Gamecocks Conclude Preliminary Rounds at SEC Championship
AUBURN, Ala. (May 15, 2026) – South Carolina Track & Field capped off the second and final day of the preliminary rounds at the SEC Outdoor Championships at Hutsell-Rosen Track in Auburn, Ala. on Friday evening.
In addition to completing the preliminary stage, the Gamecock women’s team jumped on the scoreboard thanks to a pair of placements from Tristen Harris and Teresa Cherotich. Harris, competing in her first ever SEC Outdoor Championship, secured the runner-up finish in the women’s long jump after jumping a personal best distance of 6.49m (21-3.5). The freshman jumper held the top spot in the event until the final round when Texas A&M’s Morgan Davis jumped 6.55m (21-6) in her final attempt. Harris earned eight points for South Carolina and became the first scorer in the women’s long jump since Rougui Sow placed fourth in 2018. Harris’ silver-medal finish ties Antoinette Wilks for the best outdoor finish in the women’s long jump in program history.
Cherotich added to the team total when she placed seventh in the steeplechase, running 10:05.12 to snatch two points. The veteran distance runner has now scored in the steeplechase at the SEC Championship for three consecutive years.
Along with the scoring, South Carolina sent eight athletes into the respective finals on Saturday. On the women’s side, there were six athletes who advanced out of the preliminary round. In the women’s 100m, Cynteria James won her heat to earn the automatic qualifying spot, running 11.25 (0.5). James will be joined by Alexis Brown who qualified on time, running 11.23 (0.9). JaMeesia Ford won her heat in the women’s 400m, running a new personal best time of 50.25 to rank third in program history. Salma Elbadra (4:13.03) and Abigail White (4:18.05) both advanced out of the women’s 1500m, with Elbadra winning her heat and White qualifying based on time. White’s new personal best mark in the 1500m also improves on her fourth fastest time in Gamecock history.
Joslyn Hamilton was the final Gamecock female to qualify for the finals, doing so in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. The veteran hurdler ran 13.04 (0.6) to qualify on time, running the eighth fastest time in the preliminary round.
As for the men, Josiah Wrice and Jaouad Khchina were the two qualifiers to advance out of Friday. Wrice, the reigning outdoor 400m silver medalist, won his heat after clocking 45.18 for the fourth fastest time. Khchina also earned an automatic qualifying spot, winning his heat in the men’s 1500m after crossing the line in 3:46.11.
South Carolina will put a bow on the 2026 SEC Outdoor Championship tomorrow with the final day of competition in Auburn, Ala. The Gamecocks’ first event will be the women’s discus at 2:30 p.m. (ET), with the last event being the men’s 4×400 meter relay at 9:40 p.m. (ET).
Men’s Team Standings
1. Alabama – 43
2. Florida – 38
3. Tennessee – 33.5
—
— South Carolina – 0
Men’s Individual Results
100 Meters (Prelims)
16. Robert Stitts Jr. – 10.33 (0.4)
400 Meters (Prelims)
4. Josiah Wrice – 45.18Q
18. Jasauna Dennis – 45.84
40. Andrew Salvodon – 47.44
1500 Meters (Prelims)
3. Jaouad Khchina – 3:46.11Q
27. Carlos Lanzagorta-Ruiz – 3:52.94
28. Knox Eaton – 4:01.41*
110-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
14. David Warmington Jr. – 14.08 (1.1)
3000-Meter Steeplechase
12. Elijah Poore – 8:57.02
Pole Vault
13. Khaliq Muhammad – 5.25m/17-2.75
Shot Put
14. Brandon Dennis – 17.33m/56-10.25
Women’s Team Standings
1. Alabama – 62.5
2. Florida – 32
3. Texas A&M – 24.5
—
14. South Carolina – 10
Women’s Individual Results
100 Meters (Prelims)
6. Cynteria James – 11.25Q (0.5)
8. Alexis Brown – 11.23q (0.9)
22. Kymora-Lee Williams – 11.42 (0.6)
38. Madison Childress – 11.71 (0.5)
43. Maya Love – 11.78 (0.6)
45. Tristen Harris – 11.81 (0.5)
48. Jasmine Cook – 11.93 (0.3)*
400 Meters (Prelims)
3. JaMeesia Ford – 50.25Q*
1500 Meters (Prelims)
1. Salma Elbadra – 4:13.03Q
11. Abigail White – 4:18.05q*
24. Eline Mast – 4:27.20
34. Ella Zeigler – 4:31.94
100-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
8. Joslyn Hamilton – 13.04q (0.6)
11. Akala Garrett – 13.06 (0.8)
21. Kyndall Harrington-Spain – 13.59 (0.7)
3000 Meter Steeplechase
7. Teresa Cherotich – 10:05.12
Long Jump
2. Tristen Harris – 6.49m/21-3.5 (0.9)*
22. Madison Childress – 5.61m/18-5 (1.2)
— Cameran Gist – NM
* – denotes outdoor collegiate PR
