The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 26, 2000, Page B2, Image 12
Gamecock Sports_ _
Wallace
from page B1
“I had a great trip to Geoigia Tech,”
Barron admitted.
“I love the city of Atlanta and
their coaching staff is great. I will visit
UGA this-weekend and then make a de
cision probably on signing day.”
So who is his favorite? Barron an
swers that by simply stating, “Every
school is still under consideration.”
With several other top-notch players
still on the recruiting board for Coach Holtz
and his staff, questions abound with a week
left on the recruiting clock.
No doubt that Carolina will focus the
majority of their attention on the goal of not
letting Barron get away and swimming across
stream into the Peach State.
Players leaving South Carolina and go
ing abroad have always been a major con
cern for both USC and Clemson.
Some would say they’d much rather
see top-caliber players go up the road to
Tigerville, rather then seeing Georgia or
Tennessee snag our beloved South Car
olinians.
Others would fight that person if
they heard that kind of sacrilegious talk.
The one advantage USC does have
in the Barron sweepstakes is the fact that
they only need a few more recruits to
top of this class.
Carolina can push over the 25-per
son limit if they wanted, because some
players are sure not to qualify.
But the fact remains that Carolina
have put themselves in a position where
they can be selective.
And in the end, “pickiness” may be
the bait that lures Barron to Columbia.
2000 USC Football Commitments
# James Adkinson — WR *
6-4, 210, Kemper (Mo.), JC
# Corey Alexander ~ RB
5- 9, 178, Gulf Coast (Miss.), JC
Jonathan Alston — DE
6- 5, 247, Stratford HS
Brian Brownlee - LB
6-3, 230, Abbeville HS
# Jason Capers — TE
6-4, 242, Hartsville
Jason Clark - LB
6-2, 230, Starksville, Miss.
DeAndre Eiland -- DB
6-0, 175, Tupelo, Miss.
Jeremiah Garrison — LB
6-1, 205, Belton-Honea Path HS
Andre Gause -- RB
6-0, 180, Waldorf, Md.
Gonzie Gray -- RB
6-0, 180, Waldorf, Md.
Jason Harris -OL
6-6, 340, Greenville Wade Hampton
Jamacia Jackson - RB
6-2, 195, Sumter, HS
Nick Johnson -OL
6-5, 320, Loganville, Ga.
Rachiem Monroe — DB
5- 9, 175, Hanahan HS
• Taqiy Muhammad -RB
6- 1, 180, Wilmington, N.C.
Dondrial Pinkins -QB
6-3, 215, Camilla, Ga.
Dunta Robinson -DB
6-1, 170, Athens, Ga.
Carl Smalls — DL
6-2, 255, St. Andrews, Charleston
* Trevin Smith -- RB
6-0, 195, Moncks Comer
John Strickland - OL
6-4, 295, Bainbridge, Ga.
Preston Thorne — DL
6-0, 265, Summerville HS
Hart Turner — TE
6-5, 225, Dorman HS
Chad Walker - OL
6-4, 300, Albertville, Ala.
♦Travelle Wharton — OL
6-4, 295, Fountain Inn
* Signed in the Dec. 15 period, will
enroll in the spring
* Signed last season, will be admitted
in the spring
Fall semester shows continued
improvement for USC athletics
Sports Roundup
Gamecock Sports -
The academic performances of USC
athletes continue to be on the upswing,
as the overall grade point average of the
Athletic Department for the Fall 1999 se
mester was the highest in a decade, ac
cording to a report released last week.
The department’s overall GPA rose to
a 2.758, up from last year’s 2.717 and
boosting the previous best for a fall se
mester of 2.752, set in the Fall 1996 se
mester.
Additionally, 12 of the department’s
17 teams showed improvement in their
GPAs from a year ago.
The women’s tennis team led the way
with a 3.482 GPA, followed by women’s
golf with a 3.448 GPA. Overall, there were
seven teams above the 3.0 mark.
The men’s basketball team received
the lowest average GPA last year, but im
proved their mark this year to 2.312, their
highest mark since fall of 1993.
The football squad’s 2.305 showing
was the program’s best in more than
seven fall reporting periods.
“The overall academic performance
of our athletics program continues to
improve and that is certainly a reflec
tion of the effort put forth by our stu
dent-athletes and our academic support
staff,” said Mike McGee, USC athlet
ics director.
“Our men’s basketball and football
staffs, along with all of our other coach
es, have worked hard to provide our stu
dent-athletes with the guidance and mo
tivation that is necessary to achieve this
kind of improvement.
“This department will continue to
dedicate itself to the committment that
all of our student-athletes have every
opportunity possible to reach their aca
demic goals.”
The department’s overall gradua
tion rate of 63 percent ranks second in
the SEC for the third straight year.
Fall 1999 semester gradfe report
Women’s Tennis 3.482
Women’s Golf 3448
Equestrian 3206
Men’s Tennis 3157
Women’s Swimming 3102
Men’s Swimming 3096
Women's Soccer 3065
Men’s Soccer 2 985
Women’s Track/Cross Country 2S59
Softball 2873
Baseball 2869
Volleyball 2861
Men’s Track 2.767
Men’s Golf 2.635
Women’s Basketball 2.501
Men’s Basketball 2.312
Football 2.305
use Student Athletes 2.758
There were 183 student-athletes
with a 3.0 GPA or higher, 79 with a 3.5
GPA making the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA
or higher/3.25 or higher for freshmen).
Twenty-one student-athletes recorded
a perfect 4.0 GPA and were named to
the President’s List.
Three USC teams begin seasons over weekend
Men’s basketball
Die USC athletic tictetpfike announced Mon
day dial tickets remain for Wfednesday night's SEC
men's basketball contest against No. 20 Vander
bilt.
Tickets are available for purchase at the USC
Athletic Ticket Office on Rosewood Drive and at
all Capital Ticket outlets, or by calling 1-8004SC
FANS (7774274 in the Columbia area).
Tipoff for Wfednesday’s game is 7:30 p.m. Die
contest will not be televised, but will be on WVOC
560 AM radio.
> f.
Men’s termis
In die second day of competition, Juan Gam
boa became the lone Gamecock to advance in die
SEC Indoor Championships at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Gamboa defeated Jon Grey Pou of LSU Fri
day in two sets with scores of 6-3 and 6-3. On Sat
urday, Gamboa continued through the tournament,
triumphing over Kentucky's Dalliber Maholijiic
64; 6-3.
USC sophomore David Nelson also advanced
on Friday night when he was up 64; 3-0 in the sec
ond set versus Mississippi State’s Matt Soto. Soto
withdrew from the match for unspecified rea
sons.
Nelson then played teammate Gamboa iind with
drew due to injury after losing the first set 6-5.
Gamboa’s run ended Sunday afternoon af
ter battling against 7th seeded Georgia Bulldcg
Mafias Boeker. Gamboa took Boeker to three
sets during the quarterfinals round at the SEC
Indoor Championships.
The first set had Boeker come back from
being down 5-6 to win 7-6 after four tie-break
ers.
Gamboa won the second match 7-6 after
egjit tie-breakers, but could not hold out thrrx^i
the third set which he dropped to Boeker 6-2.
The final score was 7-6 (4); 6-7 (8); 6-2.
Tie Gamecocks will return to action in die
USC Winter Invitational iin. 28-30.
Man’s swimming
The USC men’s swimming and diving team de
feated die Georgia Tech Yellow .Rickets 127-116 Sat
urday on Senior Day at the Carolina Natatorium.
The Gamecocks were led by sophomore Zsolt
Gaspar, who won the 200-freestyle and the 200
butterfly, and by Chris Henninger, who won the
50 freestyle and die 100-yard freestyle.
. Other winners for the Gamecocks were se
nior Andrew Cho, who won the 400-yard indi
vidual medley, and Brandon Hulko, who won both
die one-and three-meter diving events. The Game
cocks finished first, second and third in both div
ing events, as senior Chad Sheldon and sophomore
Brad Brown finished second and third, respec
tively.
Rugby
The USC men’s rugby team began their spring
2000 schedule with a match at Georgia Southern
Friday. • _
The rugby team plays its home games on the
field directly adjacent to the Blatt P.E Center at
USC. They would like to invite any interested par
ty to stop by practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 5:45-8 p.m.
Tire team’s remaining schedule is:
Jan. 30 Georgia Tech 2 pm.
Feb. 6 Georgia 2 p.m.
Feb. 12 at Alabama 2 pm.
Feb. 19 Towson 2 pm.
Feb. 25 Clemson 8 p.m.
March 17 at The Citadel 8 pm.
March 26 N.C. State 2 p.m.
April 2 at East Carolina 2 pm.
Football
Feb. 2 is national signing day. The Game
cock football team is expected to sign at least 23
recruits. The maximum number allowed by the
NCAA is 25 recruits.
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