Bates Named National Field Athlete of the Year, Gators Total 23 All-America Honors

Bates won the program's third indoor long jump national title and took runner-up honors in the triple jump.

Bates Named National Field Athlete of the Year, Gators Total 23 All-America Honors

Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | Track and Field

KeAndre Bates is the third Gator in history to earn national indoor recognition from the USTFCCCA

By: Zach Dirlam

NEW ORLEANS – Florida's KeAndre Bates was named the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year Tuesday (March 13) afternoon, while the Gators totaled 23 All-America honors for the 2017 season.

Bates is the third Gator in history to win an indoor national athlete of the year award. The El Paso, Texas native joins Marquis Dendy, the 2015 USTFCCCA National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, and Kerron Clement, the 2005 USTFCCCA National Indoor Athlete of the Year, as the only other Gators to do so.

Bates became the fourth Division I man since 2006 with top-2 finishes in both horizontal jumps at NCAA Indoor Championships. The junior won the third long jump national title in school history, and took runner-up honors in the triple jump.

Two weeks prior, Bates became the 11th man in history to sweep the horizontal jumps at SEC Indoor Championships.

Florida's 23 All-America honors included eight first-team accolades on the men's side, second only to Arkansas' nine (with relays only being counted as a single honor). Florida and Arkansas were the only programs with more than six such honorees.

Three of those eight honors came from freshmen Grant Holloway (60 hurdles) and Clayton Brown (high jump, triple jump). Only UTEP (two) had more than one freshman earn a first-team plaudit in an individual event. Holloway and UTEP half-miler Emmanuel Korir were the only freshmen to win individual titles at this year's NCAA Indoor Championships.

Other first-team honorees included Lloydricia Cameron (shot put), Yanis David (triple jump), Eric Futch (400 meters), Darrielle McQueen (long jump).

Below is the complete list of Florida's indoor All-Americans for the 2017 campaign.

Florida's USTFCCCA Indoor First-Team All-Americans
KeAndre Bates – Long Jump (NCAA Champion); Triple Jump (2nd)
Clayton Brown – High Jump (t-5th); Triple Jump (7th)
Ryan Clark – 4x400 relay (2nd)
Kunle Fasasi – 400 meters (finalist); 4x400 relay (2nd)
Eric Futch – 400 meters (5th); 4x400 relay (2nd)
Grant Holloway – 60-meter Hurdles (NCAA Champion); 4x400 relay (2nd)

Sharrika Barnett – 4x400 relay (8th)
Lloydricia Cameron – Shot Put (7th)
Yanis David – Triple Jump (2nd)
Destinee Gause – 4x400 relay (8th)
Brandee' Johnson – 4x400 relay (8th)
Darrielle McQueen – Long Jump (8th)
Taylor Sharpe – 4x400 relay (8th)

Florida's USTFCCCA Indoor Second-Team All-Americans
Andres Arroyo – 800 meters (10th)
Grant Holloway – Long Jump (11th)
AJ McFarland – Weight Throw (12th)

Sharrika Barnett – 400 meters (11th)
Darrielle McQueen – Triple Jump (15th)

The Gators open their outdoor campaign this weekend (March 17-18) at the Black & Gold Challenge, hosted by UCF in Orlando.

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