After the first day of the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships, the No. 3 women’s team finished with 12 points, putting them in a tie for sixth place. The No. 10 men’s team ended the day in 10th place and will have finalists representing them in 10 events on Day 2.
Junior Yanick Hart started the competition by running the No. 3-ranked 60-meter hurdle prelims in school history with a time of 7.75 seconds. Hart’s time was also good enough for third place, behind South Carolina’s Isaiah Moore and LSU’s Jordan Moore. With the time, Hart qualified for the 60-meter hurdle finals.
In the 60-meter dash, freshman Ryan Clark (6.69) was the only Gator to qualify for the finals, while Gators’ freshman Michael Timpson Jr. and senior Antwan Wright finished in 10th and 17th, respectively. Clark (20.92) and senior Arman Hall (20.79) also qualified for the men’s 200-meter dash finals.
In addition, Hall (45.97) and senior Najee Glass (46.11) both qualified for the 400-meter dash finals.
“On the men’s and women’s side, just about everything we went to the line in we qualified someone for the finals,” UF coach Mike Holloway said in a release. “Getting Najee (Glass) and (Arman) Gino (Hall) back and running times to get them to the national meet was big.”
In the women’s 60-meter hurdle prelims, redshirt sophomore Skylar Ross-Ransom (8.21) was the only UF participant to qualify for the finals, while teammate junior Ryann McEnany (8.46) tied the No. 6 time in school history.
Senior Shayla Sanders shined in the 60-meter dash, running the second fastest time (7.24) and qualifying for the finals. Sanders went on to miss qualifying in the 200-meter dash finals by .04 seconds.
Senior Kyra Jefferson (22.79) will be the only athlete from the women’s team representing Florida in that competition.
“Shayla’s got to come out tomorrow and have a great 60. She’s the national leader, and needs to be the national leader,” Holloway said. “There’s nothing we can do about the past. We can’t rewind the clock. There’s no do-overs in track and field.”
In the mile, freshman Elisabeth Bergh (4:43.23) and junior Taylor Tubbs (4:44.62) both advanced to the finals.
In addition, senior Claudia Francis (52.73) seconds advanced to the finals in the 400 meter, while junior Andres Arroyo (1:47:08) advanced in the 800 meter.
Redshirt senior Jared Watkins scored a point for the men’s team in the pole vault competition with a jump of 5.00 meters, making him the first Gators vaulter since 2009 to clear 5.00 meters at the SEC Indoor Championships.
In the women’s shot put prelims, sophomore Lloydricia Cameron placed fourth, picking up five points.
“Overall, we still have some things we’ve got to work out. We’ve still got some people living in the past and not wanting to step up and do the things they’ve got to do,” Holloway said. “Overall, I thought it was a good day.”
The Gators start Day 2 competition at 2:00 pm on today with AJ McFarland in the weight throw event.
Contact Lauren Staff at lstaff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @Lstaff27.
UF coach Mike Holloway smiles during the 2015 Florida Relays at James G. Pressly Stadium.
