Gator Men's Track Team Signs Four in Early Period
Wednesday, November 22, 2000 | Track and Field
The University of Florida men's track team announced that it signed four athletes during the early signing period. Together these four sprinters have combined to win over 35 high school state championships in their respective classifications. They should continue to excel under the direction of Florida sprint coach Mike Holloway.
In the past two years, Florida is the only team in the nation to qualify an individual for the national championships in every sprint and relay event. Last spring, the Gator sprint program brought home the school's first ever NCAA championships in the 100m and the 4x100m relay. The relay team posted a school record time of 38.35, which was also the fastest time in American collegiate history.
"We are very excited about signing these four very talented athletes during the early signing period," Florida head track and field coach Doug Brown said. "They will have some big shoes to fill with our graduating seniors, but we feel they have the potential and talent to do so."
Florida's 2001 signing class includes Kyle Farmer (Columbia, Md., Oakland Hills HS), Ahmad Jasmine (Baton Rouge, La., Christian Life Academy), Bryan Sears (Hinesville, Ga., Liberty County HS) and Josh Walker (Atlanta, Ga., Stephenson HS). The four athletes are veterans of both national and international competition and will help to fill the void that will be left by the upcoming graduation of sprinters Aaron Armstrong, Geno White and hurdler Stephen Jones.
"I look forward to working with these athletes for the next four years," Holloway said of the signing class. "I feel confident that they will continue the tradition that our sprint program has established here."
Florida is coming off a fourth-place finish at the NCAA outdoor championships, its first trophy-winning campaign since 1990, where it registered a school-record 50 points. Over the past four years, the sprint group has helped Florida become one of the premier programs in the country. Since 1996, 35 of the 43 All-America honors handed upon the Florida men's track program have come from the sprinters. The 2001 Gators open their indoor season at home with the Florida Intercollegiate on Jan. 13 in the O'Connell Center.
2001 SIGNEE PROFILES:
Kyle Farmer
Columbia, Md.
Oakland Hills High School
18-time state champion... Fourth at the 2000 indoor national scholastic championships in the 200m (21.81)... Second at the 2000 outdoor national scholastic championships 200m (21.15)... 2000 Maryland state champion in the 400m (47.81)... 1999 Maryland state champion in the 100m (10.64) and the 200m.
Ahmad Jasmine
Baton Rouge,La.
Christian Life Academy
11-time state champion... 2000 Louisiana state indoor champion in the 400m (48.51), ranking him sixth nationally... Finished third at the 2000 indoor national scholastic championships in the 400m (48.51)... 1999 Louisiana state outdoor champion in the 100m (10.42) and the 400m (47.01).
Bryan Sears
Hinesville, Ga.
Liberty County High School
Six-time state champion... 1999 Georgia state outdoor champion in the 100m (10.42) and the 200m (21.01)... Member of the IAAF youth world championship team that competed in Budgoszcz, Poland in 1999, placing second in both the 100m and 200m.
Josh Walker
Atlanta, Ga.
Stephenson High School
Two-time state champion in 2000 alone... 2000 Georgia state champion in the indoor 60m hurdles (7.87) and the outdoor 110m hurdles (13.67)... Georgia state runner-up in the 300, hurdles (37.60)... finished fifth and was the top prep finisher at the US junior national championships in the 110m hurdles (14.23)... 2000 champion at the Golden South Championships, third at the Golden West Championships... Placed third at the national scholastic championships... Member of the IAAF youth world championship team that competed in Budgoszcz, Poland in 1999, finishing second in the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.84.
End of Report
