Florida Gators
Gator Invitational
Sixteen NCAA Tickets Stamped at Gator Track Invite
Sunday, February 4, 2001 | Track and Field
Traditionally, the Gator Invitational has been a breeding ground for some of the nation's top times and distances. Today's edition of the meet was no exception. Two national leaders were recorded in the first three hours of the meet and a total of 61 NCAA qualifying marks (25 men, 36 women) were recorded at today's meet. The Gator men's team recorded five qualifying marks and the women's team finished the day with 11 tickets stamped for the NCAA championships.
Yolanda Thompson and Keyon Soley have become quite a tandem in the long jump. Two weeks ago at the SEC Quad meet, Soley set the school record and automatically qualified for the NCAA championships. She hit a provisional qualifying mark and finished third in today's competition with a mark of 20-5.25. Thompson, already a provisional qualifier in the triple jump, hit a provisional mark in the long jump this afternoon. She leapt 20-2.25 and finished fourth, one place behind Soley. Thompson was the big winner in the triple jump with a mark of 43-0.25 wand she provisionally qualified for the NCAA championships. Her mark is good enough for second on the all-time Florida list. Thompson concluded her busy day by running on the second leg of the winning 4x400m relay team that provisionally qualified for the NCAA championships with a time of 3:41.86.
"Yolanda's just starting to scratch the surface. She's really jumping well now," head coach Tom Jones said following her performances. "She's jumping farther now than she was at the end of last outdoor season."
Four UF runners provisionally qualified for the national meet in the 800m. Kristina Bratton finally broke through and beat her sister Kamille. Kristina was second with a time of 2:08.77, Nona Allen took third with a time of 2:08.81, Melissa DeLeon qualified for her first NCAA meet with a time of 2:08.85 and Kamille clocked in at 2:09.80.
Candice Scott won her second weight throw title of the season and improved her provisional qualifying distance with a mark of 61-8.5. That throw ranks her second all-time at Florida. Nikki Benjamin finished fourth in the 55m. Her time of 6.90 is a provisional qualifying mark, but not as fast as her time from the first meet of the season. The same goes for Amber Robinson who finished seventh with a time of 6.94. Erin Merten provisionally qualified for the mile with a time of 4:44.76. Her time was 76-hundredths of a second off the automatic qualifying time.
Stephen Jones qualified for a return trip to the NCAA championships in the 55m hurdles with a third place time of 7.35. Freshman Rickey Harris was close behind Jones, finishing in fourth place with a time of 7.41. Courtney Chambers finished second in the mile run with a time of 4:10.12. He was second to Florida's Moises Joseph who was running unattached. Geno White provisionally qualified for the NCAA championships in the 400m with a third place time of 47.22. White has already provisionally qualified for the 200m. He is now joined by his roommate Aaron Armstrong who finished second in today's 200m with a time of 21.27. Armstrong then ran the second leg of the 4x4m relay that finished third but achieved a provisional qualifying time of 3:11.05
Matt Vincent won his first high jump with a height of 6-11. Vincent's teammate, Joe Squittieri took third with a height of 6-9. Brian DaCunha set his second personal best in as many meets with a pole vault of 16-10.75. That mark earned him fourth place. After winning his first two meets of the season, Nick Briley finished third in the shot put with a mark of 53-2.25. Briley's teammate, Jeff Rubenstein, was fourth with a mark of 53-2.25.Gabor Mate of Auburn provisionally qualified for the NCAA's with a winning mark of 59-5, ranking him 10th in the nation. Maurice Lewis participated in his first long jump competition of the season. He had some hamstring troubles and finished seventh with a mark of 24-0.75.
The two national-leading marks were set by athletes from SEC teams. Savante Stringfellow long jumped 27-0 for the national lead, a new Gator Invitational record and a new O'Connell Center record. Ron Bramlett of Alabama jumped into the national lead with a 55m Hurdle time of 7.15.
Florida Qualifiers:
Automatic: none
Provisional: M: Stephen Jones, 55mH (7.35); Geno White, 400m (47.22); Aaron Armstrong, 200m (21.27); Erik Newby, triple jump (15.68/51-5.5); 4x400m relay (White, Armstrong, Harris, Abiola--3:11.05) W: Candice Scott, shot put (18.81m/61-8.5); Nikki Benjamin, 55m (6.90); Amber Robinison, 55m (6.94); Erin Merten, mile (4:44.76); Yolanda Thompson, long jump (6.15/20-2.25); triple jump (13.11/43-0.25); Kristina Bratton, 800m (2:08.58); Nona Allen, 800m (2:08.81); Melissa DeLeon, 800m (2:08.85); Kamille Bratton, 800m (2:09.59); 4x400m relay (Nikki Benjamin, Yolanda Thompson, Amber Robinson, Faith Rein--3:41.86)
TOP THREE AGATE
University of Florida
GATOR INVITATIONAL 02/03/01
Preliminaries EVENT 15 WOMEN'S 55 METER DASH
Heat 1: 1. Lee, Muna, Lsu 6.89
Heat 2: 1. Jett, Keisha, Unattached 6.89
Heat 5: 1. Jones, Teneeshia, Mississippi 6.88
1. Jones, Teneeshia, Mississippi 6.83; 2. Lee, Muna, Lsu 6.87; 2. Jett, Keisha, Unattached 6.87
Finals EVENT 23 WOMEN'S 200 METER DASH
1. Lee, Muna, Lsu 23.44; 2. Robinson, Amber, Univ. of Flo 23.96; 3. Jett, Keisha, Unattached 23.97
Finals EVENT 19 WOMEN'S 400 METER DASH
1. Smith, Ronetta, Lsu 54.29; 2. Howard, Donna, Unattached 54.34; 3. Rein, Faith, Univ. of Flo 55.12
Finals EVENT 21 WOMEN'S 800 METER RUN
1. Watson, Natalie, Univ.Of Miam 2:08.58; 2. Bratton, Kristina, Univ. of Florida 2:08.77; 3. Allen, Nona, Univ. of Florida 2:08.81
Finals EVENT 17 WOMEN'S 1 MILE RUN
1. Merten, Erin, Univ. of Flo 4:44.76; 2. Williams, Jolene, U. OF South Florida 4:50.11; 3. Arnot, Rita, U. OF South 4:51.34
Finals EVENT 25 WOMEN'S 3,000 METER RUN
1. Sauder, Rachel, Unattached 9:15.76; 2. Quinn, Tara, U. OF South 9:49.86; 3. Strunz, Susanne, Lsu 9:52.71
Finals EVENT 31 WOMEN'S 5,000 METER RUN
1. Johnson, Nerissa, Auburn 17:25.59; 2. White, Hillary, Univ. of Florida 17:35.01; 3. Lopez, Eliana, Univ. of Flo 17:55.75.
Preliminaries EVENT 13 WOMEN'S 55 METER LOW HURDLES
Heat 1: 1. Sams, April, Lsu 7.91
Heat 2: 1. Jones, Lolo, Lsu 7.99
Heat 4: 1. Jett, Keisha, Unattached 7.75
1. Jett, Keisha, Unattached 7.75; 2. Jones, Teneeshia, Mississippi 7.76; 3. Jones, Lolo, Lsu 7.78
Finals EVENT 29 WOMEN'S 4X400 METER RELAY
1. Univ. of Flo 3:41.86; 2. South Cara 3:42.25; 3. Univ.Of Miam 3:43.95
Finals EVENT 5 WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP
1. Houston, Lynn, Nat's Athlet 1.78m (5-10); 2. Barnett, Brandy, Mississippi 1.73m (5-08); 3. Ostrov, Jamie, Georiga Tech 1.68m (5-06); 3. Jean-Pierre, Farah, Florida Inte 1.68m (5-06)
Finals EVENT 7 WOMEN'S POLE VAULT
1. Westfall, Megan, Univ. of Flo 3.91m (12-10); 2. Hawkins, Laura, Univ. of Florida 3.81m (12-06); 3. Osborn, Lindsay, Florida Stat 3.66m (12-0)
Finals EVENT 3 WOMEN'S LONG JUMP
1. Wilks, Antoinette, South Cara 6.60m (21-08); 2. Black, Kerine, U. OF South Florida 6.40m (21-0); 3. Soley, Keyon, Univ. of Flo 6.23m (20-05.25)
Finals EVENT 11 WOMEN'S TRIPLE JUMP
1. Thompson, Yolanda, Univ. of Flo 13.11m (43-00.25); 2. Black, Kerine, U. OF
South 12.94m (42-05.50); 3. Clarke, Kareen, Univ.Of Miam 12.76m (41-10.50).
Finals EVENT 9 WOMEN'S SHOT PUT
1. Scott, Candice, Univ. of Flo 14.95m (49-00.75); 2. Keppeler, Lynette, South Florida Cara 14.90m (48-10.75); 3. Elliott, Naomi, Alabama 14.53m (47-08)
Finals EVENT 1 WOMEN'S WEIGHT THROW 20LB
1. Scott, Candice, Univ. of Flo 18.81m (61-08.50); 2. Wren, Janna, Alabama 17.41m (57-01.50); 3. Dickerson, Jukina, Unattached 17.25m (56-07.25)
Preliminaries EVENT 16 MEN'S 55 METER DASH
Heat 1: 1. Totton, Andre, South Cara 6.33
Heat 2: 1. Tilley, Rico, S Alabama 6.32.
Heat 3: 1. Armstrong, Aaron, Univ. of Flo 6.31
1. Shelton, James, Mississippi 6.26; 2. Totton, Andre, South Cara 6.31; 3. Carter, Marcell, Gator Alumni 6.32
Finals EVENT 24 MEN'S 200 METER DASH
1. Carter, Marcell, Gator Alumni 21.26; 2. Armstrong, Aaron, Univ. of Florida 21.27; 3. Triggs, Kendrick, Mississippi 21.39
Finals EVENT 20 MEN'S 400 METER DASH
1. Counts, Brandon, Baylor 46.71; 2. Kamani, Bayano, Baylor 47.02; 3. White, Geno, Univ. of Flo 47.22
Finals EVENT 22 MEN'S 800 METER RUN
1. Lekote, Otukile, South Cara 1:49.44; 2. Gathuka, Moses, Auburn 1:51.06; 3. Thompson, Floyd, Baylor 1:51.16
Finals EVENT 18 MEN'S 1 MILE RUN
1. Joseph, Moises, Unattached 4:08.89; 2. Chambers, Courtney, Univ. of Florida 4:10.12; 3. Joseph, Zepherinus, U.Of North F 4:11.45
Finals EVENT 26 MEN'S 3,000 METER RUN
1. Dugan, Chris, NC State 8:04.29; 2. Duncan, Chris, Univ. of Flo 8:13.27; 3. Murray, Brian, S Alabama 8:21.76
Finals EVENT 32 MEN'S 5,000 METER RUN
1. Spangler, Paul, Unattached 14:56.97; 2. Bishop, Andy, Unattached 15:05.67; 3. Heissner, Zach, Florida Stat 15:16.30
Preliminaries EVENT 14 MEN'S 55 METER HIGH HURDLES
Heat 1: 1. Eiland, Deandre, South Cara 7.38
Heat 4: 1. Bramlett, Ron, Alabama 7.12; 2. Taylor, Corey, South Cara 7.33
1. Bramlett, Ron, Alabama 7.15; 2. Taylor, Corey, South Cara 7.33; 3. Jones, Stephen, Univ. of Flo 7.35
Finals EVENT 30 MEN'S 4X400 METER RELAY
1. Baylor 3:06.06; 2. Auburn 3:09.50; 3. Lsu 3:09.76
Finals EVENT 28 MEN'S DISTANCE MEDLEY
1. Mississippi 10:22.55; 2. Florida A&M 10:39.88
Finals EVENT 6 MEN'S HIGH JUMP
1. Bland, Christian, Florida Stat 2.11m (6-11); 2. Vincent, Matt, Univ. of Florida 2.11m (6-11); 3. Harness, Sherman, Baylor 2.06m (6-09)
Finals EVENT 8 MEN'S POLE VAULT
1. Steddum, Chris, South Cara 5.15m (16-10.75); 2. Autenreith, Jim, Baylor 5.15m (16-10.75); 2. Dean, Jason, Florida Stat 5.15m (16-10.75).
Finals EVENT 4 MEN'S LONG JUMP
1. Stingfellow, Savante, Mississippi 8.23m (27-0); 2. Davis, Walter, Lsu 8.01m (26-03.50); 3. Pate, Miguel, Alabama 8.00m (26-03)
Finals EVENT 12 MEN'S TRIPLE JUMP
1. Leason, Malcom, Unattached 15.80m (51-10); 2. Newby, Erik, Univ. of Florida 15.68m (51-05.50); 3. Smith, Traun, Lsu 15.15m (49-08.50)
Finals EVENT 10 MEN'S SHOT PUT
1. Mate, Gabor, Auburn 18.11m (59-05); 2. Bishop, Adam, South Cara 16.39m (53-09.25); 3. Briley, Nick, Univ. of Flo 16.21m (53-02.25)
Finals EVENT 2 MEN'S WEIGHT THROW 35LB
1. Oglesby, Isiah, NC State 19.48m (63-11); 2. Nieto, Javier, Lsu 19.05m (62-06); 3. Andrews, Stacy, Mississippi 17.86m (58-07.25)
END OF REPORT
