Gamecocks Look to Continue Momentum in Split Weekend
COLUMBIA, S.C. (April 15, 2026) – South Carolina Track & Field will compete in a pair of meets this week with the distance squad heading to Winston-Salem, N.C. for the Wake Forest Invitational, while the rest of the team will travel back to Gainesville, Fla. for the Tom Jones Invitational.
Follow the Meet
Live results for the Wake Forest Invitational can be found by clicking here. Those interested in the Tom Jones Invitational can access live results here, while also tuning in to SECN+ on Friday (5 p.m.) and Saturday (1:30 p.m.). Fans can also follow along with updates on X by following @GamecockTrack.
Meet Information
The Wake Forest Invitational will be a two-day meet beginning on Thursday, April 16 and concluding on Friday, April 17. The two-day festivity in Winston-Salem will feature a loaded field with some of the best distance runners from across the country. The Gamecocks will be sending 16 athletes to compete in North Carolina, beginning with the women’s steeplechase on Thursday evening at 5:54 p.m.
The Tom Jones Invitational continues to be a prime example of prestigious outdoor competition year in and year out. This year’s edition will be no different as the two-day meet begins on Friday, April 17 and concludes on Saturday, April 18. Just like the Wake Forest Invitational, the Tom Jones Invitational will welcome some of the best track & field teams from across the country. The Gamecocks are sending 23 athletes to represent the Garnet & Black as they continue to climb the national leaderboards.
In the Rankings
The latest USTFCCCA rankings have come out and the Gamecock women are sitting eighth overall, having moved up one spot from the previous week’s ranking. In addition to the team rankings, the event squad rankings have updated with South Carolina women holding sixth in the 100m with an average of 11.36, while the 200m squad ranks seventh after averaging 23.19 per race. The men’s 800m team is the only group of Gamecock men ranked inside the Top 20, holding on to seventh after averaging 1:48.80.
Eyes on Regionals
There are only three more weekends left in the regular season for the Gamecocks before the grind of postseason competition begins. This year’s NCAA East Regional will be held in Lexington, Ky. on Wednesday, May 27 – Saturday, May 30. To qualify for the regional meet, individuals must be ranked inside the Top 48, while relays need to be positioned within the Top 24.
As it stands prior to this weekend, South Carolina would have 39 entries into the regional competition between both the men’s and the women’s teams. In fact, 13 of those 39 entries are sitting nicely inside the Top 10 overall. Akala Garrett and Salma Elbadra hold the top regional times in their respective events, with Garrett sitting atop the leaderboard in the 400mH (54.22) and Elbadra in the 800m (2:00.62). Both women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays currently rank second overall in the East Region. Josiah Wrice is the highest male Gamecock in the individual rankings, sitting second overall in the 400m after running 44.96 at the Florida Relays.
