JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (May 31, 2025) – The NCAA East Regional wrapped up on Saturday evening with South Carolina putting the track world on notice in Jacksonville, Fla. The Gamecocks combined for 11 tickets punched to nationals, including nine on the track.
The field events kicked things off on the final day of the regional meet with Cameran Gist and Cheyla Scott earning their way to the NCAA Outdoor Championship. Gist jumped a personal best 13.07m (42-10.75) to place seventh overall for the automatic qualifying spot. Additionally, Gist improves on her fifth-place mark in program history and becomes just the fifth Gamecock to eclipse the 13.00m mark. Scott punched her ticket for the second consecutive year in the high jump, clearing each bar with ease as she needed to clear just 1.82m (5-11.5) to advance to nationals. Scott will look to improve on last year’s performance when she placed seventh at the national meet to earn First Team All-American honors.
JaMeesia Ford and Cynteria James each punched two individual tickets on the afternoon, doing so in the 100m and the 200m. Ford was able to run a new wind-aided program record in the 100m, crossing the finish line in 11.00 (2.3) for the third fastest time in the event. James was right on her heels with a time of 11.07 (2.3) to finish sixth at the regional meet. The duo then returned in the 200m to earn automatic qualifying times. Ford ran the fastest 200m of the regional, coasting to a 22.27 (1.4) to win her heat, while James ran a new personal best time of 22.72 (0.4) to finish third in her heat.
Salma Elbadra was the first Gamecock on the track to punch her ticket as she did so in the 1500m. The Morocco native ran 4:08.35, cruising to a third-place finish in the heat to earn the automatic qualifying spot. Zaya Akins locked in her ticket to nationals in the 400m after she ran 51.77 to finish third in the third and final heat. Jayla Jamison also punched a trip to Hayward Field in the 200m after clocking a new season best time of 22.77 (0.7) to win her heat.
The Gamecock relays continued their momentum from the SEC Outdoor Championship and posted convincing performances as they head to the NCAA Championship. The 4×100 meter relay of Jamison, James, Akins and Ford won the third and final heat after running 42.81 for the second fastest time in the field. The 4x400m squad of Akins, James, Sylvia Chelangat and Ford then closed the meet with a time of 3:27.56 to win the second heat, stamping their place…