Gamecocks Make Their Mark on Day Two of South Carolina Invitational

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina track and field team had numerous individuals make huge improvements in the NCAA rankings on Saturday at the South Carolina Invitational. Along with Friday, the Gamecocks had six events leap into the NCAA top 20 and had a total of 37 personal bests at the Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex. 

Throughout the weekend Carolina picked up six wins and four individuals either entered or improved their program top 10 marks at the 2020 South Carolina Invitational. There were also eight different facility records broken throughout the two-day South Carolina Invitational.

“It really all started with Hailey Sweatman in yesterday’s pole vault, that really sparked some great performances by our team this weekend,” South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye said. “Our track, and South Carolina, is an infectious place and the crowd was unbelievable. We were just on a roll this weekend.”

Setting yet another Irish Indoor National record was Eric Favors in the shot put. The senior demolished the competition with a mark of 19.43m (63-9) to reach the top 16 in the country. With the win Favors also moved himself up to No. 3 in South Carolina indoor history in the Shot Put, pushing him past Kevin Mannon (1997). 

“We had an outstanding crowd over at the men’s shot put today and it pushed the entire field to put up personal bests today,” Assistant Coach Mike Sergent said. “Everyone was feeding off of one another and the comradery was great. And Eric is an emotional guy and he loves to compete, and he loves to be fiery. He was the first guy to get the crowd involved and the great thing is he responds to that. He asks for the clap and he delivers with a huge throw.”

Jordan Fields finally cracked into the NCAA indoor top 10 in the women’s high jump with a leap of 1.80m (5-10 3/4). She was the women’s victor in the high jump, the third meet this season she’s won at least the collegiate portion of a track meet. 

“Our performances made my day, and my entire week,” Assistant Coach Delethea Quarles said. “We’ve been plugging along and working on what we can. We’ve had some bumps and bruises during the early portion of the season but to see both of our women’s jumps come around today was fantastic. They all are close to their best indoor career marks and they are doing a great job at being coachable and listening to instructions. Things are happening as I have had faith that they would happen all season long.”  

Also, in the jumps department was Hanifah Abdulquadir in the triple jump. The senior eclipsed 13-meters for the first time indoors since Feb. 10, 2018 at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Her 13.10m (42-11 3/4) sits her in the NCAA top 15 and fifth among SEC performers this season.

After a school record in the women’s pole vault on Friday, it was Anna Kathryn Stoddard that nearly etched herself at the top of the women’s 5000m list by running the second fastest time in school history and running away with the victory. 

“Well one, it was a tremendous performance by [Anna Kathryn Stoddard] because it was a solo performance,” Assistant Coach Andrew Allden said. “She really didn’t have any company after the first mile and then after that she just reeled people in throughout the remainder of the race. She’s been building, especially after seeing what she did a few weeks ago in the 3000 we knew something good was there we just didn’t know how good it was going to be.” 

Also reaching the program top-10 list was Blake Newcomb in the men’s 800m. The redshirt sophomore improved by nearly three seconds from his previous indoor personal best to whip out a 1:51.84, now the 10th-fastest time in indoor program history. Newcomb now has reached the program top 10 in two events this season, he broke into the top 10 in the men’s 1000m earlier this season. 

In the women’s 4x400m relay it was the return of a Gamecock Olympian that sparked a top eight time in the country. Aliyah Abrams led off a adjusted Carolina mile relay that went in order of Abrams, Knowledge Omovoh, De’Andreah Young and anchored by Stephanie Davis. For Omovoh, it was her South Carolina debut on the track after joining the Gamecocks about two weeks ago after transferring from Grand Canyon University. For Abrams, her 52.9 lead off split was enough to pace the Gamecocks to the time of 3:35.10 the seventh fastest team in the country this indoor season. Notably Davis, who has run the lead off leg all season long, anchored with an impressive 52.7 split. 

For a full recap of day one of the South Carolina Invitational, click here.

South Carolina will get back on the track next weekend at the Tiger Paw Invitational from Feb. 14-15 in Clemson, S.C. The Gamecocks will be one of a large field of power five competition that should yield great results as the Gamecocks inch closer to the indoor championship season that begins with the SEC Indoor Championships from Feb. 28-29 in College Station, Texas. 

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