Upstate Opens Indoor Season Thursday at Appalachian Invitational
12/4/2013 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
Spartanburg, S.C. – The USC Upstate track and field team kicks off its indoor season Thursday evening when it takes part in the Appalachian Invitational on the campus of Appalachian State University.
The Appalachian Invitational is scheduled to take place Thursday and Friday inside the George Holmes Convocation Center, and will be the only indoor event for the Spartans during the month of December.
The event begins Thursday night at 6 p.m. with the men's and women's weight throw, and men's and women's triple jump. Friday's events start at 1 p.m. and will consist of 16 events on both the men's and women's sides including the long jump, pole vault, high jump, shot put, 55-meter hurdles, 55-meter dash, mile run, 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 800-meter run, 3000-meter run and 4x400-meter relay.
Upstate is under the direction of head coach Natalie Smith, who is entering her third season with the program.
The Spartan men will have a lot of new faces in 2013-14 with a total of 18 newcomers to go with eight returnees from last season's squad that placed fourth at the A-Sun Indoor Championships. Upstate must replace four All-Conference performers from last season in Cameron Thomas, Gilbert Kemboi, Brandon Curry and Michael Johnson, but also return Third Team All-Conference honoree Matt Johnson.
Johnson earned the All-Conference recognition in the distance medley relay event along with the combination of Thomas, Michael Johnson and Joey Daversa. He posted the team's best time in the 400-meter dash of 50.30 at the Niswonger Invitational, and in the 500-meter dash with a 1:05.00 at Clemson's Orange & Purple Winter Classic.
On the women's side, Upstate will be very experienced as 19 individuals are back while welcoming in nine newcomers. The Spartans finished sixth at the 2013 A-Sun Indoor Championships as Dominique Nock received Second Team All-Conference accolades.
Nock received the honor in the 60-meter dash after placing second just behind Emani Harrison of East Tennessee State. She had an impressive freshman campaign last year holding the season-best performance of 7.54 in the 60-meter dash and 24.78 in the 200-meter dash at the A-Sun Championships.
Upstate returns to action Jan. 17-18, 2014 when it travels to Johnson City, Tenn. for the Niswonger Invitational hosted by East Tennessee State.
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