May 6, 2006

Columbia, SC –South Carolina’s track and field teams dominated Clemson’s Orange and Purple Classic, posting eight new and/or improved NCAA regional marks. The women won seven events with five women finishing as the runner-up. The Gamecock men, without their top three athletes, won two events with four finishing as the runner-up.

USC’s women are ranked No. 9 nationally and the men are ranked No. 20. The women have 21 athletes qualified in 11 events, including two relays (4×1, 4×4) for the NCAA Regional in Greensboro, N.C. later this month. The men have 19 athletes qualified for 13 events, including the 4x400m relay.

“Chiquita Martin and Stephanie Smith ran very well today,” said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye. “Chiquita running a low 59 in the 400m hurdles and Stephanie running in the 53’s in the 400m will help us next week at the SEC Championships. And Amberly Nesbitt ran 23 in the 200m – she hadn’t run a 200 outdoors yet, but she’s right where she left off indoors. We are looking for a top four finish on the women’s at the SEC meet and today will help us,” said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye. “I’m proud of the way Thomas Hilliard ran the 400m hurdles, bettering his regional time. And Jim Mitchell’s regional qualifier in the shot put is big as well.

“We wanted to stay healthy and get a chance to have a positive experience after working hard on our exams,” said Frye. “We needed something to improve their confidence after running under a lot of pressure last weekend (at Penn Relays) and then working hard on their exams. We needed something good to get the teams tuned up for SECs. It was a real good day. Real good.”

USC left three of its top performers on the men’s side back in Columbia. Leroy Dixon and Jason Richardson both ran a number of open races last weekend in addition to relays, so they rested this weekend. Brook Antonio (discus, hammer qualifier) stayed in Columbia for graduation. A number of USC’s top women ran at Clemson because they ran all relays last weekend at Penn and Frye wanted them to run open races again prior to the SEC Championships at Arkansas next weekend.

Hilliard (51.53) and Jussi Heikkila (52.21) were third and fourth in the 400m hurdles, but both improved their regional qualifying times.

On the women’s side, winners included Shalonda Solomon in the 100m (11.54), Amberly Nesbitt in the 200m – new regional qualifier (23.14), Stephanie Smith in the 400m – improving her regional qualifier (53.47), Ronnetta Alexander in the 100m hurdles (13.36), Martin in the 400m hurdles – improving her regional qualifier (59.18), Vica Shobe in the pole vault (11′ 11 ¾) and Precious Akins in the discus (174′ 6).

On the men’s side, winners included Johnny Baez with a first-time regional qualifier (1:50.39), David Zaycek in the discus (164′ 11). Derek Pressley was the runner-up in the triple jump, finishing as the first collegiate at 48′ 6.

Jim Mitchell as the runner-up in the shot put but picked up his first regional qualifier at 55′ 11. Shawn Cunningham was the runner-up in the 800m at 1:50.91 – just off a regional qualifier.

Greig Cryer was the runner-up in the long jump (24′ 8 ½) to former Gamecock All-American Tony Allmond who hit the board for a winning jump of 26′ 5 ¾ – a Clemson meet record.

Gamecock women who finished as the runner-up included: Kelsey Bristol in the 1500m (4:53.73), Callie Rabun in the 5000m (19:39.74), Bailey Lewis in the 400m hurdles (1:02.76), Monica Bozenski in the high jump (5′ 5) and Brittney James in the long jump (18′ 3).