William Spencer Jr.

position Hurdles
class Sophomore
Hometown Henrico, Va.
High school Highland Springs High School

position Hurdles
class Sophomore
Hometown Henrico, Va.
High school Highland Springs High School

Academic Highlights
2023 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll

Season and Career Results
2023

Indoor

Competed in eight meets during the indoor campaign, running in the 300m, 400m, 800m and the 4x400m relay … Opened his season at the Clemson Opener, setting a PR in the 300m with a time of 33.78 to finish third – also running as the anchor leg in the 4x400m on a team that finished runner up with a time of 3:12.46 … Turned over the calendar year with a win in the 800m at the Gamecock Opener, running 1:53.51 for a new personal best … Was also on the 4x400m relay team that won at the Gamecock Opener, running 3:09.71 as a unit with Spencer as the second leg … Had a successful Carolina Challenge the next week, setting a new PR in the 400m indoor with a time of 46.70 to finish runner up and post the eighth fastest indoor 400m in Gamecock history … Was also the second leg of the 4x400m relay team at the Carolina Challenge that turned in the fastest relay time of the season at 3:08.74 … Picked up a win in the 400m at the USC Indoor Open, running 47.38 … Ran the 400m at the 2023 SEC Indoor Championship, finishing 23^rd overall after stopping the clock at 47.40.

Outdoor

Only competed in one event, the Island Relays Bahamas … Did not finish his race in the 400-meter hurdle … Was the anchor leg in the 4x800m relay in the Bahamas, running 7:53.21 to finish second overall.

2022

Indoor

Competed in nine indoor meets for Carolina, participating in the 200m, 400m and the 4x400m relay … Opened the indoor season with a first-place finish in the 400m at the Clemson Opener with a season-best mark of 47.14, while also finishing second in the 4×400 (3:10.28) … Registered a runner-up finish in the 4×400 at the Orange and Purple Elite with a time of 3:15.69 … Claimed the podium in the Gamecock Opener 4x400m with a mark of 3:11.86, while finishing second in the 400m when he clocked 47.56 … Recorded his indoor 200m PR at the Carolina Challenge, stopping the clock at 21.98 … Captured a pair of 400m wins at the South Carolina Invitational (47.24) and the UofSC Indoor Open (47.68) … Finished eighth in the SEC Indoor Championship in the 4x400m with a time of 3:08.49 … Tallied sub-48 second 400m races on five occasions.

Outdoor

Earned the title of Second Team All-American for his performance in the 400-meter hurdles … Competed in eight meets in the outdoor season, primarily running the 400mH as well as the 4×200, 4×300 and 4×400 relays … Recorded two victories in the 400mH in the Weems Baskin (51.56) and the Florida Relays when he captured the podium with a personal-record 49.56 … Also recorded five runner-up finishes in the 400mH, including at the Penn Relays when he clocked 50.90 … Qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the 400mH, advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championship after placing second in the regional finals with a time of 49.68 … Finished 12^th overall at the Outdoor Championship in the 400mH, earning the recognition of Second Team All-American … Won three relays during the outdoor season, including a pair of 4x400m relays at the Gamecock Invitational (3:09.18) and the UofSC Open (3:07.16) … Scored at the SEC Outdoor Championship in the 4×400 when his team finished eighth with a mark of 3:09.05.

2021
Indoor

Ran six times in the 400 meters for Carolina … Was disqualified in the 400 meters at the SEC Championships … Won the 400 meters at the USC Indoor Open with a time of 47.26 … Ran his personal-best time in the 400 meters at the Bob Pollock Meet where he crossed the line in 46.78 seconds … Also had top-10 finishes in the 400 meters at the Gamecock Opener, Carolina Challenge and the South Carolina Invitational.

Outdoor

Made it to the NCAA Championships in the 400-meter hurdles … Took 13^th in the first race at the NCAA Championships with a time of 50.57, earning Second Team All-America honors … Was the second-fastest runner at the East Regional, running his season-best time of 49.68 to lock up a spot at the National meet … Also ran 50.48 in the first race of the East Regional … Was disqualified at the SEC Championships … Won three of his first four 400-meter hurdles races (Weems Baskin, Gamecock Invitational, USC Open and UNF Invitational) … Took eighth at the Florida Relays in the 400-meter hurdles … Ran sub-50 seconds three times in the 400-meter hurdles … Also ran the 400 meters twice … Took third in the 400 meters at the Tiger Track Classic … Won the 400 meters at the Charlotte Invitational with a personal-best time of 47.24.

2020
Indoor

Made a big impact in his first season in the Garnet and Black as a 400m runner … Earned an All-America distinction for his involvement in the Carolina 4x400m relay … Helped the Gamecocks score at the SEC Championships with a fourth-place finish in the 4x400m relay in a time of 3:06.53, the ninth-fastest time in the country … Qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships with the South Carolina 4x400m relay team as the anchor leg … Ran in seven meets as an individual, only running in 400m events … Ran a season-best at the USC Indoor Open, clocking a 47.07, good enough for the 56th-fastest time in the country … Made his Carolina debut at the Clemson Opener, taking second in a time of 47.46 … Made his home debut in the 400m open at the Carolina Challenge, taking sixth in a time of 47.98.

Outdoor

Cancelled.

Pre-South Carolina
High School

Competed in 110m hurdles, 300 hurdles and 400 hurdles in high school.

Personal

Son of Renada and William Spencer … Has three siblings Savion, Kayla and Sharda … Plans to major in Retail Management … Chose South Carolina because of outstanding track and field program.

Personal Records
Indoor