University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Niswonger Invitational
Records Fall as Spartans Complete Day One of Niswonger Invitational
1/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Jan. 22, 2010
Niswonger Invtiational Day One Results
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - On the first day of the first meet of the 2010 season, the USC Upstate track and field team set five new school records and six others set personal-bests on day one of the Niswonger Invitational hosted by ETSU.
"Overall, I was very pleased with how we competed today," said head coach Jimmy Stephens. "We had several quality performances, but we also have some things that we have to work on between now and the conference championships."
Gabrielle Walker got the record breaking day started with a 60-meter dash time of 8.00. She takes the top spot away from fellow teammate LaTerrica Blocker who owned the previous record of 8.38. LaTerrica Blocker (Stone Mountain, Ga./Redan) set a personal-best of 8.36 in the 60-meter dash, surpassing her previous best of 8.38 that she set at the Clemson Invitational (1/19/08).
Also setting a mark in the 60-meter dash was Kathryn Neely (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern). Neely set a personal-best of 8.89, passing her old mark of 9.08 that she posted at the Clemson Games (1/31/09).
Meanwhile junior Erin Tyre (Flowery Branch, Ga./Reinhardt College) also set a new personal-best in the 60-meter dash. Tyre, with a time of 8.85, passes her old mark of 9.02 that she set at last season's Clemson Games. Freshman Christian Gamble (Columbia, S.C./Lower Richland) was the fourth and final Spartan to compete in the 60-meter dash and she posted a time of 8.86.
In the 60-meter hurdles, Camille Masanotti (Ladsen, S.C./Stratford) set a new school record with a time of 9.70. The previous record of 9.97 was set by teammate Kathryn Neely at the Clemson Games a season ago.
Another record fell for the Spartans on Friday when Gabrielle Walker (Chattanooga, Tenn./Mars Hill College) recorded a throw of 36-11.75 (11.27m) in the shot put. Upstate's previous record of 36-11.00 was set by LaTerrica Blocker at the 2009 Atlantic Sun Indoor Championships.
Blocker set a personal-best in the weight-throw with a toss of 33-00.25 (10.06m). Her previous best of 32-03.75 came at the Gamecock Invitational (2/23/08).
Kicking off the record breaking for the men's team was Michael Meissner (Cottage Grove, Minn./Wisconsin-River Falls). Meissner posted a school record of 23.32 in the 200-meter dash. The junior breaks a record that has stood since the program's first meet. Billeto McGee owned the record with a time of 23.35 that he set at the Clemson Indoor Opener (12/1/07).
In the 60-meter hurdles, freshman Brandon Curry (Anderson, S.C./Pendleton) broke Reggie Thompson's record of 8.86 that Thompson broke at the Carolina Invitational last season. Curry posted a time of 8.68 in his first ever collegiate meet.
"This was a very competitive meet and it gave a chance for our freshmen to learn what they must do in order to be successful at this level," added Stephens. "We competed very hard and I am looking forward to the rest of our athletes competing tomorrow."
Rounding out day one for Upstate was Eric Chapman, who set a personal-best in the weight throw. The junior from Cowpens, S.C., recorded a throw of 46-01.25 (14.05m) which smashes his previous high of 41-05.00 that he recorded at the Appalachian Limited (1/17/09). Chapman's throw places him second all-time in school history. Former Spartan James Miles owns the school record of 46-08.00 that he set at the 2009 Appalachian Limited.
The final day of competition at the Niswonger Invitational will begin tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Fans can follow along with live scoring by visiting http://www.cfpitiming.com.
