2016 FLORIDA GATORS TRACK & FIELD 6 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS | 99 INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL TITLES | 25 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS Reigning Champs • Florida’s men won the program’s eighth SEC Indoor Championships crown in 2015 • The Gators are eyeing consecutive indoor SEC titles for only the third time in program history (1975-96, 1987-88) Chasing No. 9 • Florida’s women are seeking the program’s ninth victory at the SEC Indoor Championships, with its most recent title coming in 2014. • The Gators have won three of the last six SEC Indoor Championships, nab- 2016 SCHEDULE bing titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. INDOOR January 22-23 Rod McCravy Memorial Lexington, Ky. It’s Not Preseason Anymore January 29-30 Razorback Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. • Florida’s men were ranked No. 1, while its women checked in at No. 6 in the USTFCCCA Preseason National Team Computer Rankings. Since then, February 5-6 Virginia Tech “Doc Hale” Elite Blacksburg, Va. the Gators dropped to No. 10 on the men’s side and jumped to No. 3 on the February 12-13 Iowa State Classic Ames, Iowa women’s side. Tyson Invitational Fayetteville, Ark. February 26-27 SEC Inoor Championships Fayetteville, Ark. Elite Quarter-Milers Trio • Florida is just the second women’s team since 2000 (Texas, 2015) boasting March 11-12 NCAA Indoor Championships Birmingham, Ala. three 400 meters runners--Claudia Francis, Kyra Jefferson, Robin Reynolds-- with times faster than 52.40 seconds before the NCAA Indoor OUTDOOR Championships. March 18-19 UCF Invitational Orlando, Fla. • Last year’s Texas 4x400-meter relay team won the national title and clocked March 25-26 Raleigh Relays Raleigh, N.C. the sixth-fastest time in collegiate history. Trojan Invitational Los Angeles March 31-April 2 Pepsi Florida Relays GAINESVILLE Repeaters? • Senior sprinter Kyra Jefferson would be the seventh woman in history to April 22 Tom Jones Memorial GAINESVILLE win back-to-back 200 meters titles at the SEC Indoor Championships. April 29-30 Penn Relays Philadelphia • Senior sprinter Najee Glass would be the fifth man in history to win April 30 LSU Invitational Baton Rouge, La. consecutive 400 meters titles at the SEC Indoor Championships. Two of the May 12-14 SEC Outdoor Championships Tuscaloosa, Ala. previous men to do it--Tyrone Kemp (1989-90), Jimmie Hackley (1997-98)- May 26-28 NCAA East Preliminary Jacksonville, Fla. -were Gators. June 8-11 NCAA Outdoor Championships Eugene, Ore. • Senior middle distance runner Ryan Schnulle could become the sixth man in history and the first since Alabama’s Peter Etoot (2003-04) to win a July 1-10 United States Olympic Trials Eugene, Ore. second consecutive SEC Indoor Championships 800 meters title. • If either Schnulle or junior middle distance runner Andres Arroyo wins the 800 meters, it would be Florida’s third title in the event over the last four seasons. Only four programs (Tennessee, 1992-94; Arkansas, 1998-2000; Auburn, 2003-04, 2006; LSU 2007-08, 2010) have won three indoor 800 meters crowns in a four-year span. • Sophomore jumper KeAndre Bates could become the sixth man since FOLLOW THE GATORS 2002 to post top-five finishes in both horizontal jumps at consecutive SEC Twitter .......................................................................@GatorsTF Indoor Championships. Facebook .........Florida Gators Track & Field and Cross Country YouTube .........................................www.YouTube.com/c/uftrack Official Website .............................................. FloridaGators.com COMMUNICATIONS Track & Field Contact .............................................. Zach Dirlam Cell Phone Number ............................................ (517) 262-5109 Office Phone Number ........................ (352) 375-4683, ext. 6175 E-Mail .......................................................zachd@gators.ufl.edu MEET & BROADCAST INFORMATION Friday Live Streaming....................... 4:55-9:15 PM ET (SEC Network +) GatorVision Track & Field Contact .............................Kelly Price Saturday Live Streaming .................. 3:55-8:30 PM ET (SEC Network +) Office Phone Number ........................ (352) 375-4683, ext. 6631 Live Results .................................................................FlashResults.com E-mail ....................................................... [email protected] Television Replay................. Sunday, Feb. 28; 7:00-9:00 PM ET (ESPN) SEC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | Feb. 26-27 | Fayetteville, Ark. | RANDAL TYSON TRACK CENTER RETURNING 2015 SEC INDOOR COMPETITORS MEN NEWS & NOTES Athlete Event 2015 Finish Andres Arroyo 800m 2nd (1:48.48) KeAndre Bates Long Jump 5th (7.58m/24-10.5) Triple Jump 5th (16.06m/52-8.25) Rarified Air Jack Beitter Mile 14th (4:12.64)* • Sprinter Ryan Clark is just the fourth Division I true freshman since 2000 to run faster Jimmy Clark 3,000m 7th (8:14.77) than 6.65 in the 60 meters and 20.94 in the indoor 200 meters. 5,000m 7th (14:15.41) • The other three to accomplish that feat are Florida State’s Walter Dix (2005) and Trentavis Eric Futch 400m 10th (46.72)* Friday (2015) and Tennessee’s Justin Gatlin (2001). Dix went on to win two silver medals Eddie Garcia 5,000m 12th (14:23.12) at the 2011 IAAF World Championships and two bronze medals at the 2008 Olympics--all Najee Glass 400m 1st (45.37) in the 100 and 200 meters. Gatlin eventually amassed 12 medals, including five golds, 4x400 relay 2nd (3:04.28) at the Olympics, IAAF World Championships, and World Indoor Championships. Friday Arman Hall 400m 4th (45.97) turned professional in November 2015. 4x400 relay 2nd (3:04.28) Yanick Hart 60mH 5th (7.84) • Clark also joined John Capel (1999) as the only other freshman in program history to Moriel Pitt 60mH 13th (8.07)* post such times. Capel was a 2000 Olympian, won gold medals in the 200 meters and Ryan Schnulle 800m 1st (1:48.25) 4x100-meter relay at the 2003 IAAF World Championships, and took bronze in the 200 Nick Uruburu 400m 6th (46.47) meters at the 2005 IAAF World Championships. 4x400 relay 2nd (3:04.28) Jared Watkins Pole Vault 10th (4.86m/15-11.25) Quite A Debut Antwan Wright 60m 7th (6.75) • In only her third collegiate attempt, Yanis David became the fifth Division I true freshman 200m 9th (21.26)* since 2000 to post a triple jump mark of 13.50 meters. WOMEN • The other four to do it are: Georgia’s Ketura Orji (2015), Florida State’s Kimberly Williams Athlete Event 2015 Finish (2008), Stanford’s Erica McLain (2005), and Miami (Fla.)’s Tabia Charles (2004). Aside Lloydricia Cameron Shot Put 9th (15.36m/50-4.75) from Orji, last year’s outdoor national champion and indoor national runner-up finisher, Weight Throw 13th (16.92m/55-6.25) each member of that group went on to compete at the Olympics and/or multiple World Claudia Francis 800m 3rd (2:04.39) Championships following their collegiate careers. 4x400 relay 4th (3:34.28) Becky Greene Mile 8th (4:43.87) Historic Double Duty DMR 6th (11:32.27) • Senior sprinter Claudia Francis is the only woman since at least 2002 to finish the 400 Kyra Jefferson 200m 1st (23.02) meters in less than 53 seconds and the 800 meters in less than 2:06 prior to the NCAA 400m 2nd (52.00) Indoor Championships. 4x400 relay 4th (3:34.28) Ryann McEnany 60mH 15th (8.81) • Francis is also the only woman in school history to crack the All-Time Indoor Top 10 in Darrielle McQueen Long Jump 5th (6.30m/20-8) both the 400 meters and 800 meters. Triple Jump 10th (12.67m/41-7) Shayla Sanders 60m 3rd (7.25) It’s Been A While 200m 15th (24.02)* • If redshirt sophomore pole vaulter Aaron Owens can clear his personal record of 5.21 Taylor Tubbs Mile 6th (4:43.87) meters, it would be the best clearance by a Gator at the SEC Indoor Championships since 3,000m 5th (9:31.84) Chip Heuser (5.25m) and Paul Condron (5.32m) both hit that mark in 2004. DMR 6th (11:32.27) • If two of Florida’s three pole vaulters can clear 5.00 meters, it would be fourth time UF’s RETURNING 2015 NCAA INDOOR done that since 2000. The Gators last accomplished that in 2008, when three vaulters ALL-AMERICANS cleared that height--which was the only time Florida’s accomplished that since 2000. MEN • Florida is seeking its first top-five finish in the men’s pole vault at SEC Indoor Championships since Mike Morrison took fourth place in 2008. Athlete Event 2015 Finish Andres Arroyo 800m 11th (1:49.18)* KeAndre Bates Long Jump 3rd (8.02m/26-3.75) KeAndre Bates, Christian Taylor, Same Sentence Triple Jump 7th (16.42m/53-10.5) • By finishing fifth in the long jump and triple jump at the 2015 SEC Indoor Championships, Eric Futch 4x400 relay DNF KeAndre Bates joined Florida alum Christian Taylor and Arkansas’ Tarik Batchelor as Najee Glass 400m 3rd (45.77) the only freshmen since 2000 to post top-five finishes in both horizontal jumps. 4x400 relay DNF • Taylor, a two-time world champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist in the triple jump, and Arman Hall 400m DNF Batchelor both accomplished the feat in 2009. Ryan Schnulle 800m 7th (1:50.93) Nick Uruburu 400m 11th (46.64)* 4x400 relay DNF Doubling Down • If both Yanis David and sophomore Darrielle McQueen score in both horizontal WOMEN jumps, it would mark only the fourth time since 2002 two teammates scored in the long Athlete Event 2015 Finish jump and triple jump at the SEC Indoor Championships. Claudia Francis 800m 13th (2:08.37)* 4x400 relay 5th (3:32.19) That 1-2 Finish Though Kyra Jefferson 200m 1st (22.63) • Andres Arroyo and senior Ryan Schnulle became just the third pair of teammates to 4x400 relay 5th (3:32.19) win and take runner-up honors in the men’s 800 meters at the SEC Indoor Championships.