PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (click to expand)

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LAST TIME OUT – GAMECOCK OPENER JAN. 16

The Gamecocks kicked off the 2021 campaign with an impressive outing at the Gamecock Opener. Carolina posted six different All-Time Top 10 program marks during the meet, with three of those performances coming among the jumps events.

“I am so proud of all of our jumpers today. We were all just so excited to be back in this building and competing today,” Assistant Head Coach Delethea Quarles said. “The things that stood out was [Jackson Marseille]’s performance in the high jump today, jumping over seven feet and then Rachel Glenn coming out and jumped just under six feet. They just did a phenomenal job today. All of our jumpers did a great job to execute today and were coachable and made adjustments that were needed to perform at a high level today.”

The Gamecocks also got top 10 program performances from Destinee Rocker in the 60m hurdles (8.21), Alycia Springs in the Shot Put (16.01m) and KD Young in the Weight Throw (17.70m). 

GAMECOCKS IN THE TOP 50

Although it is early in the 2021 Indoor season the Gamecock Opener provided Carolina, along with the visiting programs, to post many top 50 national times and marks. A total of seven women’s events have Gamecocks in the top 50 with the men matching that total of seven in the top 50 nationally. Rocker’s 8.21 in the women’s 60m hurdles makes her the highest-ranked Gamecock, sitting her at No. 3 in the country in the event. The time also is her sea-level PR with her 8.20 lifetime best coming at Colorado State at an elevated meet that converted her time to 8.20.

Three Gamecock freshmen made their debuts in the NCAA top 50 with Christian Lewis, Rachel Glenn and Jackson Marseille all sitting in the top 10 after their jumps at the Gamecock Opener. Additionally, Alycia Springs (Shot Put), Filip Demsar (60m hurdles) and the women’s 4x400m relay all sit in the NCAA top 10 with Demsar’s PR of 7.86 ranking him sixth.

GAMECOCKS SHINE IN THE CLASSROOM

The University of South Carolina Athletics Department concluded the Fall 2020 semester with a departmental grade point average (GPA) of 3.299, it was announced today. It marks the department’s fifth-highest GPA in history and the 28th-consecutive semester with a departmental GPA above 3.0. Fourteen of 18 teams earned a GPA of 3.0 or better during the fall semester, including the women’s program at 3.389.

“Our student-athletes continue to amaze me,” said Athletics Director Ray Tanner. “In normal times, being a student-athlete is challenging enough, balancing classes, practices, games, study hall, meetings and other activities. In this ‘new normal’ during the COVID pandemic, our student-athletes continue to achieve in the classroom and that is a credit to them and our wonderful Dodie Academic Staff.”

The South Carolina track and field team was honored to name 20 total student-athletes to the President’s List for earning a 4.0, 35 student-athletes to the Dean’s List (3.5) and 82 to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.0). 

MEET INFORMATION

During the 2021 season, no fans will be permitted at South Carolina Track and Field events due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Fans can follow the live results on Adkins Trak and check with GamecocksOnline.com for updated information on the meet. 

There are no unattached permitted to compete at the Gamecock Opener, with an exception for any current student-athletes who are considered a redshirt. For more information on every home meet hosted by the Gamecocks, visit our Home Meet Information page here. Please check back later for final heat sheets. 

NEW FACES MAKE THEIR CAROLINA DEBUT

The Gamecocks brought in the No. 4 ranked men’s class in 2021, according to MileSplit, with a total of seven of those men making their debut at the Gamecock Opener and nine women also debuting in the Garnet and Black. 

On top of impressive debuts from Lewis, Marseille and Glenn, the Gamecocks also saw Synclair Savage leap to an impressive mark in her first appearance. Savage finished in second with a leap of 5.77m, putting her at No. 34 in the NCAA. Doval Simmonds was also a runner-up in his debut in the 400m. Simmonds posted his 47.60 out of the third heat, essentially running the time on his own by winning his heat by over two seconds. 

Joining Savage and Glenn in stellar debuts was Ashton Lindley and Alysia Johnson in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. The freshmen duo aided the women’s relay squad that posted the No. 9 time in the nation on top of a top five finish in the meet in the 400m.  

HALL AND JONATHAS TO COMPETE IN ARKANSAS

Former Gamecocks, and NCAA Champions, Wadeline Jonathas and Quincy Hall are set to compete in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend as a part of the American Track League. Jonathas, the reigning USATF Indoor 400m Champion, will look make a splash in 2021, an Olympic year, while Hall will look to make an exciting professional debut on a national stage.
 
The series of four American Track League meets, which are part of the World Athletics Silver Tour and broadcast on ESPN/ESPN2, will be held on consecutive Sundays, starting January 24. Each of the American Track League meets, hosted by Arkansas, will have a two-hour broadcast on ESPN/ESPN2. Normally, the American Track League indoor meets would have been held in four different locations, but due to the current coronavirus pandemic, plans centered on one location for all four meets.
 
The meet can be found on ESPN, or on the ESPN app, on Sunday afternoon. You can also view the meet at this link here.
 

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