a share of the NCAA high jump silver from the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships. She is the only Gamecock high jump All-American in school history.
Senior Kierre Beckles capped her career in the Garnet and Black with her sixth All-America nod. Facing a speedy field in the 100-meter hurdles, Beckles finished 12th overall for a spot on the Second-Team.
Two underclassmen hurdlers concluded breakout seasons with All-America nods. Freshman Tyler Brockington earned her second and third All-America distinction with her 16th place finish in the 400-meter hurdles and as a member of the 4×100-meter relay that finished 11th overall. Brockington now has one individual and two relay citations after competing on the 4×400-meter relay squad at NCAA Indoors earlier this year. Sophomore Tamera Harris grabbed honorable mention in the 400-meter hurdles with her 21st-place finish.
Brockington and Harris were joined on the relay that received Second-Team recognition by junior four-time All-American Vashti Bandy and freshman Ahtyana Johnson who earned her first honor.
Four other Gamecocks earned Honorable Mention – junior Chris Royster, sophomore Kayla Lampe, junior Petra Olsen and senior Breanna Radford.
Royster collected his first individual and third overall All-America citation with his 19th-place finish in the 100-meter dash.
Sophomore Kayla Lampe became the first Gamecock to earn All-American honors in the 10,000-meter run since Tanya Povey in 1998 as she earned her first-career recognition. Junior Petra Olsen notched her third All-America nod in the pole vault and senior Breanna Radford closed out her collegiate career with her first distinction.
First-team USTFCCCA All-America honors are awarded to those who earn any portion of a team point at the national championships, or reach an eight-entrant final. Second-team All-America honors are handed out to those whose final placing in the national meet range from ninth to 16th place.
Those who participated at the final site but did not place in the meet’s top 16 are listed as honorable mention for the All-America award.
2013 First-Team All-America
Erika Rucker: 400 Meters
Jeannelle Scheper: High Jump
2013 Second-Team All-Americans
Kierre Beckles: 100-Meter Hurdles
Tyler Brockington: 400-Meter Hurdles, 4×100-Meter Relay
Vashti Bandy: 4×100-Meter Relay
Tamera Harris: 4×100-Meter Relay
Ahtyana Johnson: 4×100-Meter Relay
2013 Honorable Mention All-Americans
Chris Royster: 100 Meters
Tamera Harris: 400-Meter Hurdles
Kayla Lampe: 10,000 Meters
Petra Olsen: Pole Vault
Breanna Radford: Shot Put
