Track & Field Opens Outdoor Season at Myrtle Beach
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 13, 2024) – There is no rest for the weary as South Carolina Track & Field immediately opens outdoor action at the Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Just four days ago, the Gamecocks flexed their muscles at the NCAA Indoor Championship in Boston, Mass. and are now headed to the beach for a three-day meet to kick off the outdoor season.
Follow the Meet
Live results for the 2024 Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational can be found by clicking here. Fans who are wishing to watch the meet can also do so by tuning into the RunnerSpace broadcast by clicking here. Fans are strongly encouraged to follow along with updates on X by following @GamecockTrack.
Meet Information
The Alan Connie Shamrock Invitational will be a three-day meet comprised of 44 different teams and will take place at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium. The event is also a scored meet, similar to that of the SEC Championship and the NCAA Championships. The meet will begin on Thursday with just six events, starting with the heptathlon 100m hurdles, men’s hammer throw and the women’s javelin throw all at 1 p.m. Friday will begin with the decathlon at 9 a.m. and conclude with the women’s 5K at 5:10 p.m. Saturday’s festivities will commence at 9:30 a.m. with men’s discus, while ending with the women’s 4x400m relay at 4:50 and the men’s 4x400m relay at 5 p.m. For a full rundown on the records of Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium, heat sheets and schedule of events, click here.
What a Run
South Carolina is coming off a successful indoor season in which the Gamecocks secured two national titles on the women’s side. The Garnet & Black women were led by JaMeesia Ford who aided in picking up 20 points for a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championship. Ford, the SEC Women’s Freshman Runner of the Year, clocked a new program record time of 22.34 in the 200m to secure the gold. She then partnered up with Zaya Akins, Jahnile Registre and Jayla Jamison to bring home the gold in the 4x400m relay. The men’s team finished tied for 24th overall with 10 points, capturing six points from Dylan Targgart in the men’s shot put and four points from Anthony Greenhow in the men’s 200m sprint.
What’s the Difference?
The Gamecocks will now be competing for spots in the NCAA East Regional, prior to the NCAA Outdoor Championship. The East Regional will be held in Lexington, Ky. this season, while the national championship will be back in Eugene, Ore.
Where the indoor season only has the NCAA Championship, consisting of the top 16 in each event and the top 12 in relays, the outdoor season is vastly different. To make the NCAA East Regional, you must individually rank inside the Top 48 and relays need to be ranked inside the Top 24. Once at the regional meet, the NCAA Outdoor Championship will be comprised of the top 12 for each event from that particular weekend.
