No. 9 South Carolina Secures NCAA Bid With 2nd Place Finish

November 13, 2026 Rachel Kim – Technology Editor Technology

No. 9 South Carolina secured an NCAA Championship auto bid on Friday by finishing second at the NCAA Southeast Regionals at Spartanburg’s Roger Milliken Center, University of South Carolina Athletics reported.

The Tech TL;DR:

  • South Carolina finished second among 44 teams at the NCAA Southeast Regionals with 100 points on Friday.
  • Junior Salma Elbadra led the Gamecocks by finishing second overall in the 6K race with a time of 18:56.7.
  • The team advanced to the NCAA Championships scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, in Terre Haute, Ind.

Salma Elbadra Breaks 6K Record

Elbadra covered the 6K course in 18:56.7 to rebreak her own school record, which she set just two weeks prior at the SEC Championships, according to University of South Carolina Athletics. The program finished with 100 points on the course, trailing second-ranked NC State by 19 points in a field featuring seven top-25 sides among 44 competing teams.

Behind Elbadra, fifth-year Abir Reffas finished 14th with a time of 19:40.5, and first-year Louise Bailly placed 16th with a personal-record 6K mark of 19:44.2. Junior Abigail White crossed in 20:11.4 for 32nd place, and junior Teresa Cherotich completed the scoring contingent in 36th at 20:14.4. Seniors Anya Arroyo and Emma Torbert finished 37th and 59th respectively in the 268-finisher field, earning Elbadra, Reffas, and Bailly USTFCCCA All-Region honors for top-15 finishes.

Head Distance Coach Assessment

“I’m extremely pleased and happy with these ladies today,” head distance coach Brock Moreaux told University of South Carolina Athletics.

Moreaux pointed to the depth of the roster following the regional performance.

“We’re definitely in the deepest region in the country right know so we knew the task going to be difficult, so I’m stoked with the way they stepped up and got the job done,” Moreaux told University of South Carolina Athletics.

“Every race we’ve been able to interchange our top five and it’s just girls that when they’re having a good day, they’re able to help each other and if they’re not having their best day, they’re able to fill the gaps,” Moreaux told University of South Carolina Athletics.

“For the team to step up and be that close to NC State who is top two in the country, that’s an awesome day for us.”

NC State Leads Southeast Region Standings

The Southeast Region standings recorded #2 NC State in first place with 71 points, followed by #9 South Carolina with 100 points, #12 Clemson with 105 points, #14 Virginia Tech with 137 points, and #22 Virginia with 139 points. The second-place finish matched the program’s best placement at the regional event, equaling the silver finish from the previous year.

The 2026 NCAA Championships will take place in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday, Nov. 21. South Carolina previously placed 15th in its first-ever NCAA Championships appearance in 2025.

Always consult with certified IT and cybersecurity professionals before altering enterprise networks or handling sensitive data.

Worth a look