Success in sports is usually measured by how well a team or an athlete performs in a critical game or meet.
This weekend, Florida’s No. 1 men’s and No. 4 women’s track and field teams had their last two meets, the Tyson Invitational and the Iowa State Classic, before one of the biggest tests of the season: the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships.
Although the Gators have left room for improvement up to this point in the season, especially with a roster heavy with underclassmen, both teams have a chance to be contenders at the SEC Indoor Championships.
"We’ve got some injury problems on the men’s side," UF coach Mike Holloway said in a release.
"We’re just not very good right now on the men’s side, because we’re just banged up. We’ve got to get that figured out, get everybody healthy and training so we can be competitive."
Between the Tyson Invitational and the Iowa State Classic, Florida posted 10 more NCAA Division I top-16 marks.
The Gators also have upperclassmen standouts in Robin Reynolds and Shayla Sanders, as well as freshman Ryan Clark, who have helped carry the team through the first three meets.
On Saturday, Reynolds placed fourth with a time of 23.10 seconds in the 200-meter dash, which marked the second-best 200-meter time in UF history. Sanders came in 11th with a time of 23.39.
In the same event on the men’s side, Clark placed eighth with a time of 20.93, and in the process tied the No. 13 Division I 200-meter time.
"I was very proud of the ladies again. Robin and Shayla did a good job in the 200 (meters)," Holloway said.
"Ryan Clark did a good job. ... He had a great weekend."
Now, the Gators will have less than two weeks to get healthy and ready to compete in the SEC Indoor Championships on Feb. 26 and 27. The meet will be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, marking the third time the Gators will travel to Arkansas this season.
"When we’re back here in two weeks, we’ve got to be better, because that’s what we’re supposed to do," Holloway said.
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.
