May 23, 2018

Outdoor Meet #10 — 2018 NCAA East Regional Preliminary Round

• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Men’s Start Lists
• Women’s Start Lists
• Live Video ($)
• Meet Schedule
• Twitter
• Facebook

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina track & field program begins the Road to Eugene this week as the Gamecocks take part in the 2018 NCAA East Regional Preliminary Round. The first stage of the NCAA postseason runs May 24-26 at the USF Track & Field Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

The Gamecocks will send 18 individual competitors and two relay squads to Tampa for the opening stage of the NCAA postseason. In order to qualify for the meet, student-athletes must rank inside of the region’s top-48 in an individual event or top-24 in a relay after scratches. At the East Regional, the top-12 finishers in both individual and relay competitions will qualify for the NCAA Championships, to be held June 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.

WATCH THE GAMECOCKS LIVE ON FLOTRACK

For the first time ever, FloTrack will provide wall-to-wall streaming coverage of both NCAA Regional Preliminary Rounds. FloTrack Pro subscribers can watch coverage of every event. One-month subscriptions cost $30, while a year-long subscription is $12.50 per month. Fans can subscribe to FloTrack by clicking here.

FROM THE COACH

GAMECOCK QUALIFIERS AT THE NCAA EAST REGIONAL

South Carolina will send 18 individuals and two relays squads to Tampa for the regional meet. A complete list of regional participants, along with their qualifying marks, can be found at the bottom of the page. A complete schedule for events can be found here.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS (Click to Expand)

LAST YEAR AT THE NCAA EAST REGIONAL

Ten South Carolina entries qualified for the NCAA Championships out of last season’s NCAA Regional, held in Lexington, Ky. Among the Gamecocks looking to make a repeat bid to Eugene are 2018 individual qualifiers Josh Awotunde (shot put), Rougui Sow (long jump), Ncincilili Titi (200m) and Armand Woodley (pole vault). Carolina also sent their women’s 4x100m relay squad to nationals last season.

Woodley’s NCAA berth in the pole vault was perhaps the surprise of the week last season in Lexington. Then a sophomore, Woodley entered the competition as the No. 43 seed but set a new personal best twice to grab the 12th and final ticket to Eugene.

Seniors Awotunde and Titi will be looking to close their collegiate careers with their third consecutive trips to Eugene. Aliyah Abrams (400m, 4x400m relay) and Shelby Freedman (javelin) will also be looking to make it back to nationals after qualifying for the final stage in 2016.

LAST TIME OUT • MAY 11-13 • THREE GAMECOCKS EARN MEDALS AT SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Gamecocks combined for three podium finishes at the 2018 SEC Championships, held May 11-13 in Knoxville, Tenn. Josh Awotunde won the silver medal in the shot put, while Armand Woodley (pole vault) and Otis Jones (800m) each brought home a bronze.

Awotunde left Knoxville with his fourth career SEC medal. The senior set a new Carolina school record in the outdoor shot put, at 68-1 ¾, and he now holds the school’s top shot put mark both indoors and outdoors.

On the men’s side, Carolina finished 12th overall, with 31.5 points. The Carolina women’s squad took 13th place in Knoxville, posting 20 points.

APRIL 26-28 • GAMECOCKS PERFORM ON THE BIG STAGE AT PENN RELAYS

South Carolina won two championship-flight titles at the Penn Relays. On Friday, Yann Randrianasolo won the long jump title for the second consecutive season. It was his fifth long jump title in six outdoor events this year. On Saturday, Lissa Labiche won the high jump crown. She was the only jumper to clear 1.82m, which ranks second in Gamecock history.

Carolina also won the college final of the 4x400m relay. Stephanie Davis, Precious Holmes, Tatyana Mills and Briana Haith turned in a time of 3:37.30, a season-best mark.

Overall, the Gamecocks finished with nine podium finishes at Franklin Field. Hanifah Abdulqadir (triple jump), Hailey Sweatman (pole vault) and the shuttle hurdle relay squad earned second-place results. Josh Awotunde (shot put), Milan Parks (100mH) and Armand Woodley (pole vault) each finished third.

APRIL 21 • TITI’S RECORD ONE OF 18 VICTORIES AT USC OPEN

South Carolina won 18 events in its final regular-season home meet of 2018, the USC Open. Though the fantastic performances were not hard to come by, one in particular stood out: Ncincilili Titi‘s new school record in the 200m dash. Titi turned in a time of 20.00, which in addition to topping the Carolina leaderboard ranks third in the NCAA this season.

For his efforts, Titi was named SEC Men’s Runner of the Week for the second time this season.

Additional victories came from Hanifah Abdulqadir (Triple Jump), Aliyah Abrams (200m), Josh Awotunde (Shot Put), Eric Favors (Discus), Precious Holmes (400m), Otis Jones (800m), Lissa Labiche (High Jump), Allie Mueller (800m), Amanda Murphy (Hammer), Milan Parks (100m Hurdles), Yann Randrianasolo (Long Jump), Bryce Simpson (Pole Vault), Alycia Springs (Shot Put), Makyla Stanley (Long Jump), Tye Williams (High Jump), and the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

APRIL 12-14 • SIX GAMECOCKS EARN TENNESSEE RELAYS VICTORIES

Six Gamecocks were victorious at the Tennessee Relays as Carolina got its first look at this season’s SEC Championship venue. Aliyah Abrams (400m), Josh Awotunde (shot put), Shelby Freedman (javelin), Yann Randrianasolo (long jump), Ncincilili Titi (200m) and Armand Woodley (pole vault) each topped the leaderboard in a single event at Tom Black Track.

Randrianasolo was perhaps the top Gamecock in action, jumping 26-2 ¾. That’s the second-best long jump effort in Carolina outdoor history. Titi also logged a then-PR, supplementing his 200m victory with a run of 10.19 in the 100.

APRIL 6-7 • CAROLINA FINDS SUCCESS AT SPEC TOWNS INVITATIONAL, GAMECOCK INVITATIONAL

Three Gamecocks won their events April 7 at the Gamecock Invitational, the team’s second home meet of the season. Aliyah Abrams won the 400m, while Josh Awotunde took home the discus title and KD Young captured the shot put.

Several Gamecocks also took part in the Spec Towns Invitational, April 6-7 in Athens, Ga. Yann Randrianasolo won the long jump competition at Georgia, while Lissa Labiche took third in her outdoor high jump collegiate debut.

MARCH 29-31 • TITI, SPRINGS NET VICTORIES AT FLORIDA RELAYS

Two Gamecocks were victorious at the Florida Relays, held March 29-31 in Gainesville, Fla. The most impressive performance came from Ncincilili Titi, who made his season-debut outdoors and ran a blistering-fast 20.36 in the 200m despite cold, rainy conditions.

Carolina’s second win came from Alycia Springs, who took the collegiate flight of the shot put. The sophomore’s mark of 51-5 3/4 was a new PR.

Josh Awotunde made his outdoor shot put season debut in Florida, finishing second with a mark of 64-10 3/4. Hanifah Abdulqadir competed in the triple jump for the first time outdoors this year, finishing third with an effort of 42-11 3/4. The Gamecocks also got podium finishes out of their men’s sprint medley relay and women’s shuttle hurdle relay teams.

MARCH 23-24 • GAMECOCKS DOMINATE WEEMS BASKIN INVITATIONAL

South Carolina hosted the Weems Baskin Invitational March 23-24 and won 10 events, the most of the 50 teams in Columbia. Over 1,500 student-athletes competed at Sheila & Morris Cregger Track, setting a new meet record.

Individually, Yann Randrianasolo led the way with a winning long jump mark of 25-9 1/2. Eric Favors also had a career day in the shot put. His mark of 61-5 1/2 ranks sixth in Carolina history. Last but not least on the men’s side, Josh Awotunde earned a win; he threw 178-3 in the discus in his first outdoor meet of 2018.

On the women’s side, Aliyah Abrams was part of three wins, including an individual victory in the 400m, her second week in a row winning the event. Shelby Freedman (javelin) and Hailey Sweatman (pole vault) also won for the second-straight week. Sweatman set a new PR with a vault of 13-1 1/2. Amanda Murphy earned her first collegiate victory, taking the open hammer throw. Finally, the Carolina women earned victories in the 4×300, 4×400 and 4×800 relays, with Abrams running the first leg on the 4×3 and 4×4.

MARCH 16-17 • FOUR GAMECOCKS VICTORIOUS AT BLACK & GOLD CHALLENGE

The South Carolina track & field team opened the 2018 outdoor season at the Black & Gold Challenge, hosted in Orlando, Fla., by UCF. Following several weeks of indoor postseason competition plus a week of training in the Florida sun, Carolina sent a slimmed-down lineup to compete over the weekend, but those that were in action started the outdoor season on the right foot.

Four Gamecocks tallied an event win. On Friday, Hailey Sweatman won the pole vault; her mark of 12-11 1/2 was a new PR. Shelby Freedman also was victorious, winning the javelin in her first collegiate meet since the 2016 outdoor season.

On Saturday, another returning Gamecock earned a victory, as Aliyah Abrams returned for her first event since the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships to take the 400m. Her time of 52.90 was her best season-opener yet. Rivaldo Leacock also got into the winner’s circle with a victory in the 400mH on the men’s side.

TITI NAMED SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

University of South Carolina senior Ncincilili Titi earned SEC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors on Feb. 21. Titi is the fourth Gamecock in history to win the league’s Scholar-Athlete honor in track & field, joining Natasha Hastings (2007), Marvin Reitze (2012) and Jeannelle Scheper (2015). Titi finished fifth nationally in the 200m and holds a 3.400 GPA.

SEVEN GAMECOCKS EARN ALL-AMERICA LAURELS AT NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

South Carolina sent seven student-athletes to the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas. Josh Awotunde (shot put), Ncincilili Titi (200m) and Rougui Sow (long jump) earned First-Team All-America honors, with Awotunde’s bronze-medal finish leading the way. Titi placed fifth in his event, and Sow eighth. The All-America honor was Titi’s seventh, while Sow became a three-time First-Team honoree.

Four additional Gamecocks qualified for the meet and left as Second-Team All-Americans: Hanifah Abdulqadir (triple jump), Jordan Fields (high jump), Lissa Labiche (high jump) and Yann Randrianasolo (long jump). All four Gamecocks left College Station with their first career All-America honor.

The South Carolina men finished tied for 21st, their best finish since 2010.

QUARLES EARNS USTFCCCA REGION ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR LAURELS

Assistant head coach Delethea Quarles was named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year, the organization announced at the conclusion of the indoor season. Quarles, who is in charge of Carolina’s jumpers and multi athletes, guided five of her student-athletes to NCAA Indoor Championships berths.

“This is long overdue. This award hasn’t existed for very long, but in my opinion Coach Dee has been a coach of the year for 20 years,” South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye said. “Coach Dee could have won this award many times before, but there are a lot of great teams and great coaches in our region. She’s a mentor to so many young coaches in our business, and so many coaches around the business are excited to see Coach Dee get her due. I’m so happy she’s finally being recognized by her peers; it says a tremendous amount about how well-respected she is in our profession.”

FOUR GAMECOCKS NAMED INDOOR ALL-SEC PICKS

Four members of the University of South Carolina track & field team were honored as All-Southeastern Conference selections for the 2018 indoor season. Josh Awotunde earned First-Team All-SEC laurels, Lissa Labiche and Yann Randrianasolo were Second-Team honorees and KD Young was named to the All-Freshman Team.

Awotunde was honored as a First-Team selection after winning the shot put at the 2018 SEC Indoor Championships. The senior from Franklinville, N.J., dominated the field, and his mark of 21.33m (69-11 ¾) set a new SEC meet record and a new Carolina program record. It’s ranked as the 10th-best mark in collegiate history.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

The Gamecocks who finish in the top-12 this week will qualify for the 2018 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The biggest meet in college track & field will be held May 6-9 in Eugene, Ore.