Dec. 1, 2007

CLEMSON, S.C. - USC Upstate closed out the school's first-ever track meet at Clemson Saturday in the season-opening Clemson Indoor Opener with several Upstate athletes netting good finishes.

"We did great," USC Upstate track head coach Jimmy Stephens said. "We exceeded the expectations that I had for our first meet and it was a great weekend."

Freshman Perrish Goggins had the best performance of the day for the Spartans with a fourth-place finish in the men's high jump with a jump of 6'6.25". He also just missed the finals of the triple jump with a jump of 44'4.75".

"Perrish hasn't jumped with a pit to land in for several months and jumped a personal record by two inches," Stephens said. "He's a great athlete."

For the second day, freshman Billeto McGee had an impressive run, this time in the 200 meters with a time of 23.35 seconds just 1.57 seconds away from the winning time set by Maurice Gailey of N.C. Central at 21.78.

Stephens said that he was also impressed with women's 4 x 400 meter relay team of Ameenah Sabree, Kiah White, Sheliah Williams and Ashley Moore finished with a time of 4:16.16 as well as freshman Melissa Billups, who missed out on the finals of the triple jump with a jump of 32'6.5".

"This meet was all about gaining experience, to learn and to build some confidence as we head into the rest of the season," Stephens said.

USC Upstate will have over a month between its next indoor track meet, which is back in Clemson for the Clemson Invitational on Jan. 18-19.