Gators Nab Three Titles on Final Day of SEC Outdoors

Saturday, May 14

Tuscaloosa, AL

Florida Gators

SEC Outdoor Championships

Eric Futch is the first Gator since Kerron Clement (2004-05) to win the 400-meter hurdles title.

Gators Nab Three Titles on Final Day of SEC Outdoors

Saturday, May 14, 2016 | Track and Field

UF's men posted its lowest finish since 1996, while the women fell outside the top six for the first time since 2006

By: Zach Dirlam

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Florida track and field program collected three titles on the third and final day of the SEC Outdoor Championships, but the men's team settled for sixth place and the women's club placed seventh in the team competition.

The first of Saturday's (May 14) titles came from Kyra Jefferson, who won joined Michelle Freeman (1992) as the only other Gator in history to win the 100 meters. It was just the third time Jefferson had run the 100 meters as a collegian.

Less than a half-hour later, redshirt junior Eric Futch claimed the ninth 400-meter hurdles title in program history. The Darby, Pa. native's winning time of 49.24 seconds was the fastest by an SEC champion since 2009, when South Carolina's Johnny Dutch took the title in 48.58. It also moved Futch to fourth on UF's all-time outdoor top 10.

The final title of the day came from the women's 4x400-meter relay team, as Claudia Francis' strong anchor leg erased a huge deficit down the homestretch and capped one of the meet's most exciting races in victorious fashion. The group, which also featured Robin Reynolds, Sharrika Barnett, and Taylor Sharpe, finished in 3:29.32, the No. 6-ranked time on the program's all-time outdoor top 10.

Florida also won last year's women's 4x400 title, making this only the third time in program history (1990-91, 1996-97) it captured back-to-back wins at the SEC Outdoor Championships.

Other All-SEC Second Team performers—the second- and third-place finishers in each event—were TJ Holmes (400-meter hurdles), Reynolds (400 meters), Arman Hall (200 meters), and the men's 4x400 relay team of Kunle Fasasi, Hall, Hugh Graham Jr., and Najee Glass.

A highlight-based replay of the event will be televised by ESPN2 at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday (May 15).

2016 SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS NOTES

Kyra Jefferson is the 13th woman in program history to win at least five career SEC indoor and outdoor titles
Jefferson's three career SEC Outdoor titles are tied for the seventh-most in program history
Eric Futch's winning time (49.24) in the 400-meter hurdles was the eighth-fastest title-winning time in meet history
Arman Hall is just the eighth man since 2007 to score in both the 200 meters and 400 meters
Hall's combined 11 points in the 200 and 400 are the fourth-most accumulated by any of the eight men
KeAndre Bates joins 2015 The Bowerman winner and former Gator Marquis Dendy as the only other jumper since 2007 to score in both the long jump and triple jump as a freshman and sophomore
Bates is also the third jumper since 2007 to post top-three finishes in the long jump as both a freshman and sophomore, joining Arkansas' Raymond Higgs (2011-12) and Alain Bailey (2007-08) as the only others to do so during that span
Florida's repeat victory in the women's 4x400 relay is the 13th in SEC history and first since Arkansas' consecutive wins in 2010 and 2011
Two Gators (Amber Johnson, Taylor Tubbs) scored in the women's 1,500 meters for the seventh time since 2009
Florida's three finalists in the 400-meter hurdles were the most in the event since Ole Miss had three in 2011
- The Gators are also just the third team since 2005 to have three 400-meter hurdles finalists, joining Georgia (2007), South Carolina (2008), and Ole Miss (2011) as the only other teams to do it
Anders Eriksson joined Georgia's Alex Poursanidis as the only freshman since 2006 to win the SEC title in the hammer throw
Eriksson's winning mark of 69.62 meters (228 feet, 5 inches) was the farthest SEC title-winning throw since 2010, when LSU's Walter Henning won with a top mark of 237 feet, 3 inches
UF's men finished outside the top five of the team standings for the first time since 1996, while its women finished outside the top six for the first time since 2006

2016 SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPION GATORS

Anders Eriksson, hammer throw – Third title in program history, second SEC freshman to win the event since 2006
Eric Futch, 400-meter hurdles – Ninth title in program history, first Gator in the event since Kerron Clement (2004, 2005)
Kyra Jefferson, 100 meters – Second in program history, third career SEC Outdoor title
Robin Reynolds, Sharrika Barnett, Taylor Sharpe, Claudia Francis, 4x400 Relay – Eighth title in program history, second consecutive SEC Outdoor title

SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern and subject to change)

Results (Prime Time Timing)
Television Replay: Sunday, May 15, 3 p.m. (ESPN2)
READ: Day One Recap
READ: Day Two Recap
SEC Outdoor Championships Central

Day Three – Saturday, May 14th
Event	Place (Points Scored), Athlete – Time/Mark [Wind] \| Notes
DT (W)	5 (4). Lloydricia Cameron – 53.25 meters (174-8)
	12. Jontavia Dykes – 46.08 meters (151-2)
TJ (W)	11. Darrielle McQueen – 12.68 meters (41-7.25) [+1.6]
	18. Yanis David – 12.15 meters (39-10.5) [+0.0]
PV (M)	t-12. Aaron Owens – 4.91 meters (16-1.25)
	Jared Watkins – NH
4x100 (M)	6 (3). Antwan Wright-Hugh Graham Jr.-Michael Timpson Jr.-Ryan Clark – 39.69
1,500m (W)	5 (4). Taylor Tubbs – 4:30.22
	7 (2). Amber Johnson – 4:30.46
TJ (M)	7 (2). KeAndre Bates – 15.72 meters (51-7) [+0.5]
DT (M)	9. Christopher Olson – 52.08 meters (170-10) \| Topped PR by 11 inches
110mH (M)	8 (1). Yanick Hart – 14.02 [+1.2]
400m (W)	3 (6). Robin Reynolds – 52.00 \| No. 11 time in Division I; No. 4 time in East Region; All-SEC Second Team
400m (M)	4 (5). Arman Hall – 45.43
	7 (2). Najee Glass – 46.15
100m (W)	1 (10). Kyra Jefferson – 11.28 [-0.1] \| All-SEC First Team
100m (M)	7 (2). R. Clark – 10.32 [+1.0] \| All-SEC Freshman Team
800m (M)	8 (1). Andres Arroyo – 1:48.20
400mH (W)	4 (5). Claudia Francis – 56.62
400mH (M)	1 (10). Eric Futch – 49.24 \| No. 4 time on UF's all-time top 10; No. 2 time in Division I; East Region-leading time; All-SEC First Team
	3 (6). TJ Holmes – 49.96 \| No. 9 time on UF's all-time top 10; No. 4 time in Division I; No. 2 time in East Region; All-SEC Second Team
	9. Gabriel Aird – 52.45
200m (W)	Jefferson – DNS
200m (M)	3 (6). Hall – 20.34 [+0.4] \| All-SEC Second Team
5,000m (W)	10. Tubbs – 16:36.39
	17. Elisabeth Bergh – 16:57.27 \| First collegiate outdoor 5,000 meters race
	Johnson – DNF
5,000m (M)	23. Charles Chambers – 14:48.44
	25. Jimmy Clark – 14:50.73
	31. Magnus Pettersen – 15:05.84 \| First collegiate outdoor 5,000 meters race
	32. Jack Guyton – 15:06.47 \| First collegiate outdoor 5,000 meters race
	33. Mac Reynolds – 15:09.16
	35. Eddie Garcia – 15:14.60
4x400 (W)	1 (10). R. Reynolds-Sharrika Barnett-Taylor Sharpe-Francis – 3:29.32 \| No. 6-ranked time on UF's all-time outdoor top 10; All-SEC First Team
4x400 (M)	2 (8). Kunle Fasasi-Hall-Hugh Graham Jr.-Glass – 3:03.36 \| All-SEC Second Team

Day Two – Friday, May 13th
Event	Place (Points Scored), Athlete – Time/Mark [Wind] \| Notes
LJ (W)	6 (3). Yanis David – 6.31 meters (20-8.5) [-0.8] \| No. 27 mark in Division I; No. 18 mark in East Region; All-SEC Freshman Team
	13. Darrielle McQueen – 6.06 meters (19-10.75) [+1.0]
	21. Kimani Rushing – 5.74 meters (18-10) [+1.7]
JT (W)	2 (8). Marija Vucenovic – 57.81 meters (189-8) \| No. 3 mark on UF's all-time top 10; No. 4 mark in Division I; No. 2 mark in East Region; All-SEC Second Team
	9. Kike Oniwinde – 49.15 meters (161-3)
	16. Megan Reed – 45.23 meters (148-4)
LJ (M)	3 (6). KeAndre Bates – 7.78 meters (25-6.25) \| All-SEC Second Team
SP (W)	5 (4). Lloydricia Cameron – 16.49 meters (54-1.25)
3kSC (W)	12. Devin McDermott – 10:42.32 \| Topped PR by 2.08 seconds
3kSC (M)	7 (2). Mark Mutz – 8:54.88 \| No. 46 time in Division I; No. 21 time in East Region; topped PR by 16.36 seconds

Day One – Thursday, May 12th
Event	Place (Points Scored), Athlete – Time/Mark [Wind] \| Notes
HT (W)	4 (5). Jayla Bostic – 59.51 meters (194-11)
	18. Jontavia Dykes – 46.37 meters (152-1)
HT (M)	1 (10). Anders Eriksson – 69.62 meters (228-5) \| Third SEC hammer throw champion in school history; All-SEC First Team; All-SEC Freshman Team
	15. AJ McFarland – 60.25 meters (197-8)
10,000m (M)	9. Eddie Garcia – 30:18.64
	Jimmy Clark – DNF

Notes: only finals results listed; all NCAA Division I and East Region rankings are for the 2016 season and based on results as of May 11 and SEC Outdoor Championships results through May 14

Men's Top Five Teams
Place	Team	Points
1.	No. 4 Arkansas	121
2.	No. 1 Texas A&M	101
3.	No. 9 Alabama	88
4.	No. 3 LSU	86
5.	Ole Miss	66.5
6.	No. 2 Florida	64

Women's Top Five Teams
Place	Team	Points
1.	No. 2 Arkansas	126.75
2.	No. 10 Texas A&M	82
3.	No. 1 Kentucky	80
4.	No. 13 Tennessee	76
5.	No. 7 LSU	75
7.	No. 6 Florida	61

HEARING OUT (COACH) HOLLOWAY
Florida head coach Mike Holloway on his overall assessment of UF's week at the SEC Championships…
"It was a great meet as always. Very pleased with Kyra Jefferson winning the 100 (meters) today. It was a special moment. Unfortunately, she hurt herself right at the end of it. Very, very proud of Eric Futch; he's been through some ups and downs, had a bad ankle most of the year, but he's done a lot of quality work and was able to be the SEC champion today. Also a great run by Claudia Francis at the end of the 4x4 to bring us back from out of it to being the SEC champions.

"Overall, it's a disappointing weekend for us. We feel we're better than what we showed. On the women's side, when you lose your two best sprinters—Kyra and Shayla (Sanders)—you lose your 4x1, and you don't have your best hurdler here, and other things go wrong, a team that can fight for the title is just another team. On the men's side, we've got to get a few things figured out. We've got to get back to Gainesville and get better.

VIDEO FOOTAGE