COLUMBIA, S.C. – Bethune-Cookman opens its 2019 Indoor Track and Field Season Friday and Saturday at the University of South Carolina's Gamecock Invitational.

The two-day meet will the first collegiate in USC's new indoor track and field and complex. BCU will be one of over 30 teams competing, including Charleston Southern, The Citadel, Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, North Carolina, North Carolina A&T, North Florida, South Carolina State, South Florida and USC Upstate.

In addition, Olympic medalists Omar McLeod, who won gold for Jamaica in the 110m hurdles at both the 2016 Rio Olympics and  Bahamas native Steven Gardiner, who won a bronze medal in Rio as part of the 4x400m relay and a silver medal in the 400m at the 2017 World Championships, are scheduled to compete.

BCU's contingent includes Quamecha Morrison, who finished 10^th at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Nationals high jump and begins 2019 ranked ninth in the nation, Jeremiah Peters, who named Outstanding Field Performer at both the 2018 Indoor and Outdoor Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships, 2018 MEAC Cross County champ Carlin Berryhill, 2018 NCAA Outdoor championships participant Jordan Williams and Sade McCreath-Tardiel and 2018 MEAC 400 champion Asia Joe, who will only run the 800. Promising freshman Thea Shea will make her debut along Morrison in the high jump as well as the 60 and 4X4.

This is the first of four meets leading up to the MEAC Indoor Championships Feb. 21-23 in Landover, Md.

WEEKEND COVERAGE: Follow @bcutrackxc to links to live updates during the event.