Miller Advances to 200-Meter Final, Rocker Finishes as Second Team All-American
Evan Miller was the fifth-fastest qualifier in the men's 200 meters on Friday
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— Evan Miller advanced to the men’s 200-meter final, and Destinee Rocker earned Second Team All-America honors for the second straight year as the South Carolina track and field teams opened competition at the NCAA Indoor Championships on Friday.
“I thought we had great races,” said head coach Curtis Frye. “I thought there was great preparation. They love the Gamecocks and that’s what our kids do: they compete for their teammates and for their university. That’s why they’ll be there to support their teammates after college.”
Miller won his heat and was the fifth-fastest runner in the prelims with a time of 20.87. Saturday’s final will be Miller’s first career NCAA final appearance. He outperformed his ranking coming into the meet. Miller qualified with the 13th-best time in the country and was the fifth-fastest athlete in qualifying.
“Evan is at that level,” Frye said. “He had a few setbacks coming into the indoor season, and his health wasn’t always on his side. He had an injury early in the year. He’s just coming around. Anytime you’re fourth at the SEC meet, you should be a finalist in the NCAA meet. He’s coming around at the right time.”
Rocker was the only other Gamecock to compete on Friday. She took 13th in the 60-meter hurdles prelims with a time of 8.10, which is just .03 seconds off her personal best.
“Destinee is running her better races at this time,” Frye said. “She just got healthy and had three live practices headed into this meet. She went out and ran close to her personal best. Our kids are doing well.”
Rocker earned Second Team All-America honors for the second consecutive year in the 60-meter hurdles. She finished ninth in the qualifying round in 2021.
Stephanie Davis did not run in the women’s 400 meters’ prelims and scratched due to injury.
“I got anxiety from not having Stephanie,” Frye said. “We were told yesterday by doctors that it would not be wise to have her run at this meet. I feel sad for her because she’s a senior and the last time she was on this track, she was a national champion. We hurt when they hurt.”
The Gamecocks return on Saturday to close out the NCAA Indoor Championships. Rachel Glenn kicks things off in the high jump at 1:30 p.m. Evan Miller is set to run in the 200-meter final at 5:50 p.m. The women’s 4X400-meter relay team will close out action in Birmingham, Alabama, at 9:20 p.m.
“I think tomorrow the girls (in the 4X400-meter relay) are going to pick it up and run for Stephanie,” Frye said. “We’ll get a good result. We will not fold because we don’t have her.
“Rachel is a competitor. She plays a different drum. When gameday’s on, she’s on. She’s done that for two years. She competes. She will line up and give us good leg on the relay and have a good individual performance, too.”
Men’s Individual Results
200 Meters
5. Evan Miller – 20.87q
Women’s Individual Results
400 Meters
–. Stephanie Davis – DNS
60-Meter Hurdles
13. Destinee Rocker – 8.10
