The Gators left the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., on a high note. The UF women edged out LSU by one point to earn a win. The Gators finished second in the men’s field with 79.5 points.
Florida earned good results thanks to its depth on both the men’s and women’s teams.
Of the eight events in which the women placed in the top three, seven were comprised of juniors and underclassmen. The two seniors that placed — distance runners Mandy Perkins and Lanie Whittaker — teamed with two juniors to finish first in the distance medley relay.
Freshman sprinter Kyra Jefferson had a strong showing, placing first in the only two events she participated in: the women’s individual 200m on Friday and the women’s 4x400 relay on Saturday.
“We talk about that a lot, how the [4x400 relay] is the last thing people see at the meet, and it’s what they remember you by,” coach Mike Holloway said. “We always try to put our best foot forward with the relays, and our women did a tremendous job.”
The men also boasted impressive youth and depth.
Underclassmen accounted for both of the Gator men’s event victories. Freshman Ryan Schnulle won the individual 800m, and sophomores Dedric Dukes and Hugh Graham Jr. and freshman Arman Hall made up three-fourths of the Gators’ victorious 4x400 relay squad.
“I think our [4x400 relay] guys did a great job today,” Holloway said. “Leo (Seymore) stepped in for Najee Glass, just like he stepped in for us last year [during the outdoor season], and he was fantastic. He’s a real team player, and you can always count on him to step in and step up when you need him.”
From the Crimson Tide Indoor Opener and the Gator Invitational combined, Florida won 17 events with 13 of those victories coming from underclassmen. Only one senior won an event — thrower David Triassi took the men’s weight throw at the Gator Invitational on Jan. 17 in the O’Connell Center.
This weekend, the Gators will split up to compete in both the Frank Sevigne Husker Invite in Lincoln, Neb., and the New Balance Collegiate Invite in New York City.
“I think we’re ready to get back to Gainesville and get back to work,” Holloway said. “We need to be humble and stay hungry for what’s ahead, but I couldn’t be more proud of the effort we put forth this weekend.”
