Valby finished in 14:56.11– a performance that is 16 seconds faster than the previous indoor collegiate record of 15:12.22, set by Emil Sisson of Providence College in 2015, and seven seconds faster than NC State’s Katelyn Touhy’s outdoor record of 15:03.12 set in 2023.
Valby’s individual title is now the first ever for Florida’s cross-country program on either the women’s and the men’s side.
With a total of 29 teams staggered across the turf, only two would automatically qualify for the NCAA XC National Championships Nov. 18 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Florida placed 2nd with 79 points, punching them a ticket straight to Panorama Farms, where the University of Virginia will host the race.
The Florida Gators women’s cross country team was united as ever Friday morning in Columbia, South Carolina. Not just by their matching nail sets and Gators face stickers, but also by the program’s first SEC Championship title since 2012.
Brutal 19 mph winds and heavy rainfall – nowhere near ideal conditions for a cross country race. But a course record from redshirt junior Parker Valby and a top-5 finish for the Gators in the women’s 6k championship seems to dismiss such pessimistic thinking.
UF dominated the podium at its second meet of the season with a first place finish for the men in 39 points and a second place finish for the women in 42 points.
After a two week hold on the season, Florida Gators running made their Fall 2023 debut on their home course at the Mountain Dew Invitational. Fifteen total colleges competed with all 15 competing on the men’s side and 14 on the women’s. This totaled to 178 runners in the men’s 7800 meter race and 139 in the women’s 3 mile, with Florida’s men’s team finishing in 3rd and the women’s in 1st.
The Fall cross country season is approaching, meaning another cycle of new faces, performances and expectations. For Will and Samantha Palmer — who recently joined Florida as coaches — “new” has become familiar.
The annual Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity philanthropy event, the Watermelon Bust, is a disgrace to those who are involved in service activities in their community, and it's disgusting to see it mentioned in this paper.
Solutions by The State News
