COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina track & field team is back home this weekend as it hosts the 2019 Carolina Challenge. The meet runs Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 31 – Feb. 2, with events beginning at approximately 10 a.m. each day.

The Gamecocks welcome 48 collegiate programs to Columbia this weekend, including SEC rivals Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee. Additional NCAA Division I teams participating this week include Charleston Southern, Charlotte, The Citadel, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, North Carolina A&T, North Florida, Presbyterian, South Carolina State, UCF, UNC Asheville, VCU and Wofford.

Carolina will host both a women’s pentathlon and a men’s heptathlon this week in Columbia. Thursday’s schedule includes multi events only, with the full meet beginning Friday.

FAN INFORMATION

Admission to the Carolina Challenge is free on Thursday. Admission on Friday and Saturday is $5 for adults and $3 for children 17 and under. University of South Carolina students receive free admission with their Carolina Card. Everyone must purchase a ticket to enter, and reentry is permissible throughout the day with an appropriate wristband.

Seating is first-come, first-served. After seats have been filled, standing room only admission is available until the building reaches capacity. Each fan is allowed to bring one folding chair, as long as it is placed in a safe and approved location that does not impede walkways.

The Athletics Clear Bag Policy will be in effect throughout the weekend. No outside food or beverage will be allowed, though a concession stand will be on-site for most of the weekend.

Free parking is available at the Heyward Street Garage, located at 1300 Heyward Street. Additional parking is available on the street-level spaces on Heyward, Marion, Whaley and Bull Streets.

A limited number of handicapped parking spaces will be available in the parking lot located next to the indoor facility, accessed off Marion Street, with the proper decal. Handicapped patrons may also drop off in the Marion Street lot, and they may also enter the facility via the ramp located on the Bull Street side of the facility.

FROM THE COACH

“We’re really excited. Our kids got off to a good start at home (two weeks ago), and we’re trying to make this an intimidating place. A bird doesn’t let you in their nest without a fight, so we’re in here to make sure it’s a fight, and the fight is getting tougher. We didn’t have as many name-brand, Power 5 schools here last time. We probably should have had more wins last time, but we’ve got Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee and others coming this time.” – Head Coach Curtis Frye

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS (Click to Expand)

LAST TIME OUT • JANUARY 25-26 • SOUTH CAROLINA COMPETES AT DR. SANDER COLUMBIA CHALLENGE

The Gamecocks made their annual journey to New York City Jan. 25-26 for the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge. On the women’s side, Carolina finished third at the scored meet, while the Gamecock men took seventh.

Carolina earned seven victories at The Armory, led by Eric Favors in the men’s shot put. The redshirt junior set an Irish indoor national record with his winning throw of 19.38m, fourth-best in Carolina history. Arinze Chance (400m), Yann Randrianasolo (men’s long jump) and the 4x400m relay also earned Gamecock wins on the men’s side. The mile relay ran their fastest time of the year to date, 3:09.84.

For the women, Wadeline Jonathas grabbed a double victory by winning the 400m and leading the 4x400m relay to victory. Makyla Stanley won the long jump, her first-career Armory victory, and she ran a personal-best 7.48 in the 60m.

In addition to the victories, Carolina got great efforts from the women’s distance crew. Anna Kathryn Stoddard turned in a 3000m time of 9:55.57, sixth-best in school history, and the DMR group of Allie Mueller, Jhari Williams, Macie Kavanaugh and Stoddard ran 11:46.08, the fourth-best time on the program’s record list.

GAMECOCKS LISTED 19th IN USTFCCA WOMEN’S RANKINGS

The South Carolina women’s team is listed 19th in the latest USTFCCCA national team rankings, released Jan. 28. The national rankings continue to utilize personal bests from previous seasons as well as new marks set in 2019.

Carolina is led by the 4x400m relay team of Stephanie Davis, Wadeline Jonathas, Tatyana Mills and Aliyah Abrams, which checks in sixth at 3:34.43. Lissa Labiche and Jordan Fields are each ranked eighth in high jump, and Hanifah Abdulqadir is ranked 10th in triple jump to round out the Gamecocks in the individual USTFCCCA top-10.

The Carolina men’s team is ranked 55th, led by Yann Randrianasolo, who is listed ninth in the long jump.

Among teams in the Southeast Region, the Gamecocks are ranked fourth on the women’s side and fifth on the men’s side.

GAMECOCKS IN THE NCAA INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Through three weeks of the 2019 season, the Gamecocks feature 13 student-athletes and three relays with NCAA top-50 rankings in their individual events. The top-16 student-athletes in each event will qualify for the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships, to be held March 8-9 in Birmingham, Ala.

• After leading the nation in the men’s 400m last week at 46.15, Arinze Chance is now ranked third in the NCAA.

• The Gamecocks currently have three in qualifying position in the women’s 400m, with Aliyah Abrams leading the way at No. 6 with a time of 52.87. Wadeline Jonathas is ranked eighth with a mark of 53.00, and Stephanie Davis is in 16th, running 53.35.

• Davis, Jonathas, Tatyana Mills and Abrams are ranked sixth in the women’s 4x400m relay with a time of 3:34.43.

• Abrams is also ranked 39th in the 200m with a mark of 23.80.

• Eric Favors was Carolina’s biggest mover this week; his shot put effort of 19.38m from the Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge boosted him 28 spots, to No. 13 nationally.

• Two-time All-American Yann Randrianasolo is now ranked 14th in men’s long jump with a mark of 7.74m

• In the men’s 4x400m relay, Chance, Otis Jones, Quincy Hall and Ty Jaye Robbins ran 3:09.84 at The Armory and are ranked 21st.

• Two Gamecocks are right on the cusp of qualifying in the women’s 60m hurdles, with Caitlyn Little (8.28) 20th and Milan Parks (8.35) 31st.

• In the men’s 60m hurdles, Isaiah Moore’s time of 7.89 is listed 32nd.

• The women’s distance medley relay squad of Allie Mueller, Jhari Williams, Macie Kavanaugh and Anna Kathryn Stoddard is ranked 33rd this week with an effort of 11:46.08.

• Maiya Dendy holds the No. 38 spot in the women’s 60m with a time of 7.41.

• In the men’s 60m, Darrell Singleton Jr. is ranked 40th at 6.73, and Evan Miller is listed 45th at 6.74.

• Carisma Holland is ranked 49th in women’s shot put, with a mark of 15.36m.

NEWCOMERS PROVIDING BOOST TO 2019 GAMECOCKS

Carolina’s veterans are stepping up to the task in 2019, but the Gamecock newcomers are also making a mark. Five new 2019 additions are ranked in the NCAA top-50, led by Wadeline Jonathas, who is No. 6 in the 4×4 and No. 8 in the 400m. Newcomers Quincy Hall, Macie Kavanaugh, Evan Miller and Jhari Williams are also helping the Gamecocks compete nationally with NCAA top-50 marks.

JANUARY 18-19 • SOUTH CAROLINA OPENS NEW INDOOR FACILITY WITH GAMECOCK INAUGURAL

Curtis Frye’s team officially opened the Carolina Indoor Track & Field Complex Jan. 18-19 with the Gamecock Inaugural. The meet was a smashing success, as over 35 teams and 1,200 student-athletes were on hand to celebrate the first collegiate meet in Carolina’s new home.

The Gamecocks won 11 events at the historic meet, led by senior Arinze Chance’s effort in the men’s 400m Invite. Chance set a new school record with his time of 46.15. That’s also a Guyanese national record, the fastest time in the NCAA this season and the fastest time in the world in 2019.

Other men’s winners at the Gamecock Inaugural include Otis Jones (800m) Yann Randrianasolo (Long Jump Invite), Noah Walker (Open 400m) and the 4x400m Relay.

The top women’s performer at the Gamecock Inaugural was junior Anna Kathryn Stoddard, who won the 3000m with a personal-record time of 10:01.77, more than 12 seconds better than her previous PR. Stoddard then anchored the Distance Medley Relay to a winning run of 11:48.77 on Saturday, which ranks as the seventh-fastest time in the NCAA this season.

Additional women’s champions included Aliyah Abrams (200m Invite) Stephanie Davis (400m Invite), Maiya Dendy (60m Invite) and Carisma Holland (Shot Put Invite)

CHANCE HONORED AS SEC MEN’S CO-RUNNER OF THE WEEK

Senior Arinze Chance was named SEC Men’s Co-Runner of the Week Jan. 22 for his efforts at the Gamecock Inaugural. Chance won the 400m Invite with a school-record time of 46.15, the fastest time in the NCAA this season.

Chance was the second Gamecock in as many weeks to take home SEC weekly honors. Aliyah Abrams was named Women’s Runner of the Week Jan. 15 for her performance at the Orange & Purple Elite. The redshirt junior won the 400m with a time of 52.87, which at the time was the best mark in the NCAA in 2019.

JANUARY 11 • GAMECOCKS WIN NINE EVENTS AT ORANGE & PURPLE ELITE

South Carolina won nine events at the Orange & Purple Elite, held Jan. 11 in Clemson, S.C. The Gamecocks finished tied with Florida State for the most victories at the six-team event.

Leading the way for Carolina on the women’s side was redshirt junior Aliyah Abrams, who captured the 400m title with a time of 52.78 and anchored Carolina’s winning 4x400m relay team, which stopped the clock in 3:34.43. Additional women’s event winners include Adele Blalock (pole vault) and Macie Kavanaugh (600m).

Like Abrams, Otis Jones was a two-time winner on the men’s side. The redshirt senior won the 600m with a late closing stretch to post a time of 1:18.77, and he led off the 4x400m relay that took the victory in 3:11.23. Other men’s winners for the Gamecocks included Arinze Chance (300m), Yann Randrianasolo (long jump) and Armand Woodley (pole vault).

DECEMBER 8 • GAMECOCKS DOMINATE CLEMSON OPENER

South Carolina took its sprinters and hurdlers to the Clemson Opener on Dec. 8. The Gamecocks dominated, winning seven of the nine events they entered.

Two returning All-Americans were victorious at Clemson, as Aliyah Abrams took the women’s 300m in 37.45, and Isaiah Moore won the men’s 60m hurdles, his first race as a Gamecock since June of 2017, with a time of 7.89. Abrams led the 4x400m relay team to a victory, and Darrell Singleton Jr. set a huge PR in the men’s 60m, with a winning time of 6.73.

Other winners at Clemson included Maiya Dendy (women’s 60m), Stephanie Davis (women’s 200m) and Milan Parks (women’s 60m hurdles).

FIVE GAMECOCKS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS BY FLOTRACK

Five Gamecocks were selected as Preseason All-Americans by FloTrack as the organization picked its top-16 student-athletes in each event over the holidays. Leading the way was junior college transfer Quincy Hall, who was picked third in the nation in the men’s 400m. Hanifah Abdulqadir was picked ninth in the women’s triple jump, while fellow jumps squad members Yann Randrianasolo (11th, men’s long jump) and Jordan Fields (12th, women’s high jump) were also selected. Last but not least, senior 800m specialist Otis Jones was picked 15th in his signature event.

GAMECOCKS RETURN 10 WITH ALL-AMERICA EXPERIENCE

South Carolina returns 10 student-athletes with past experience as NCAA All-Americans in 2019. Leading the way is redshirt junior Aliyah Abrams, who was part of Carolina’s third-place finish in the women’s 4x400m relay in 2016 and also earned top-16 finishes in the 2016 outdoor 400m and 2017 indoor 4x400m. Long jumper Yann Randrianasolo earned second-team status twice last season, as did high jumper Lissa Labiche, and Isaiah Moore was a first-team All-American in the outdoor 110m hurdles in 2017.

Other returning second-team All-Americans from last season include Hanifah Abdulqadir (indoor triple jump), Jordan Fields (indoor high jump), and the outdoor 4x100m relay team of Stephanie Davis, Maiya Dendy, Milan Parks and Makyla Stanley.

In addition to the on-track All-Americans, the Gamecocks welcome back 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-American Allie Mueller for her final college campaign. Mueller sported a 4.00 GPA in pharmacy last season and finished 11th in the SEC in the indoor mile.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

South Carolina is back on the road next weekend for the Tiger Paw Invitational. The two-day meet runs Feb. 8-9 in Clemson, S.C.