April 6, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina track & field program stays in SEC country this weekend to compete at the 2017 Spec Towns Invitational. The meet runs Friday and Saturday at the Spec Towns Track on the University of Georgia campus.

Carolina will also send a pair of student-athletes to participate in their first decathlon of the season. Alexandre Asselin and Markus Leemet were originally scheduled to compete in the Bulldog Decathlon on Wednesday and Thursday, but with inclement weather in the forecast, their events were shifted to Saturday and Sunday in Athens.

Friday’s competition begins at 2 p.m. ET, and the action ramps up with a full day of events Saturday starting with the 5000m run at 9 a.m. ET. The decathletes will continue Sunday, with their final five events beginning at 10:45 a.m. ET. Live results for all three days from Athens are available here.

QUOTING HEAD COACH Curtis Frye

LAST WEEK — BROCKINGTON STEALS THE SHOW AT FLORIDA RELAYS

South Carolina competed last week at the Florida Relays. Senior Tyler Brockington was the star, winning the women’s 400mH with a time of 56.35 that goes down as a personal best, the third-fastest time in the nation this season and the fifth-best mark in Gamecock history. It’s the second consecutive week that Brockington has won her featured event.

Brockington was one of four Gamecocks to finish on the podium in Gainesville. Rougui Sow took second in the long jump invite with a mark of 20-9, and Natasha Dicks grabbed second in the triple jump at 43-9. The women’s shuttle hurdle relay squad added a third-place result.

Carolina also saw several student-athletes leave a mark on the Gamecock all-time record book, as seven different Gamecocks achieved a mark that ranks on the school’s top-10. Ben Bonhurst (shot put), Brockington (400mH), Clarence Gallop (hammer), Nakita Gray (high jump), Hailey Sweatman (pole vault), Ncincilili Titi (100m) and the men’s 4x200m relay team all posted new Carolina top-10 efforts in Gainesville.

GAMECOCKS RISE IN USTFCCCA NATIONAL POLLS

Both South Carolina track & field teams are ranked in the latest USTFCCCA national outdoor track & field polls, released April 3. The Carolina men rose six spots from their preseason ranking, to No. 19, and the women are listed 23rd. For the men, the ranking is their first top-20 mark since Week 5 of the 2016 season.

This week’s poll continues to use a composite of new personal bests achieved in 2017 and old collegiate PRs from the 2016 season. The Gamecock men have shot up the polls thanks to five new marks registered over the last two weeks, from Josh Awotunde (No. 4, shot put), Ncincilili Titi (No. 17, 100m), the 4x100m relay (No. 17), Clarence Gallop (No. 21, hammer) and Ben Bonhurst (No. 24, shot put). The Gamecock women have two new marks counting toward the current poll, from Tyler Brockington (No. 7, 400mH) and Nakita Gray (No. 16, high jump).

The first poll to use data only from the 2017 outdoor season will be released April 24. A complete listing of the marks used to determine this week’s poll can be found here.

LAST SEASON AT GEORGIA

South Carolina finished with eight event victories and 20 podium finishes last season at the Spec Towns Invitational. Aliyah Abrams (400m), Ryan Bermudez (400m), Jussi Kanervo (400mH), Isaiah Moore (110mH), Ncincilili Titi (100m) and Michael Wamer (triple jump) all earned individual victories, while the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams also grabbed wins.

Alexandre Asselin is the lone returning Gamecock to compete in the multi events last season in Athens. His score of 7,110 was a new PR, and he became the sixth Gamecock in history to surpass 7,000 points in a decathlon.

GAMECOCK INDIVIDUALS IN THE NCAA EAST REGION RANKINGS

South Carolina features 12 individuals and three relays in the NCAA East Region top-20 through three weeks of outdoor competition. The Gamecocks also have 12 marks in the national top-20.
• Josh Awotunde holds the top shot put mark in the nation. His throw of 64-10 ¾ came at the Weems Baskin Invitational.
• Nakita Gray matched a PR of 5-11 ½ at the Florida Relays. That’s the region’s second-best high jump mark and ranks fifth nationally.
• Tyler Brockington stopped the clock in 56.35 at the Florida Relays, which ranks third both regionally and nationally in the 400mH.
• Rougui Sow’s long jump effort of 21-2 ½ is the third-best mark both nationally and in the East Region.
• Natasha Dicks holds a triple jump effort of 43-9, third in the East and fourth in the NCAA.
• Ncincilili Titi ran a time of 10.21 at the Florida Relays to rank third in the region and seventh nationally in the 100m.
• Isaiah Moore is ranked fourth in the East and eighth in the nation in the 110mH, at 13.73.
• South Carolina’s 4x100m relay team of Darrell Singleton Jr., David Winters, Ncincilili Titi and Ryan Bermudez holds the region’s fourth-best time, at 39.43, a mark that places ninth nationally. The Gamecocks also own the region’s eighth-fastest and nation’s 20th-fastest 4×1 time, with Singleton, Winters, DeVon Lewis and Titi turning in a 39.71.
• Ben Bonhurst led the East Region after one week and now ranks seventh in the shot put, at 61-7. That’s the 12th-best mark in the nation.
• Carolina has the region’s seventh-best 4x100m time on the women’s side, with Rougui Sow, Brockington, Taranisha Taylor and Maiya Dendy running a time of 44.49 at the Florida Relays.
• Clarence Gallop’s hammer effort of 219-1 is ninth in the East Region and 14th in the NCAA.
• Winters is listed 11th in the region with a 100m effort of 10.34.
• In the women’s 4x400m relay, the quartet of Maya Evans, Precious Holmes, Kara Lyles and Tyler Brockington holds the region’s 17th-best time, 3:38.39.
• Individually, Bermudez is listed 19th in the East with a 400m time of 47.14.
• Eric Favors is ranked 20th in the region in the shot put, at 58-1 ¾.

MARCH 24-25 — GAMECOCKS OPEN CREGGER TRACK WITH WEEMS BASKIN INVITATIONAL

South Carolina began a new era of its storied track & field history March 24-25 with the Weems Baskin Invitational, the first meet ever on the brand-new Sheila & Morris Cregger Track. The Gamecocks welcomed over 1,100 student-athletes to Cregger Track and combined to win 13 different events at the historic meet.

On the first day of competition, Carolina walked away with five victories. Markus Leemet became the first event winner in the history of Cregger Track when he took the javelin B flight, and later in the day the senior won the B flight of the pole vault. Olivia Hassler (javelin), Rougui Sow (long jump) and the women’s 4x800m relay squad also earned victories to start the meet.

The Gamecocks grabbed eight more wins on the second day at Cregger Track. Alycia Springs led the way for the Gamecocks, winning both the shot put and the discus on the women’s side. Seniors Tyler Brockington (400mH) and Natasha Dicks (triple jump) also added victories in their first appearance at Cregger Track, as did junior Tye Williams (high jump), while both 4x100m relay teams and the women’s 4x400m squad also found the winner’s circle.

Cregger Track long promised to be one of the finest competition venues in track & field during its construction, and it lived up to that billing at the Weems Baskin. Two Gamecocks posted efforts that lead the NCAA after two weeks: Brockington’s 56.93 stands as the top 400mH time in the nation, and Josh Awotunde, who was the top collegiate finisher in the shot put, leads all collegiate throwers with a mark of 64-10 ¾.

The Gamecocks posted five new marks that rank on Carolina’s all-time outdoor top-10 list at the Weems Baskin Invitational. Sow (long jump), Springs (shot put), Clarence Gallop (hammer throw), Funlayo Oluwole and the 4x800m quartet of Maya Evans, Maddie Beaubien, Anna Kathryn Stoddard and Allie Mueller all achieved a new mark in the program top-10 at Cregger Track.

Overall, Gamecock student-athletes combined to set 33 new personal records at the Weems Baskin Invitational, the most of any meet so far this season.

GAMECOCKS HONORED WITH SEC WEEKLY ACCOLADES

Josh Awotunde became the fourth Gamecock this season to be honored with an SEC Athlete of the Week award when he was named Men’s Co-Field Athlete of the Week on March 28. The junior from Franklinville, N.J., was honored after posting a mark of 64-10 ¾ at the Weems Baskin Invitational, the top collegiate shot put mark of the outdoor season to date.

Awotunde joins Darrell Singleton Jr. (Men’s Freshman of the Week — March 21), Eric Favors (Men’s Freshman of the Week — Feb. 21) and Taranisha Taylor (Women’s Runner of the Week — Feb. 21) as Gamecocks honored by the SEC this season. Additionally, Favors and Alycia Springs were both named to the SEC Indoor All-Freshman Team in the shot put.

MARCH 17-18 — GAMECOCKS WIN 10 EVENTS AT HURRICANE INVITATIONAL

South Carolina opened the outdoor season March 17-18 by dominating the Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla. Clarence Gallop (hammer throw) and Simon Gyllensten (pole vault) were victorious on Friday, while Maddie Beaubien (800m), Ben Bonhurst (shot put), Precious Holmes (400m), Jussi Kanervo (800m), Isaiah Moore (110mH), Alycia Springs (shot put) and David Winters (100m) took individual events on Saturday. Also, the Gamecocks were victorious in the women’s 4x100m relay, with Makyla Stanley, Tyler Brockington, Taranisha Taylor and Maiya Dendy racing to the win.

Overall, the Gamecocks set 21 new collegiate personal bests at the meet. Bonhurst was perhaps the top performer, with his mark of 61-3 leading the NCAA East Region through one week and ranking fifth in Carolina shot put history.

EIGHT GAMECOCKS EARN ALL-AMERICA STATUS AT NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

South Carolina is coming off of a highly successful week at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships, held in College Station, Texas. Gamecocks Josh Awotunde (shot put), Natasha Dicks (triple jump), Rougui Sow (long jump) and Ncincilili Titi (200m) each finished as First Team All-Americans, while the women’s 4x400m relay team grabbed Second Team laurels.

Dicks finished third in the triple jump, her second consecutive podium finish at the NCAA indoor meet. The senior jumped 44-2 ½ on her second attempt, breaking her own school record from last season’s NCAA Championships.

Awotunde placed fifth in the shot put after spending much of the competition outside of the points. The junior stood in 11th place with one prelims throw left, but he moved into the finals with an effort of 63-0. On his last attempt, the Franklinville, N.J., product vaulted into fifth with a PR of 64-6, second-best in Carolina history.

Sow was also in 11th with one preliminary effort left, and she made the finals with a jump of 20-10. Three jumps later, the Le Havre, France, native moved up to sixth with a PR mark of 21-2 ½, third in school history.

In his fourth appearance at an NCAA championship event, Titi qualified for finals for the first time. His prelims run of 20.79 was sixth-best, and in the finals he finished eighth at 21.03.

Precious Holmes, Tyler Brockington, Aliyah Abrams and Briana Haith took ninth in the women’s 4x400m relay. The quartet turned in a season-best time of 3:32.14.

RETURNING ALL-AMERICANS

The Gamecocks return a slew of All-Americans from a very successful 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships. On the women’s side, Tyler Brockington (400m Hurdles, 4x400m), Precious Holmes (4x400m), Aliyah Abrams (400m, 4x400m), Natasha Dicks (Triple Jump) and Shelby Freedman (Javelin) were honored at outdoor nationals last season. For the men, Jussi Kanervo (400m Hurdles) and Josh Awotunde (Shot Put) grabbed outdoor laurels a season ago.

THE COACH FRYE FILE

• The 2017 season is head coach Curtis Frye’s 21st season in charge of the Gamecock program.
• One of the most well-respected coaches in the country, Frye brought South Carolina its first team NCAA championship in any sport when his women’s team captured the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championship crown.
• In 2008, Frye was bestowed the Order of Ikkos Medallion, presented by the United States Olympic Committee.
• During his tenure, Frye has coached over 60 NCAA champions, 117 SEC champions, 15 Academic All-Americans and more than 460 NCAA All-Americans.
• Following the 2016 collegiate season, Frye served as an assistant coach for the United States national team at the 2016 Rio Olympics. With Frye as one of their leaders, Team USA earned 32 track & field medals in Rio, including 13 gold medals.
• Frye is a three-time SEC Coach of the Year with the honor coinciding with his three women’s outdoor conference championships in 1999, 2002 and 2005.

MEET THE COACHES

• Delethea Quarles is in her 20th year with the South Carolina program and her 27th year as a collegiate coach entering the 2017 season. Promoted to assistant head coach in 2005, her primary responsibilities include coaching the multi-event performers and jumps. Quarles has extensive international experience, none more impressive than her 2015 post as the head women’s coach for Team USA at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China.
• Kevin Brown enters the eighth year of his second stint with the Gamecocks in the 2017 season. His primary responsibility is working with the pole vaulters in addition to working with South Carolina’s well-respected relay teams and sprinters. Brown is also the program’s recruiting coordinator. In the summer of 2016, Brown served on the Team USA coaching staff at the NACAC U23 Championships in El Salvador.
• Mike Sergent enters his 20th season with the Gamecock track and field program in 2017. His primary responsibilities are coaching the throwers and coordinating the strength and conditioning program. Sergent has coached 28 All-Americans, 45 NCAA qualifiers, 14 SEC champions and five NCAA champions at South Carolina.
• A 30-year veteran of distance coaching, Andrew Allden serves as the assistant track coach for distance and cross country. Allden has extensive international experience; in 2004, he served as a men’s assistant coach for distance in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Hungary. He was the practice track director for distance at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and spent the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons with the USOC as an endurance team coach.
• Hadrien Choukroun joined the full-time staff as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles for the 2016 season and enters his second full-time year in 2017. Choukroun has been with the program since 2013, and spent 2015 as a graduate assistant. In his time with the program, Carolina has crowned 24 All-Americans (13 men, 11 women) in the sprint and hurdle events.

HASTINGS’ GOLD HIGHLIGHTS CAROLINA’S IMPACT AT RIO OLYMPICS

Five members of the South Carolina track & field program represented the Gamecocks and their native countries at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Leading the charge was Natasha Hastings, who won her second Olympic gold medal as part of the 4x400m relay. Hastings ran the second leg of the 4×400 final, with the United States posting a time of 3:19.06 to narrowly defeat Jamaica’s 3:20.34. The Olympic medal was the 14th earned by a Gamecock in the program’s track & field history. Hastings nearly won an individual medal, finishing fourth in the 400m dash.

Head coach Curtis Frye served as an assistant coach for Team USA, helping the Americans earn 32 medals in Rio, including 13 gold medals. Three other Gamecocks competed in Rio: current student-athlete Aliyah Abrams (Guyana) placed 38th in the 400m dash, graduate assistant Jeannelle Scheper (Saint Lucia) finished 25th in the high jump and alumna Kierre Beckles (Barbados) came in 24th in the 100m hurdles.

GAMECOCKS TO HOST SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP

South Carolina is proud to host the 2017 SEC Outdoor Championship at the brand new Morris and Sheila Cregger Track. The event runs May 11-13, and tickets go on sale soon. In addition to hosting the meet, the Gamecocks will hold several alumni events throughout the week. Gamecock alumni wishing to participate should contact associate head coach Delethea Quarles at DQUARLES@mailbox.sc.edu or (803) 777-1617.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

South Carolina hosts the Gamecock Invitational on Saturday, April 15. It’s the second meet in the history of Sheila & Morris Cregger Track, and individuals interested in volunteering at the meet can register here.