2016 Season Preview: Jumps

KeAndre Bates burst onto the scene with a third-place finish in the triple jump at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championship.

2016 Season Preview: Jumps

Tuesday, January 12, 2016 | Track and Field

Florida loses a pair of national champions, but returns two All-Americans with bright futures

By: Zach Dirlam

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida track and field program turned in yet another outstanding jumps season in 2015, and expectations are high for the young corps returning for the 2016 campaign.

Below is a preseason synopsis of the Gators' jump groups.

Horizontal Jumps
Losing Marquis Dendy, who swept both the indoor and outdoor long jump and triple jump national titles on his way to claiming The Bowerman in 2015, and 2015 NCAA Indoor Championship triple jump winner Ciarra Brewer will be a challenge for the Gators, but it is one they are well prepared for.

Two-time United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Americans Darrielle McQueen (indoor long jump, outdoor long jump) and KeAndre Bates (indoor long jump, indoor triple jump) will both look to build on outstanding freshman campaigns.

With personal bests of 8.02 meters (26' 3.75") and 16.42 meters (53' 10.5"), Bates is the No. 3- and No. 5-ranked returner in the long jump and triple jump, respectively, for the upcoming indoor season.

The El Paso, Texas native is the only underclassman in the top 10 of either indoor event. Bates is also one of two returning Division I athletes ranked inside the indoor top 15 of both horizontal jumps.

25840 — McQueen enjoyed a successful summer, logging two top-five finishes at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championship.

McQueen will enter the indoor season ranked No. 10 in the triple jump (12.86 meters; 42' 2.75") and No. 12 in the long jump (6.30 meters; 20' 8"). The rising sophomore is one of two underclassmen ranked 12th or higher in both horizontal jumps.

Newcomers Yanis David, Kimani Rushing, and Ebony Luster will give McQueen plenty of competition.

David, the 2014 Youth Olympic Games Gold Medalist in the triple jump, enters with personal bests of 6.24 meters (20' 5.75") and 13.65 meters (44' 9.5") in the horizontal jumps. Both of those marks would have been good enough to score points at the NCAA Championship meets, save for the outdoor long jump.

Pole Vault
Redshirt senior Jared Watkins, who notched top-12 finishes at both SEC Championship meets, headlines a deep group of pole vaulters returning for the 2016 season.

25863 — Watkins is hoping to score points for UF at the SEC Championships.

Rising sophomore Harry Glasser is the only other returning vaulter with meet experience as a Gator.

Florida will also turn to two athletes who redshirted last season—Aaron Owens and Jordan Mansour—for contributions and intra-squad competition.

Owens recorded top-12 finishes at the Atlantic Coast Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2014, his true freshman season at Clemson. Owens will aim to make an impact as a redshirt sophomore this winter and spring.

True freshmen Michael Harris and Jenn Kistemaker will look to push the veterans throughout the season.

High Jump
Rising sophomore Jhonny Victor is Florida's lone returning high jumper. The Orlando, Fla. product has spent the offseason with the basketball team, which cut could into his potential impact during the indoor season.

However, the 2015 All-SEC Indoor and Outdoor Freshman Team honoree should have a chance to score at the conference's outdoor championship.

Notable Numbers

UF's 15 indoor and outdoor men's jump national titles since 2003 are eight more than any other Division I program has amassed during that timeframe
Florida is one of four programs in Division I history with multiple national titles in both men's horizontal jumps
Since 2003, Gator jumpers lead all of Division I in men's indoor jump national titles (seven) and men's outdoor jump titles (eight), with their outdoor total being twice as much as the next-closest program
Florida's men have won six consecutive triple jump titles at the NCAA Outdoor Championship, which is tied for the longest streak in Division I history, regardless of gender or indoor-outdoor designation
The Gators own three women's indoor triple jump national titles, tied for the second-highest total in Division I history
UF is one of three SEC programs with at least three indoor horizontal jump national titles

Returners: KeAndre Bates (long jump; triple jump), Harry Glasser (pole vault), Jordan Mansour (pole vault), Darrielle McQueen (long jump; triple jump), Aaron Owens (pole vault), Jhonny Victor (high jump), Jared Watkins (pole vault)

Newcomers: Yanis David (long jump; triple jump), Michael Harris (pole vault), Jenn Kistemaker (pole vault), Ebony Luster (long jump; triple jump), Kimani Rushing (long jump; triple jump)