Newcomers Shine on First Day of Clemson Invitational

CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson’s men and women’s track team posted two school records on the first day of the Clemson Invitational inside the Indoor Track and Field Facility on Friday afternoon. Following Friday’s competition, the Tigers have multiple athletes in the Top-25 in the NCAA this season.

Some of the top highlights from Friday included:

• Freshman Daniel Cope entered the Clemson track scene with a bang, tossing a school record 20.99 meters in the men’s weight throw. Cope opened his prelims series with a toss of 20.34m. He set the school record in his second throw of the series, spinning twice and hurling the 16 pound implement 68 feet 10.50 inches. Cope marked two more throws at 19.59m and 19.99m, respectively. All of Cope’s legal throws would have placed him in the top four of Clemson’s All-Time list. Through last weekend’s meets, Cope’s mark of 20.99m currently ranks him fifth in the NCAA this season.
• The throwers continued to dominate the day with sophomore Marie Forbes throwing a new personal record in the women’s weight throw with a final distance of 19.75 meters. Forbes started the event with an opening throw of 19.15m and followed with 19.10m in her third throw to put put her in second place heading to finals. She launched her new PR in the first throw of finals to secure her second-place finish in the event. Each of her legal throws on the day finished above her previous PR (19.00) that was set back in December of 2021. Forbes throw today moves her into fourth on Clemson’s All-Time list and through last weekend’s meets, puts her at No. 8 in the NCAA.

The Tigers continue action at the Clemson Invitational Saturday morning beginning with the women’s high jump at 11 a.m. For all the most up-to-date information regarding Clemson Track & Field, please visit ClemsonTigers.com and follow @ClemsonTrackXC on Twitter and Instagram.

EVENT BY EVENT BREAKDOWN

Running Events

• Women’s 60m
  • Ockera Myrie (Jr.) | 7.52
  • Areya Campbell (Fr.) | 7.66
  • Serena Clark (Fr.) | 7.66
  • Zeniyah Lawrence (Jr.) | 7.98
• Men’s 60m (Prelims)
  • Guinove Joanus (Jr.) | 6.73 (Prelims), 6.82 (Finals)
  • Dashinelle Dyer (So.) | 6.75
  • Fabian Hewitt (Sr.) | 6.82
  • Lafranz Campbell (Sr.) | 6.92
• Women’s 60m Hurdles
  • Antoinette Van der Merwe (Fr.) | 8.58
• Men’s 60m Hurdles
  • Devon Brooks (Sr.) | 7.80 (Prelims), 7.92 (Finals)
• Women’s 400m
  • Courtney Williams (Fr.) | 54.67 (Currently No. 3 in NCAA)
  • Kenya Thompson (Fr.) | 55.81 (Currently No. 11 in NCAA)
  • Ken’naria Gadson (Fr.) | 56.28 (Currently No. 18 in NCAA)
  • Mackenzie Osher (Fr.) | 57.22
  • Ariana Daley (Fr.) | 57.32
  • Leah Disher (So.) | 59.28
• Men’s 400m
  • Jevon Williams (Fr.) | 48.66
• Women’s 600m
  • Leah Disher (So.) | 1:33.97 (PR)
• Men’s 600m
  • Tarees Rhoden (So.) | 1:17.16 (School Record)
  • Carson Tillman (Fr.) | 1:18.74 (PR)
• Men’s 1000m
  • Cole Myers (Fr.) | 2:28.06
  • Colby Caviness (Sr.) | 2:33.27
• Women’s 1 Mile
  • Josie Wirtz (Jr.) | 4:55.53 (PR)
  • Mackenzie Steele (Fr.) | 5:13.16
  • Meredith Finley (Fr.) | 5:15.99 (PR)
  • Grace Hanratty (Fr.) | 5:18.46
  • Courtney Farishian (Fr.) | 5:33.19
• Men’s 1 Mile
  • Michael Smith (Jr.) | 4:13.83 (PR)
  • Marlin Young (Jr.) | 4:19.28
  • Sawyer Dagan (Fr.) | 4:29.44

Jumping Events

• Women’s Long Jump
  • Caroline Johnston (Jr.) | 5.78m (PR)
  • Areya Campbell (Fr.) | 5.72
• Women’s Pole Vault
  • Alison D’Alessandro (Sr.) | 3.81
  • Jessica Brewer (Sr.) | 3.51

Throwing Events

• Women’s Weight Throw
  • Marie Forbes (So.) | 19.75m (PR – Sits No. 4 on Clemson’s All-Time List – Currently No. 8 in NCAA)
  • Riley Lair (Fr.) | 13.61m (PR)
• Men’s Weight Throw
  • Daniel Cope (Fr.) | 20.99m (School Record – Currently No. 5 in NCAA)
  • Cade Jones (Fr.) | 13.52m