Glenn Posts the Nation's Best High Jump Mark at UNF Invitational

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Another magical performance was put on by freshman Rachel Glenn on Thursday night at the UNF Invitational, clearing 1.91m (6-3 1/4), the highest mark in the nation this year. Along with Glenn’s incredible performance, two other Gamecocks picked up wins with William Spencer Jr. winning the 400m hurdles and Hailey Sweatman taking the pole vault competition. 

Glenn’s leap is a new personal record for the freshman and builds on her second-best mark in school history. More importantly, it puts her at the top of the NCAA outdoor performance list this year and doubles as the No. 5 jump in the world this year outdoors. She is one of just five athletes to leap over 1.90m and is the only true freshman to jump over six feet both indoors and outdoors. 

“Rachel did such a phenomenal job jumping today,” South Carolina Assistant Head Coach Delethea Qualres said. “This was just her third high jump competition since her national runner up finish indoors. She is proving to be one of the best already at this early stage of her collegiate journey. She is such a pleasure to coach and line up with on meet day.”

The Gamecocks did most of their work on Thursday in the field with Eric Favors posting a top 15 mark of his own in the men’s shot put competition. Favors tossed a PR of 19.34m (63-5 1/2) to finish second in the event, and cemented himself nationally as one of the best. 

Carolina’s other great performance in the field was Hailey Sweatman who took the win in the women’s pole vault on Thursday. Sweatman’s vault of 4.20m (13-9 1/4) ties her personal record and is also tied for the 20th-highest in the nation this year. 

William Spencer Jr. got the fireworks going on the track with his victory in the men’s 400m hurdles. Spencer Jr. posted a small PR in the event, keeping him as the seventh-fastest man in event in the nation this year as an outdoor freshman. Fellow freshman EJ Richardson also added a PR in the event with a seventh-place finish in a time of 52.03.

Carolina’s other top performers on Thursday included KD Young in the shot put (3rd, 15.83m), Malik Paul in the discus (4th, 54.33m), Synclair Savage in the women’s long jump (12th, 5.64m), Christian Lewis in the men’s long jump (14th, 7.19m) and Sean Petersen in the 1500m (14th, 3:51.19). For Petersen, his PR in the event has him just one second off the all-time program top 10. 

Carolina will continue the UNF Invitational tomorrow starting at 10 a.m. with the women’s hammer throw. Track events will begin at 1 p.m. with the women’s 100m hurdles prelims. 

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