Before the Pre-NCAA Invitational began Saturday, UF coach Todd Morgan knew the women's team had a chance to do something never done before at the event: finish in the top four.
"It exceeded what I thought," Morgan said. "Before the race, I thought we could have finished as a top-three or top-four team, but we definitely finished higher than I imagined."
The No. 9 women's team finished in second place during the White Race, only trailing No. 1 Washington, which is the highest finish at the Pre-National Invitational in UF history. Last season, the women placed fifth, which was previously the highest finish for the Gators at the race.
Graduate student Stacey Johnson finished in eighth place in her second race as a Gator. Her time of 20:50.3 during the 6K race set the seventh-best time in UF history as well as setting her own personal-best.
"Stacey has started the season out great, and we anticipate her on getting better," Morgan said during an interview Wednesday.
Rebecca Lowe was the second Gator to cross the line, finishing behind Johnson in ninth place. The redshirt sophomore, who ran her first race since 2007 two weeks ago, also set a new personal-best time of 20.51.1 and recorded the ninth-best time in UF history.
The UF women's team never had two top-10 finishers at the Pre-National meet, which is one of the most important regular-season meets during the year, before Saturday's race.
UF finished ahead of two higher-ranked teams during the White Race, No. 5 Princeton, who finished in third, and No. 8 Minnesota, who finished in sixth.
The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association will be releasing Regional rankings today and National rankings Tuesday. Morgan anticipates the women's team to jump in the polls as a result of the strong finish at the Pre-National meet.
"Rankings now will start to change quite a bit," Morgan said. "People will have to move us up since we beat several teams who are ranked ahead of us."
The UF men's team finished in 15th place, with junior Anthony Morales as the first Gator to finish, placing 57th. Morales has been the first Gator to cross the finish line during the three races he has competed in.
The Gators next race will be on Oct. 31 during the Southeastern Conference Championships in Oxford, Miss. The women were a pre-season favorite to win the SEC meet.
"Both teams are seeing what we can do when we focus and drive hard," Morgan said. "As we head into the championship portion of the season, we know we can accomplish the goals we set out."
