Gator Country

Gators junior jumper Tony McQuay has been named one of 10 semifinalist for track and field's most prestigious award. / Photo courtesy UF communications

University of Florida junior Tony McQuay (Riviera Beach, Fla.) has been named a semifinalist for collegiate track and field’s biggest award – The Bowerman. He is among 10 male semifinalists for the award, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced this week.

With the collegiate season complete, the semifinalists will be evaluated by the 10-person Bowerman Advisory Board and three finalists will be named from the semifinalist group on Friday, June 29.

McQuay helped lead the Gators to their first NCAA Outdoor team title with a national crown in the 400 meters and as anchor of the 4x400-meter relay team that took victory. In the 400, McQuay claimed top honors with the season’s collegiate best time of 44.58 seconds, just ahead of Oregon’s Mike Berry. In the 4x400-meter relay, McQuay literally clinched the team title for the Gators.

Taking the baton in second place, Florida, down two points heading into the meet’s final event, needed to win the relay to secure at least a share of the team crown. McQuay, with a 44.01 split, fired past Southern California’s Bryshon Nellum to take the tape. Because LSU finished third in the relay, the Gators managed a four-point swing, enough to place Florida on top of the point standings.

He was the winner of the 400 meters at the SEC Championships, as part of an outdoor undefeated season in the event, in 45.48 and also led Florida to the SEC crown in the 4x400-meter relay. The 4x400 squad also won the Drake Relays title.

McQuay is the first since 2008 to sweep NCAA indoor and outdoor 400-meter crowns. He won the national indoor title in the season’s best by a collegian, 45.77.

McQuay extends the leads for Florida (5) and the SEC (9) on the all-time semifinalist men’s appearance list. Former Gator NCAA Champions Christian Taylor and Will Claye were semifinalists a year ago, with Taylor being named a finalist prior to his IAAF World Championship in the men’s triple jump.

Courtesy UF Communications

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