Olympian Natasha Hastings to be Inducted into University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame
Columbia, S.C. – University of South Carolina track and field standout Natasha Hastings will be inducted into teh school’s Athletics Hall of Fame,the Association of Lettermen announced. The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 23 inside Williams-Brice Stadium, with honorees also recognized during the football game against Alabama on Saturday, October 25.
Hastings, a former Gamecock who competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, initially struggled to fully appreciate her relay medals, feeling they didn’t receive the same recognition as individual achievements. “For a long time in my career, I didn’t celebrate those (relay) medals,” Hastings said. “To this day, I couldn’t tell you how many medals I’ve won in my career because of all the relays and because there was always another race, and I was thinking about the individual medals.” She later came to value the meaning of those team championships, sharing her experiences with her son while watching the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
A key member of the U.S. Olympic team, Hastings secured a gold medal in the 4x400m relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics after placing fourth in the open 400m competition.She competed for the Gamecocks from 2007-2011.
Hastings recounted the moment she learned of her Hall of Fame selection. “I had missed (Athletics Director) Jeremiah Donati’s call, then saw that he texted me, and I said, this has to be it!” Hastings said. “The last three or four years, whenever it was announced my mom would say, how are you not in the Hall of fame.” She also expressed excitement about being inducted alongside fellow honorees Mollie Patton, a former classmate, and A’ja Wilson. “When I saw the class, I was excited because I was in school with Mollie for a little bit, and when I saw that A’ja was in the class, I said, OK, this is a big deal!”
Hastings is eager to share the Hall of Fame Weekend with her six-year-old son and family. The 2025 Hall of Fame class will also be honored at the event.
