COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina posted 10 victories and earned nine provisional times Saturday as the team concluded competition at the Gamecock Indoor Open held at the USC Field House. In addition, junior Ashley Evens broke a 14-year old USC Field House record with her victory in the 3,000-meter run.
Evens earned her win with a time of 10:39.01, besting the previous USC Field House record in the event by two seconds. Evens returned the home facility record to South Carolina after breaking the time of 10:41.00 set in 1997 by Jacksonville University's Jessica Blundell.
Along with Evens, the Gamecocks earned victories across the board, taking wins in sprints, hurdles and field events. On the men's side, South Carolina earned wins from Chris Maxwell (400m, 52.77), Alex Bermudez (mile run, 4:40.93), David Wilkins (high jump, 2.05m) and Elliott Haynie (pole vault, 5.05m). The other six victories came from the women's side with wins coming from Shayla Mahan (55m, 6.87), Janica Austin (55m hurdles, 7.80), Vica Shobe (pole vault, 4.10m), Stacee Roberts (shot put, 14.24m) and a dual win in the high jump from Kayla Blake and Staley Foster at 1.65m.
The Gamecocks also earned numerous provisional qualifying marks. Among the event winners, Vica Shobe earned her third consecutive provisional jump in the pole vault while Janica Austin claimed her first provisional qualifying mark in the hurdles. Four sprinters earned provisional qualifying times with their performances in the 55-meter dash. Mahan earned her fourth of the year while the trio of Breehana Jacobs (6.91), Gabrielle Glenn (6.89) and Tatianna Fisher (6.89) earned their first qualifying times of the year.
A pair of runner-ups earned provisional qualifying times on the men's side in Booker Nunley and Michael Zajac. Nunley ran a 7.32 in the 55-meter hurdles and Zajac hit his fourth of the year in the weight throw at 20.85m. In addition, Johnny Dutch earned a provisional in the hurdles at 7.31.
South Carolina hits the track next week with the SEC Indoor Championships, held Feb. 26-28 in Fayetteville, Ark. The NCAA Indoor Championships will also be held at the Randall Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.
