COLUMBIA, S.C. – Shawn Langley Jr and Luciano Custodio each broke a pair of school records on Saturday at the Gamecock Opener to kick off the 2024 indoor season. Additionally, the Buccaneers dominated in the distance events at the meet while many freshmen had solid debuts at the meet.
 
Langley broke the school record and Big South record in the 300m at the meet as he crossed the line in second overall and had a time of 33.38 with this time being more than a second faster than the previous record of 34.47 set by Levi Brooks in 2010. Custodio's career-day came in the 600m with his time of 1:19.35, besting Josiah Scarlett's 1:28.28 from 2016. His time marks the second-fastest recorded by a Big South runner in league history.
 
Also, around the track, the highly anticipated debut for Carl Murray IV did not disappoint. The highly touted freshmen cruised through his prelim in the 60m and ran even faster in the semifinals but missed out on a spot in the finals by just one position. In the finals, he recorded a time of 6.83, which is tied for the 6^th-fastest in school history.
 
On the distance side of the events, the Buccaneers continued to carve out their place among the best in the Palmetto state in this as all 14 entrees in an event finished within its top nine. In the 1K, a pair of freshmen, Connor Smith and Parker Massey, recorded stellar performances with a 2:32.63 and 2:39.68 for 2^nd and 4^th best in CSU history.
 
For the men's one mile, the Bucs had five entrees in the event with them finishing 2-3-4-6-8. Jack McGahey was the top runner for CSU in it with his time of 4:12.79 for 10^th-fastest ever for Charleston Southern.
 
In the next to last event of the day, the Bucs dominated the 3K more than they had in any other event they had on the track all day. Charleston Southern placed the top four finishers as well as the 6^th position. Jaden Kingsley, Caleb Kenyon and Jeff Wedding each recorded career bests in the effort. Kingsley led them to the line with an 8:13.76 and Kenyon at 8:15.49. The times moved them up the school's record book in the distance with them now sitting in 3^rd and 4^th.
 
Holden Gerth was the first Buccaneer to compete on the day as he took part in the high jump. He recorded a 1.96m for his best attempt of the day to finish in a tie for 6^th.
 
In the throwing events, Aaron Pierce had the best day of his career in indoor as he set personal bests in the shot put and weight throw taking 4^th in the first and 7^th in the latter event. His shot put mark of 14.53m (47' 8") moved him into the school's top ten for the event with him taking 9^th on the list. In the weight throw his best mark was a 15.20m (49' 10.50").
 
The Buccaneers have their next meet in two weeks. They will travel to Clemson, South Carolina to take part in the Bob Pollock Invitational from January 26-27.