Gamecock Women Advance Five to Quarterfinals
The Gamecock women's track and field team opened up competition at the NCAA East Regional on Thursday inside of the Haugh Track & Field Complex.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.—The Gamecock women’s track and field team opened up competition at the NCAA East Regional on Thursday inside of the Haugh Track & Field Complex.
Five Carolina athletes advanced to the second round of competition in Indiana. Three athletes moved on in the 400 meters, while the Gamecocks had one athlete advance in the 200 meters and 100-meter hurdles.
In the 400 meters, Makenzie Dunmore and Stephanie Davis earned automatic bids to the next round, finishing with top-five times in Thursday’s action. Dunmore ran a time of 51.84 to win her heat and Davis ran a time of 52.01 to take second in her heat.
Aaliyah Pyatt also advanced in the 400 meters as the last qualifier based on time. She was 24th with a time of 53.28 and advanced to Saturday’s action.
Head coach Curtis Frye said he has always tried to structure his team to be deep in the 400 meters.
“Quarter-Milers can run the 4X100, the 4X400 and the 200,” Frye said. “That’s been the base of our program. We have to deliver in those events. That’s how we build our core and, right now, we’re getting the right level of athletes.”
Destinee Rocker won her heat of the 100-meter hurdles to automatically advance to the second round of competition. She ran a time of 13.18 to win her heat and finish with a top-five qualifying time.
Jayla Jamison continued her successful freshman year with a time qualifier in the 200 meters. She ran a time of 23.12 to get an advancement to the next round based on her time.
“I thought we had great efforts,” Frye said. “That’s all we look for: for kids to give great effort. Our seniors did well today. That gives us a shot at having good representations at the National Championships.
“KD had a great effort in the hammer throw with a five-foot personal best. It was an overall good effort from the girls, which we expected.”
KD Young finished her season with two personal-best performances. She took 16th in the hammer throw, fighting off heavy rain to throw a new personal best of 62.23m/204-2. Young doubled back to the shot put in the evening portion and set a personal best with a toss of 16.23m/53-3.
Young improved upon her No. 4 hammer throw mark in school history and jumped into No. 5 in school history in the shot put.
The Gamecock women get a day of rest while the men’s squad returns to action on Friday. Jackson Marseille kicks things off in the men’s high jump at 2:30 p.m. Action on the track is set to begin at 5 p.m. with the 4X100-meter relay.
Women’s Individual Results
200 Meters – First Round
17. Jayla Jamison – 23.12q
29. Tierra Frasier – 23.45
400 Meters – First Round
4. Makenzie Dunmore – 51.84Q
5. Stephanie Davis – 52.01Q
24. Aaliyah Pyatt – 53.28q
28. Angel Frank – 53.45
43. Jahnile Registre – 55.17
100-Meter Hurdles – First Round
5. Destinee Rocker – 13.18Q
Shot Put – First Round
18. KD Young – 16.23m/53-3
Hammer Throw – First Round
16. KD Young – 62.23m/204-2
–. Kayla Racine – FOUL
