Fields, Davis and Men's 4x4 Win on Final Day in Big Apple

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Track and Field team earned top five finishes in both the men’s and women’s standings at the 2020 Dr. Sander Columbia Challenge at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory in New York City. The women’s squad finished as the runner up while the men’s team finished in fifth. 

Highlighted by three victories, the Gamecocks set six personal bests during the two day meet. Jordan Fields (High Jump), Stephanie Davis (200m) and the men’s 4x400m relay team picked up the wins for the Gamecocks to add on to Hailey Sweatman’s win in the pole vault on Friday. 

“Stephanie Davis was a big standout for us today,” South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye said. “Jordan Fields winning the high jump in her first meet was great and that going along with our pole vault win yesterday was great. Our women’s team was outstanding all weekend and I’m very proud of that.” 

On top of Carolina picking up victories, recently turned pro, Wadeline Jonathas, claimed this year’s fastest 400m indoor time in an invitational 400m event. Jonathas, a 2019 IAAF World medalist, demolished her professional competition to post a 51.17. 

“It was amazing to run in front of my South Carolina teammates,” Jonathas said after her win. “I could hear them cheering the entire race. They are very proud and I’m proud of them too. I love them and I know they love me too. It’s just just amazing.” 

Nothing but love to @UofSC from @WadelineJonath1 after her world-leading indoor time of 51.71 in the 400m! 🥰🥰🥰#Gamecocks | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/tPjaXCQkof

— Gamecock Track & XC (@GamecockTrack) January 25, 2020

Back in the collegiate meet, Fields’ victory in the high jump was arguably the most impressive. Making a splash in her season debut for the Gamecocks. She reached 1.75m (5-8 3/4) before attempting her current personal best of 1.80m. Despite matching the second place finisher in height, Fields’ fewer misses awarded her the first-place finish. 

Earlier in the day, Stephanie Davis bolted out to a 23.94 in the 200m to eventually grab the meet’s top spot. Davis, who sits in the top five in the country in the 200m with her season best 23.60, continues to improve and showed that later on with her 54.20, the fastest 4x400m relay starting split at the meet. 

On the men’s side of the 4x400m relay, it was the team comprised of Arinze Chance, Rivaldo Leacock, E.J. Richardson and William Spencer Jr. that took home the meet’s final win. The time of 3:10.27 does not improve on the Gamecocks top time this season, but it was enough to get the job done in the high profile meet with quality teams like Ohio State, BYU, UConn and UCLA all in the mix. 

In the realm of personal bests, the majority of them came in the morning portion of Saturday. Hannah Twine got the personal bests started off, shaving four seconds off her 3000m indoor personal best and missed out on the program’s top 10 by just 0.94 seconds. 

“Our distance group had a ton of personal bests this weekend, and personal bests always excite me,” Frye added. “Whether that is in the classroom or on the track, we love seeing people on our team contributing in all ways.” 

In the very next heat, Anna Kathryn Stoddard crushed her previous personal best with an 11-second personal record. She finished third in her heat to clock the 9:44.36, moving her from No. 7 to No. 3 on the indoor program top-10 list. 

In the field it was Amanda Murphy who catapulted herself to No. 7 on the program top-10 list with her toss of 18.40m (60-4 1/2). It was good enough to finish second overall, aiding the Gamecocks runner-up finish. 

Other notable personal bests included Hillary Neely in the mile run and Blake Newcomb slightly improving his 800m indoor best time.

For a recap of day one, click here. 

South Carolina will return home for the next two weeks to host a pair of two-day meets in Columbia. The Carolina Challenge will take place from Jan. 31-Feb. 1 while the South Carolina Invitational will span from Feb. 7-8. The Gamecocks will next hit the road on Feb. 14-15 at the Tiger Paw Invite. 

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