Florida’s ranked track teams won three events and posted 20 NCAA regional-qualifying marks on the first day of the 65th Pepsi Florida Relays in the Jamie Pressly Stadium at the Percy Beard Track Complex. The relays conclude today, with first events starting at 9 a.m.
“It thought overall it was a great day for our team,” Florida head coach Mike Holloway said. “We had great weather out on the track and that’s just what we needed. I thought it was important for our team to have a number of great performances in a lot of different areas. As a whole, we are continuing to show that we really have a balanced track and field team, and we perform well in a number of different events.”
Freshman distance runner Genevieve LaCaze of Australia set two NCAA regional-qualifying marks during her first collegiate outdoors meet. LaCaze won the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:30.79, shattering the previous freshman record of 11:08.96. She began the day by running the 1,500 meters in 4:22.18 to add another regional-qualifying effort to her resume. LaCaze finished third in the 1,500, one of three Gators to finish in the top five in the evening. Junior Charlotte Browning was second in an NCAA regional-qualifying time of 4:20.22. Sophomore Kaitlin Shiver finished fifth with a NCAA regional-qualifying time of 4:26.56.
Freshman hurdler William Wynne won his first collegiate event, the 400-meter hurdles, in an NCAA regional-qualifying time of 49.67. Wynne had a regional-qualifying time of 13.92 to finish third in the 110-meter hurles. Senior Dennis Martin was second in the event with his 13.91 clocking.
Junior Calvin Smith was second in the men’s 400 meters in 45.32 seconds. Freshman Christian Taylor was third with a regional-qualifying time of 45.34.
Florida won the men’s 4×200-meter relay with the fourth fastest time in school history – 1:21.68. The team was composed of Taylor, Terrell Wilks, Jeremy Hall and Smith. Hall and WIlks each registered regional-qualifying marks in the 100 meters. Hall was fifth in 10.45 seconds, while Wilks with 10th in 10.49.
Freshman Fidela James broke the freshman school record in the women’s hammer with a throw of 156 feet, 9 inches, breaking by more than six feet her previous personal best set last week at the Florida State Relays.
Junior All-American Shara Proctor was second in the long jump with a regional-qualifying effort of 20 feet, 7 inches. In the pole vault, Natalie Moser had a regional-qualifying mark of 13 feet, 5¼ inches and Daisy Glasser had a regional-qualifying effort of 12-7½.
Junior Sean Blaney was second in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase with a regional-qualifying time of 9:04.32, which eclipsed his previous best in the evening by almost 29 seconds. Justin Taylor had a personal-best 3:45.31 in the 1,500 meters, also a regional-qualifying time.
Beau Burroughs was fifth in the men’s discus with a regional-qualifying toss of 170 feet, 7 inches. Former Gator All-American Wes Stockbarger won the event with a heave of 191 feet, 5 inches.
Junior mid-distance runner Carlos Phillips turned in a regional-qualifying effort in the men’s 800 meters with his time of 1:46.86.