Ayyildiz Captures SEC Women’s Freshman of the Week

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 7, 2023) – South Carolina freshman runner Silan Ayyildiz made her season debut count after securing her first SEC weekly honor, the SEC Women’s Freshmen of the Week. The league office announced the award on Tuesday afternoon.

Ayyildiz competed in the mile run on Friday, capturing the podium when she clocked a time of 4:36.33, breaking the Carolina Indoor Track & Field Complex facility record by 3.64 seconds. Ayyildiz’s time also set a new Gamecock indoor record for the mile. Ayyildiz ran the women’s 800 meter the following day, earning her second win of the weekend when she posted a time of 2:06.41 for the third fastest 800m in Gamecock history.

Ayyildiz and teammate Anass Essayi will be heading to Boston, Mass. this weekend to compete in the David Hemery Valentine Invitational. Meanwhile, the rest of the Gamecocks will be heading over to Clemson, S.C. for a highly-anticipated field at the Tiger Paw Invite.