Gamecocks to Honor 2016 Track Olympians at Saturday's Football Game

Nov. 2, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina will honor its 2016 track & field Olympians on the field Saturday during the home football game against Missouri. Gold medalist Natasha Hastings, alumna Jeannelle Scheper, rising sophomore Aliyah Abrams and head coach Curtis Frye will be recognized after the 1st quarter on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Hastings won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics, running the second leg on Team USA’s winning 4x400m relay squad. It was the second gold for the Rosedale, N.Y., native, who also stood at the top of the podium at the 2008 Beijing games. A three-time NCAA champion and 10-time All-American as a collegian, Hastings also nearly medaled in the 400m dash in Rio, where she finished fourth.

Scheper competed for her native Saint Lucia at the Rio games and finished 25th in the high jump. Scheper was a six-time All-American during her time at Carolina and won the NCAA Outdoor Championship in the high jump in 2015.

Abrams spent the 2016 competing as a freshman for the Gamecocks before representing Guyana in the Summer Olympics. The rising sophomore collected two All-America honors as a rookie and finished 38th in the 400m dash in Rio.

Gamecock alum Kierre Beckles also represented Carolina in Rio but will not be in attendance on Saturday. The Barbados native finished 24th in the 100m hurdles in her Olympic debut. She was a six-time All-American during her collegiate career.

Frye also represented the Gamecocks in Rio as an assistant coach, overseeing Team USA’s sprint and hurdle competitors. With Frye as one of the team’s assistant coaches, American track & field athletes combined to earn 32 medals in Rio, including 13 gold medals.

Overall, the Gamecock track & field program has combined to win 14 Olympic track & field medals since 2000.