Freshmen Lead the Way on Day One at Clemson Invitational

Jan. 8, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – The Tiger track & field program won eight events and produced four NCAA provisional times on Friday at the first day of the Clemson Invitational. Headlining the efforts for Clemson were several standout freshmen, including Stormy Kendrick in the 60m dash and Brianna Rollins in the 60m hurdles. Both won their respective events with NCAA provisional times.

Despite being a small meet with just nine teams, the event was not without its share of former Clemson stars. Former Tiger track standouts C.J. Spiller and Travis Padgett were on hand Friday evening. Padgett, former NCAA champion and U.S. Olympian who competed at Clemson from 2006-08, ran unattached in the 60m dash. He was first in the preliminary round before exiting with a false start in the final.

Spiller, on hand for the football awards banquet, dropped by to see his former team in action. Spiller, coming off a sixth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy balloting, was a three-time All-American for Clemson on the track.

Rollins, competing in her first-ever collegiate hurdles event, clocked an NCAA provisional 8.25 in winning the 60m hurdles Friday. She posted the time in the final, the second-best time in school history. Her mark was only five hundredths off the school record of 8.20, which was set by Nikkie Bouyer in 1998.

Michaylin Golladay was runner-up in the 60m hurdles for the women, posting a time of 8.42. Golladay now ranks third in school history after being passed for second place by Rollins. Patricia Mamona was third (8.64), followed by Liane Weber (8.68).

In the men’s 60m hurdle final, newcomer Charlton Rolle did not finish after a prelim-best time of 7.98. Rolle (a transfer from Tennessee) and Clemson’s other competitors slowed due to a perceived false start, but the race was ruled legal anyway. Dailyn Moore was Clemson’s top finisher in third at 8.29 seconds.

Freshman sprinter Warren Fraser tied for first in the men’s 60m dash. Fraser, a native of the Bahamas competing in his first-ever collegiate meet, posted a time of 6.77. Justin Murdock (6.81) was third place.

Another freshman for Clemson took home first place in the women’s 60m dash. Stormy Kendrick, a native of Gastonia, NC, posted a time of 7.41 to run away with the final. Her time was good enough for an NCAA provisional qualifying mark. Kristine Scott had a time of 7.50 in the prelim before placing second with a 7.54 in the final.

With her performance, Kendrick vaulted into fourth place on Clemson’s all-time list in the 60m dash. Scott, who came into the meet with a personal best 7.55, moved into eighth place on the performance chart.

April Sinkler was three quarters of an inch shy of qualifying provisionally for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the high jump. She won the event Friday with a jump of 5’9.25″. She is the school record-holder in the event and defending ACC champion as well. Linda Buchholz (5’7″) was fourth for Clemson.

Carlin Bartlett. A senior from Orlando, FL, she cleared 12’5.5″ to win the event.

Alex Padgett was impressive in winning the men’s shot put. The red-shirt junior out of Rock Hill, SC posted a mark of 55’11.75″. The effort moved him into seventh place in Clemson’s record books for the indoor event. Stephen White (49’2.25″) was third.

The women’s distance medley relay team of Candace Sapp and Bobby Smith, Chris Slate and Tyler Morey combined to post a time of 10:25.42.

Times were unavailable for the men’s 5000m run, and the unseeded 300m and 500m events were postponed until Saturday due to a technical malfunction.

The teams return to action Saturday to conclude the meet. The first event will be the men’s high jump at 10:00 AM. The first running event will be the 400m dash, held at 12 PM.