Gamecocks Break Men's 4x4 Record to Close Carolina Challenge
Hall part of second school record in two days as Gamecock quarter-milers turn it up
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina track & field record book was rewritten again Saturday as the Gamecocks dominated the final day of the Carolina Challenge. Carolina set a new school record in the men’s 4x400m relay, one of five wins notched by Curtis Frye’s squad on the last day of the three-day meet.
The highlight of the day came from the Carolina mile relay quartet of Arinze Chance, Otis Jones, Quincy Hall and Ty Jaye Robbins. The group ran 3:05.68, breaking a 16-year-old school record of 3:05.90 set by Jonathan Fortenberry, Otukile Lekote, Otis Harris and Gerald Pressley.
In addition to the Men’s 4×4 Invite victory, Carolina triumphed in the Women’s 4x400m Relay Invite and Women’s Distance Medley Relay on Saturday, while Jones (Men’s 800m) and Yann Randrianasolo (Men’s Long Jump Invite) took home individual wins. All five victories were earned with new season-best marks and moved the Gamecocks up the NCAA leaderboard.
In addition to the victories, Armand Woodley tied for the top mark in the Men’s Pole Vault Invite and finished third on misses. Overall, the Gamecocks collected eight wins on the weekend, with Aliyah Abrams (Women’s 400m), Hall (Men’s 400m) and Timothy McEvoy (Men’s Open Pole Vault) climbing to the top of the podium Friday night.
Randrianasolo brought home the first Carolina win of the day, jumping a season-best 7.77m (25-6) to pace the field in the Men’s Long Jump Invite. That mark bumps the senior up to No. 14 on the NCAA leaderboard this season.
Jones was in his best form of the season in the 800m. He trailed for three laps but turned on the jets down the stretch, posting a winning time of 1:50.26 to win by less than a tenth of a second. His time ranks 30th on the 2019 NCAA leaderboard.
When the relays got rolling, Carolina cranked it up a notch. It started in the women’s DMR, where Maryah Nasir, Sierra Biber, Macie Kavanaugh and Allie Mueller sped past Clemson on the final leg to score the win. Their time of 11:40.39 was the second-best mark in program history and ranks 26th in the NCAA this season.
Next up was the men’s 4x400m relay, where Chance, Jones, Hall and Robbins set the new school record, 3:05.68. It’s the second Carolina record in as many days for Hall, who broke the school’s individual indoor 400m mark with an NCAA-leading run of 45.84 Friday night in his first solo performance in a Carolina uniform. The relay team’s mark is the seventh-best time on the 2019 NCAA list.
Finally, the Carolina women’s 4x400m relay turned in its fastest time of the season. Stephanie Davis, Aliyah Abrams, Tatyana Mills and Wadeline Jonathas posted a mark of 3:32.29, which ranks fifth in the NCAA this season.
Carolina got off to a great start Saturday with two podium finishes in the Women’s Open 5000m. Sarah Riser placed second in her first indoor collegiate 5K with a time of 18:58.61, and Rachel Hensler came in third with a time of 19:16.26.
Adele Blalock brought home a podium finish in the Women’s Pole Vault Invite. The junior cleared 3.85m (12-7 ½) and finished third on Saturday.
Maiya Dendy ran a great race in the 60m final to come in second. Running out of lane one against a field full of professional athletes, the senior clocked a time of 7.42, just off a season best.
Eric Favors continued his strong 2019 season with a third-place finish in the Men’s Shot Put Invite. The redshirt junior was over 18 meters on five of his six attempts, with his last throw checking in at 19.22m (63-0 ¾), his second-best effort of the season.
A pair of 2018 Gamecock All-Americans made their season debuts on Saturday in the Women’s High Jump Invite. Jordan Fields and Lissa Labiche each cleared 1.70m (5-7), with Fields coming in second and Labiche taking sixth.
Anna Kathryn Stoddard’s torrid 2019 season continued Saturday with a big run in the 5000m. The Greenwood, S.C., native finished second with a new PR of 17:19.30, the seventh-fastest mark in Carolina history. That’s the fourth program top-10 effort for Stoddard this season, who’s also run the school’s sixth-best 3000m and anchored the fifth- and eighth-best DMR squads this season.
Woodley kicked his indoor season into high gear Saturday with a big indoor personal best in the pole vault. The senior cleared 5.30m (17-4 ½) and finished third in the competition, with misses determining the tiebreaker. His mark ranks sixth in Carolina history and 23rd in the NCAA this season.
FROM THE COACH
“We like that time (in the 4x400m relay), and we’re glad our kids could put that kind of performance up. There’s a little more there. Arinze, who has run 46.1 in the open (400) led off in 47.4, and he’s not going to do that every time. He’s going to get into the 46’s like he did last week in New York, and we should go a little faster. I’m really pleased with Otis and the other guys. They had great splits and made up for it. It’s really good to have our other kids step up.”
“I think there’s more left (in the women’s 4x400m relay). Stephanie ran 53.0 yesterday, and today she ran high 53. We know there’s more left on that leg. Wadeline anchored in 53, and she’s run 52. We’ve got room there, and the women believe there’s room there. Tatyana running 54 seconds was tremendous, because she’s been running 55-high. You lose some time in places, but the kids are picking each other up. They’re learning how to be team players. Lay it on the line for your sister and your brother.”
“We got behind (in the women’s DMR), but Allie Mueller came on and came back. She led us to a great win, and then it was a great time. The school record is 10 seconds away. Who knows? We might find a way to get those 10 seconds.”- Head Coach Curtis Frye
UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS
The Gamecocks are back on the road next week for the Tiger Paw Invitational. The meet is scheduled for Feb. 8-9 in Clemson, S.C.
| SATURDAY, FEB. 2, 2019 • CAROLINA CHALLENGE • MEN’S RESULTS | ||
| Shot Put Invite | ||
| 3. Eric Favors | 19.22m | 63-0 3/4 | |
| Long Jump Invite | ||
| 1. Yann Randrianasolo | 7.77m | 25-6 | |
| 9. Tyler Jones | 6.98m | 22-10 3/4 | |
| Pole Vault Invite | ||
| 3. Armand Woodley | 5.30m | 17-4 1/2 | |
| 8. Bryce Simpson | 4.90m | 16-0 3/4 | |
| Weight Throw Invite | ||
| 5. Malik Paul | 18.60m | 61-0 | |
| High Jump Invite | ||
| 9. Kobe Franklin | 1.98m | 6-6 | |
| 200m | ||
| 19. Evan Miller | 21.62 | |
| 26. Ronald Fuller | 21.77 | |
| 27. Darrell Singleton Jr. | 21.78 | |
| 72. Parker Howard | 22.83 | |
| 82. Yohance Thomas | 23.15 | |
| 60m Final | ||
| 7. Evan Miller | 6.75 | |
| 800m | ||
| 1. Otis Jones | 1:50.26 | |
| 16. Blake Newcomb | 1:55.69 | |
| 25. Ian Fladd | 1:57.68 | |
| 26. David Olds | 1:57.72 | |
| –. Sean Petersen | DNF | |
| 5000m Invite | ||
| 8. Carson Strom | 15:37.57 | |
| 4x400m Relay Invite | ||
| 1. Chance, O. Jones, Hall, Robbins | 3:05.68 | |
| SATURDAY, FEB. 2, 2019 • CAROLINA CHALLENGE • WOMEN’S RESULTS | ||
| Pole Vault Invite | ||
| 3. Adele Blalock | 3.85 | 12-7 1/2 | |
| Weight Throw Invite | ||
| 8. Amanda Murphy | 17.46m | 57-3 | |
| 10. Nina Gambacorta | 15.74m | 51-7 | |
| 12. KD Young | 15.57m | 51-1 | |
| Long Jump Invite | ||
| 4. Makyla Stanley | 5.72m | 18-9 1/4 | |
| High Jump Invite | ||
| 2. Jordan Fields | 1.70m | 5-7 | |
| 6. Lissa Labiche | 1.70m | 5-7 | |
| 10. Dymier Jeffery | 1.65m | 5-5 | |
| Shot Put Invite | ||
| 4. KD Young | 15.11m | 49-7 | |
| 8. Carisma Holland | 14.16m | 46-5 1/2 | |
| Open 5000m | ||
| 2. Sarah Riser | 18:58.61 | |
| 3. Rachel Hensler | 19:16.26 | |
| 7. Morgan Adams | 19:50.14 | |
| 60m Final | ||
| 2. Maiya Dendy | 7.42 | |
| 60m Hurdles Final | ||
| 4. Milan Parks | 8.34 | |
| 7. Caitlyn Little | 8.44 | |
| 800m | ||
| 4. Sierra Biber | 2:12.78 | |
| 200m | ||
| 9. Amecia Pennamon | 23.96 | |
| 5000m Invite | ||
| 2. Anna Kathryn Stoddard | 17:19.30 | |
| 5. Colleen Openshaw | 17:53.59 | |
| 7. Cailin Saylor | 18:11.47 | |
| –. Brooke Wilson | DNF | |
| Distance Medley Relay | ||
| 1. Nasir, Biber, Kavanaugh, Mueller | 11:40.39 | |
| 4x400m Invite | ||
| 1. Davis, Abrams, Mills, Jonathas | 3:32.29 | |
