COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 2019 regular season continues this weekend for the University of South Carolina track & field program as the Gamecocks head west for the Tiger Paw Invitational. The meet begins Friday at noon and continues Saturday at 9:30 a.m. inside of the Clemson Indoor Track & Field Facility.

This weekend’s field features one of the best collections of track & field talent at a regular-season meet this season. On the men’s side, the field includes No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 Florida, No. 4 Houston, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 11 Southern Cal and No. 20 Penn State. In the women’s competition, the 18th-ranked Gamecocks will do battle with No. 2 Southern Cal, No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Florida, No. 5 Florida State, No. 10 Kentucky, No. 16 Tennessee, No. 19 Penn State, No. 21 Ohio State and No. 24 Georgia Tech.

FROM THE COACH

“I just hope we don’t get shocked this weekend. New York was kind of a shock to some of our team, then they woke up at home. Going to Clemson this weekend can be a daunting situation, and then you add in Texas A&M, Houston, Penn State, Miami, Florida State and other teams ranked in the top-25 in the country. This meet has the No. 1 and No. 2 mile relays in the county on the men’s side and the No. 3 and No. 4 women’s teams. We’ll find out who we are before we go to the conference meet. It’s a good prelude. We get to find some stuff out and work on what we find. Can you play away from home? The conference meet is away from home and the national championship is away from home. We’ve got to be tough on the road.”– Head Coach Curtis Frye

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS (Click to Expand)

LAST TIME OUT • JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 2 • SCHOOL RECORDS FALL AT CAROLINA CHALLENGE

South Carolina hosted over 1,500 student-athletes as part of 48 collegiate teams Jan. 31 – Feb. 2 at the Carolina Challenge. The Gamecocks rewrote the record book at their second home meet. Leading the way was Quincy Hall, who set a new indoor 400m program record with a mark of 45.84 on Friday night. Hall then came back Saturday and ran a 44.6 split on a 4x400m relay team that broke the school record with a mark of 3:05.68. That time ranks seventh in the nation this season. Hall was joined by Arinze Chance, Otis Jones and Ty Jaye Robbins in the record relay run.

Overall, the Gamecocks won eight events at the Carolina Challenge. Aliyah Abrams won the 400m with a new personal best time of 52.58, which ranks third in the nation. Then she joined Stephanie Davis, Tatyana Mills and Wadeline Jonathas Saturday to run a time of 3:32.29 in the 4x400m relay, fifth-best in the NCAA.

Other winners included Timothy McEvoy (Open Pole Vault), Yann Randrianasolo (Long Jump Invite), Otis Jones (800m) and the Women’s DMR. Randrianasolo jumped 7.77m, 16th on the NCAA list this season, while the DMR squad of Maryah Nasir, Sierra Biber, Macie Kavanaugh and Allie Mueller ran 11:40.39, the second-best mark in program history.

GAMECOCKS SWEEP SEC RUNNER OF THE WEEK HONORS

South Carolina won SEC Runner of the Week honors on both the men’s and women’s side on Feb. 6, as both Quincy Hall and Aliyah Abrams were celebrated by the conference. Hall ran the nation’s best men’s 400m time at the Carolina Challenge, 45.84, while Abrams moved up to No. 3 on the women’s 400m list, at 52.58. Both Gamecocks also anchored their respective 4x400m relay squads to NCAA top-10 marks.

The Gamecocks now own four SEC weekly honors this season. Abrams earned her first Women’s Runner of the Week honor Jan. 15, and Arinze Chance was named Men’s Co-Runner of the Week Jan. 22. The last time Carolina won four or more SEC weekly honors during the indoor season was 2007.

GAMECOCKS LISTED 18th IN USTFCCA WOMEN’S RANKINGS

Carolina moved up to No. 18 in this week’s USTFCCCA national rankings. That’s up one spot for head coach Curtis Frye’s Gamecocks.

This is the final week that the USTFCCCA uses personal bests from previous seasons along with current marks obtained in 2019. The top-ranked group of Gamecocks is the 4x400m relay, checking in at No. 5, while Lissa Labiche and Jordan Fields are each ranked eighth in the USTFCCCA’s high jump rankings.

Buoyed by Quincy Hall’s efforts in the 400m, the Gamecocks men moved up 24 spots to No. 31 this week. The men’s 4x400m is ranked sixth on the USTFCCCA’s chart, while Hall individually is listed ninth.

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

In the USTFCCCA’s #EventSquad rankings, the Gamecock women are listed second nationally in the 400m, eighth in the high jump, 11th in the 200m and 14th in the 60m. The Gamecock men are ranked fifth in the 400m and ninth in the 60m.

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.

• Quincy Hall shares the men’s 400m national lead with Baylor’s Will London; both athletes hold season-best marks of 45.84. Arinze Chance is now eighth on the 400m list, at 46.15.

• On the women’s side, Aliyah Abrams is now ranked third nationally with her 400m mark of 52.58. Wadeline Jonathas (53.00) is listed eighth, and Stephanie Davis (53.07) is up to ninth.

• The women’s 4x400m relay squad of Davis, Abrams, Tatyana Mills and Jonathas is listed fifth nationally with a mark of 3:32.29.

• On the men’s side of the 4x400m relay, the Gamecocks are ranked seventh, with Chance, Otis Jones, Hall and Ty Jaye Robbins running 3:05.68.

• Eric Favors held at No. 13 this week with his mark of 19.38m in men’s shot put.

• Yann Randrianasolo slides in 16th in the men’s long jump this week, at 7.77m.

• Two Gamecocks are in the top-30 in the women’s 60m hurdles: Caitlyn Little (23rd; 8.28) and Milan Parks (28th; 8.32).

• An indoor PR of 5.30m has Armand Woodley up to 29th in the men’s pole vault.

• The Carolina women’s DMR of Maryah Nasir, Sierra Biber, Macie Kavanaugh and Allie Mueller is ranked 29th with a time of 11:40.39.

• Isaiah Moore is ranked 34th in the men’s 60m hurdles with a time of 7.89.

• Individually, Jones ran a season-best 1:50.26 last week to move up to 38th on the men’s 800m list.

• Maiya Dendy continues to hold a season-best of 7.41, 41st on the women’s 60m list.

• The men’s 60m duo of Darrell Singleton Jr. (6.73) and Evan Miller (6.74) is ranked 43rd and 49th, respectively.

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.

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 what was at the time a new school record with his run of 46.15. That’s also a Guyanese national record. For a week, it stood as 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.

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

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

The regular season concludes Saturday, Feb. 16 when the Gamecocks host the one-day USC Indoor Open at the Carolina Indoor Track & Field Complex.