June 9, 2016

EUGENE, Ore. – The Gamecock women’s track and field team were in action on day two of the NCAA Outdoor Championships Thursday. The team earned three second-team All-American honors for individuals, and the mile relay team qualified for Saturday’s final after another solid performance.

Shelby Freedman kept the positive vibes going for the South Carolina throws team, as the sophomore capped an incredible spring with another solid performance in the javelin. She opened her series of throws with a mark of 164 feet, one inch, the second-best throw of her career.

That mark held up as the 13th best in the field, crowning her as the third All-American ever in the javelin for the Gamecocks, and the first since Candy Mitchell in 2000. It was an impressive accomplishment, as the field of competitors featured the new collegiate record-holder and another who moved into the top 10 all-time for a college athlete.

Starting things off on the track, Aliyah Abrams performed well in her first trip ever to Eugene, but was stuck with a bit of bad luck in her 400m race. The freshman finished fourth overall in her heat with a time of 52.33, good for eighth overall. Unfortunately, because she did not earn the automatic qualification by finishing top two in her heat, she would need to rely on being one of the top two non-automatic qualifiers. She came just .04 seconds from the cut, but earned second-team All-American honors in his debut season in the Garnet and Black.

Next up on the track was Tyler Brockington in the 400m hurdles. The senior would also earn a second-team certificate, after finishing 14th overall. She ran 57.98 and is now a seven-time All-American, previously making the second team in 2013 for the intermediate hurdles to go with five certificates as a relay member.

Speaking of relays, the women would race in the prelims of the 4×100 and 4×400 to bookend the day. The 4×1 started things off, with Brockington joined by Gabby Gray, Taranisha Taylor and Ahtyana Johnson. The team finished 18th overall with a time of 44.70.

Closing out the day was the mile relay, with Brockington and Abrams back once again for the Gamecocks. Joining them were Precious Holmes and Erika Rucker, and the quartet entered the meet with high expectations after finishing second overall at the SEC and East Regional meets.

The quartet would not disappoint, finishing fifth overall with a time of 3:30.44 that ranks third-best for them this season — behind only the two aforementioned finals. They are the first women’s 4×4 to make the NCAA final since 2009, when Porche Byrd, Brandi Cross, Breehana Jacobs and Gabrielle Glenn advanced.

UP NEXT

Tomorrow will be the final day for the men’s championships, with two Gamecocks in the mix for a title. First up will be Dondre Echols in the 110m hurdles; the senior will run at 9:12 p.m. ET. Then, Jussi Kanervo will look to improve on his sixth-place finish from a year ago in the 400m hurdles when he runs at 9:57 p.m. ET.