The South Carolina track and field team will look to continue its winning ways at the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational, hosted by the University of Kentucky this upcoming weekend.
The Gamecocks are striving for more continued success in Lexington,much as they did last weekend in Blacksburg, Virginia at the Virginia Tech Invitational. South Carolina came away with four wins last weekend, including a record setting jump from Leanne Morrison in the women’s triple jump.
Head coach Curtis Frye stated at the beginning of the season that for the team to have success it would be important for everyone to remain healthy throughout the course of the year.
“If we can just remain healthy and overcome injuries, I believe that we will be able to compete at a very high level this upcoming season,” Frye said.
Frye also alluded to how it’s always a bit worrisome at the start of the season due to the fact that it begins after a long holiday break, and you’re never quite sure how conditioned the team is.
“When you get people back from long breaks, even though you give them workouts during the holidays, you have limitations on what you can hold them to,” Frye said. “Kids can’t work out on a mandate, they can’t report back, it’s all volunteer, so you have to see how much volunteering they did.”
Frye went on to say how the return of senior Erika Rucker, an astonishing six-time All-American who missed parts throughout the course of last season due to undisclosed illnesses, will help the team. Frye described her as “the emotional leader” that the Gamecocks were in need of. He also looks for others on the team to take more leadership roles as well.
“It’s about leadership, it’s about following the soul of your group,” Frye said. “When you have the confidence in a leader, and the leader can come through, then that helps the entire team as a whole. This makes it easier on the coaches because kids believe better what they can see, than better what they can hear.”
The Gamecocks will look to the talented sophomore trio of Marisa Bellamy, Briana Haith and Precious Holmes to perform well this weekend, as they have entered the season with high expectations following last year.
With wins coming from Clayton Gravesande in the men’s 400m, Leanne Morrison in the women’s triple jump, Rucker in the women’s 500m and Nakita Gray in the women’s high jump at the Virginia Tech Invitational, South Carolina should be more than ready to compete this upcoming weekend at Kentucky.
Also with the team’s fourth-place finish in the 200m, South Carolina currently ranks in the top 30 in the nation in that event.
Gravesande, in his final go-around as a redshirt senior, looks to claim a spot as an All-American this season for an unprecedented fourth time in his college career.
The three-day tournament starts this Friday on Jan. 23.