Jan. 21, 2012
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By Miquel Jacobs
Assistant Media Relations Director
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – South Carolina track and field competed at the Auburn Invitational Saturday night in what was the first big meet of the season with many of the top teams from the southeast competing at the new Birmingham CrossPlex facility.
SEC foes Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Tennessee were all present at the meet in addition to nationally-ranked programs that included UCF, Clemson, Florida State and Texas.
The Gamecock men posted four top five finishes at the meet, led by sophomore Clayton Gravesande placing third overall in the 400-meter dash at 48.34. Gravesande also ran the first leg of the men’s 4×400-meter relay team (Gravesande, Eric Winfrey, Chris Royster, Chris Maxwell) that placed fifth overall at 3:16.09.
Junior Jarrod Hutchen continued his strong opening form with a third-place finish in the long jump at 24’1 ½ (7.35m). In the men’s 200-meter dash, Royster took fourth at 21.56 to pace the Gamecocks.
Freshman Damiere Byrd made his track & field debut as the top Gamecock finisher in the men’s 60-meter dash. Byrd placed 12th overall in his first collegiate meet at a time of 6.79.
The women’s 4×400-meter relay team of Christal Green, Erika Rucker, Ahtyana Johnson and Vashti Bandy took fifth overall at 3:43.87 for the top finish on the women’s side.
Senior Kierre Beckles placed seventh in the 60-meter hurdle finals at 8.41. The three women’s shot putters – Stacee Roberts, Katie Vuckovich and Breanna Radford – all placed within inches of each other to hit season highs in a 9-10-11 finish. Roberts took ninth at 47’5 ¾ (14.47m) and was followed successively by Vuckovich (47’4 ½ // 14.44m) and Radford (46’11 ½ // 14.31m).
Freshmen Sarah Graham and Jemekia Wilson both hit collegiate bests in the high jump at 5’4 in a busy day that saw both compete in three events. The multi-event athletes also competed in the 60-meter hurdles and as members of the second 4×400-meter relay team.
The Gamecocks host their first meet of the season Wednesday afternoon at the USC Indoor Facility.
| SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 – MEN | ||
| M-60m Prelims (Auto: 6.60) | ||
| 12. Damiere Byrd | 6.79 | |
| 15. Chris Royster | 6.83 | |
| 24. Chris Maxwell | 7.16 | |
| Kendall Kee | FS | |
| M-200m (Auto: 20.73) | ||
| 4. Chris Royster | 21.56 | |
| 14. Chris Maxwell | 22.06 | |
| 19. Christopher Walker | 22.41 | |
| M-400m (Auto: 46.00) | ||
| 3. Clayton Gravesande | 48.34 | |
| 18. Juan Stenner | 50.53 | |
| 21. Nejmi Burnside | 51.12 | |
| 26. Nigel Redic | 51.91 | |
| 30. Eric Winfrey | 53.96 | |
| M-800m (Auto: 1:47.30) | ||
| 19. Drew Ricci | 1:59.48 | |
| 20. Kevin Keating | 1:59.89 | |
| 24. Adam King | 2:03.54 | |
| M-Mile Run (Auto: 3:57.90) | ||
| 12. Vince DePiano | 4:27.18 | |
| M-60m Hurdles Prelims (Auto: 7.70) | ||
| 21. Chris Sharp | 8.90 | |
| M-4x400m (Auto: 3:06.50) | ||
| 5. Gravesande, Winfrey, Royster, Maxwell | 3:16.09 | |
| 8. Walker, Stenner, Burnside, Redic | 3:20.89 | |
| M-Long Jump (Auto: 8.00m) | ||
| 3. Jarrod Hutchen | 7.35m // 24-01.50 | |
| 9. Dorian Johnson | 6.84m // 22-05.25 | |
| James Adams | F | |
| Chris Sharp | F | |
| M-Triple Jump (Auto: 16.30m) | ||
| 8. James Adams | 13.57m // 44-06.25 | |
| 9. Dorian Johnson | 13.57m // 44-06.25 | |
| M-High Jump (Auto: 2.24m) | ||
| 7. David Wilkins | 2.04m // 6-08.25 | |
| M-Pole Vault (Auto: 5.50m) | ||
| 19. Colin Buxton | 4.30m // 14-01.25 | |
| M-Shot Put (Auto: 19.35m) | ||
| 10. Louis Day | 15.86m // 52-00.50 | |
| SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 – WOMEN | ||
| W-60m Prelims (Auto: 7.23) | ||
| 27. Kelsey McCorkle | 7.78 | |
| 29. Vashti Bandy | 7.81 | |
| 32. Asia Delaney | 7.90 | |
| W-200m (Auto: 23.12) | ||
| 18. Kelsey McCorkle | 24.77 | |
| 22. Vashti Bandy | 24.88 | |
| 23. Ahtyana Johnson | 24.94 | |
| 25. Christal Green | 25.17 | |
| 32. Asia Delaney | 25.56 | |
| W-400m (Auto: 52.60) | ||
| 9. Erika Rucker | 55.43 | |
| 15. Christal Green | 56.66 | |
| 21. Amber Allen | 57.79 | |
| 24. Tamera Harris | 58.50 | |
| W-Mile Run (Auto: 4:37.00) | ||
| 20. Meredith Mill | 5:09.28 | |
| 29. Liz Locke | 5:19.03 | |
| W-60m Hurdles Prelims (Auto: 8.10) | ||
| 8. Kierre Beckles | 8.44q | |
| 24. Jemekia Wilson | 9.13 | |
| 28. Sarah Graham | 9.26 | |
| W-60m Hurdles Final (Auto: 8.10) | ||
| 7. Kierre Beckles | 8.41 | |
| W-4x400m (Auto: 3:34.00) | ||
| 5. Green, Rucker, Johnson, Bandy | 3:43.87 | |
| 10. Allen, Wilson, Graham, Kryst | 4:04.98 | |
| W-Long Jump (Auto: 6.45m) | ||
| 19. Ceci Kryst | 5.30m // 17-04.75 | |
| Sarah Graham | ND | |
| Chalese Davis | F | |
| W-Triple Jump (Auto: 13.30m) | ||
| 8. Radiance Basden | 11.92m // 39-01.25 | |
| 13. Ceci Kryst | 11.20m // 36-09.00 | |
| W-High Jump (Auto: 1.85m) | ||
| 11. Jeannelle Scheper | 1.72m // 5-07.75 | |
| T17. Sarah Graham | 1.62m // 5-03.75 | |
| T17. Jemekia Wilson | 1.62m // 5-03.75 | |
| W-Pole Vault (Auto: 4.35m) | ||
| 6. Petra Olsen | 3.70m // 12-01.50 | |
| 14. Tylar Mangan | 3.25m // 10-08.00 | |
| Megan Wall | NH | |
| W-Shot Put (Auto: 17.20m) | ||
| 9. Stacee Roberts | 14.47m // 47-05.75 | |
| 10. Katie Vuckovich | 14.44m // 47-04.50 | |
| 11. Breanna Radford | 14.31m // 46-11.50 | |
| Kaysee Sullivan | F | |
