GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of South Carolina track & field team was back in action Friday night for the first full day of collegiate competition at the 2019 Florida Relays. Three members of Carolina’s 4x400m national champion squad laid down NCAA top-10 times in their outdoor quarter-miles debuts, and three additional Gamecocks logged new marks on the school’s top-10 records list.

After combining for 28 event victories in their first two outdoor meets of the season, at UCF and Charleston Southern, the Gamecocks faced off with one of the strongest fields in the nation Friday in Gainesville. Carolina ended the individual portion of the meet with 13 top-10 finishes, setting the table for a big day Saturday in the relay events.

Isaiah Moore was in action in the men’s 110m hurdles, finishing fourth overall and third among collegiate entrants. He posted a time of 13.70, just .03 off his season best, despite running into a headwind.

Three members of Carolina’s NCAA indoor 4x400m relay championship squad took the track Friday in their first open 400m runs of the outdoor campaign. Wadeline Jonathas, Stephanie Davis and Aliyah Abrams showed no signs of rust, finishing fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.

Jonathas won heat #2 with a personal-best time of 52.18, which ranks fourth in the NCAA this season. Davis claimed heat #3, and her PR time of 52.24 ranks sixth nationally. Abrams clocked in at 52.28 and is now seventh on the 2019 national leaderboard.

Senior Otis Jones finished 19th overall in the men’s 800m run on Friday but 13th among collegiate competitors. His mark of 1:49.63 ranks 16th nationally on the current NCAA list.

In the women’s hammer throw, Amanda Murphy posted a career day. The redshirt sophomore placed 11th, and her top attempt, 54.78m (179-9) ranks fourth in Carolina history.

Junior Noah Walker’s 2019 continued to be a revelation, as he set a 400m hurdles personal best on Friday. Walker finished fourth in Gainesville with a mark of 51.36 that ranks 11th in the nation this year.

Another Gamecock transfer making a big splash is Malik Paul, and he continued to post strong results Friday in the discus. The junior set a new PR on his third attempt at 50.53m, and he broke it again with his fifth effort, 52.31m (171-7). He finished sixth in the competition and moved into the NCAA top-50 in the event.

One week after winning two events at the Buccaneer Invitational, Makyla Stanley was back on the runway in the women’s long jump. The senior jumped a season best, 5.99m (19-8) to finish seventh in a strong field.

Two Gamecocks tied for sixth in the invitational flight of the women’s high jump. Both Lissa Labiche and Jordan Fields were able to clear 1.71m (5-7 ¼) in Gainesville.

After a lengthy delay due to a power outage, the Gamecock distance crew was on the track to finish the evening. Senior Allie Mueller led the way; her 1500m time of 4:30.27 ranks sixth in program history and was the 14th-best effort of the competition.

In the final race of the night, Kelsey Larkin took part in her first-career 3000m steeplechase. Her time of 11:15.98 ranks third in Carolina history.

FROM THE COACH