Florida Gators
SEC Championships-Day 4
Gator Track SecuresThird-Place Finishes at SEC
Monday, May 13, 2002 | Track and Field
Once again, the team championship came down to the final event on the final day of the Southeastern Conference track and field championships. With one event remaining in the women's meet, the Gators were in position to finish anywhere from first place to as low as third place. UF finished sixth in the 4x400m relay to secure third place in the meet. The men's team improved on its fifth place finish from the indoor season with a third place finish.
UF junior thrower LaQuanda Cotten was awarded the SEC Commissioner's Trophy as the high-point scorer of the meet. She is the first Gator to win the award since Becki Wells won the trophy indoors in 1997. The last time a Gator won the award outdoors was 1992 when Dionne Rose and Michelle Freeman shared the award.
"It was a good team effort. To be third in this meet still isn't that bad," Gator Women's coach Tom Jones said. "We projected to be at about 134 and we scored 133. Everything tell in place for South Carolina today. Give them credit"
"We scored in 18 of 20 events we entered this weekend, but I feel like we resurrected ourselves," Gator Men's Head Coach Doug Brown said. "We finally put a good meet together. This is a testament to the caliber of this league."
With the meet in the balance late in the day, the Gator women's team called upon its throws yet again. The shot putters came through with places one, two five and six for 25 big points. Candice Scott, the winner of the hammer throw yesterday was a double winner for the second time this season. She also won the weight throw and the shot put at the indoor conference championships. She had a mark of 54-2.5, which improves her personal best and her NCAA automatic qualifying status. It also further cements her in second place on the UF all-time list. Cotten was second at 50-4.5. Erin Gilreath was in the fifth scoring place at 47-11 and Scarlett Ekeroma was sixth at 47-8.5.
After running the fifth fastest time in the world last night, Rickey Harris was unable to repeat the feat. Harris was third in the finals with a time of 45.12. Harris then turned around and ran 50.22 to finish third in the 400m hurdles.
Matt Vincent won the high jump with a seasonal best and improved provisional qualifying mark of 7-3.25. He was joined on the award stand by Joe Squittieri in third place at 7-0.25. Together the tandem scored 16 points for the Gators.
"I felt pretty good. I came into practice a couple of days ago and felt I could do something," Vincent said after receiving his first-ever SEC Championship medal. "I was hoping to make a lot more first attempts, but I'm not going to complain."
In perhaps the two most exciting races of the day, UF was second in both the men's and women's 800m races. Moise Joseph made a charge from sixth place to finish second with a time of 1:46.65. Joseph ran down the NCAA Indoor runner-up from Tennessee at the wire for the team's eight points. In the women's race Melissa DeLeon was the athlete to be run down at the line. She was edged by Nicole Cook from Tennessee. DeLeon's time was 2:04.43 which improves her NCAA automatic qualifying time.
Early in the final day, UF earned 21 points in the women's pole vault. Megan Westfall won her third conference championship and her second consecutive outdoor title. She had a height of 12-8 to win. Stephanie Hood was third with a mark of 12-2 and setting a personal best was Chandra Lacombe who finished fourth. Ranked ninth in the conference coming into the weekend, Lacombe's mark was 12-2.
In a spectacular men's 200m final Taylor Jacobs ran a 20.59 time to finish fifth and improve his provisional qualifying status for the NCAA Championships. The time is a personal best.
In the short relays, both Gator teams were fourth with improved provisional qualifying times. The men's team won its heat and had a time of 39.80. The women's team was fourth in the fast heat in 44.45. Joseph was one of three Gator scorers in the men's 1,500m. He had a time of 3:45.45. Chris Duncan was sixth and Courtney Chambers was seventh.
Ryan McIntyre finished second in the discus to score eight points. He had a mark of 185-7. Nick Briley was sixth for the Gators with a mark of 164-0. Erik Newby was sixth in the triple jump with a seasonal best and a provisional qualifier of 51-6.5. He scored three points for the team.
Other scorers in running events were Norma Vega, seventh in the 1,500m and Paul Brown (seventh) and Josh Walker (eighth) in the 110m hurdles. Amber Robinson was sixth in the 100m dash.
UF Champions This Weekend (4)
Men (1): Matt Vincent-High Jump (2.22m/7-3.25)
Women (3): Candice Scott-Hammer Throw (60.54m/198-7); Shot Put (16.52m/54-2.5); Megan Westfall-Pole Vault (3.86m/12-8)
UF Qualifiers This Weekend (13):
Men (7)
Automatic: Rickey Harris-400m (44.84); Moise Joseph-800m (1:46.65)
Provisional: Brian DaCunha-Pole Vault (5.26m/17-3); Taylor Jacobs-100m (10.44); 4x100m Relay (Rickey Harris, Kyle Farmer, Ahmad Jasmine, Taylor Jacobs)-39.80; Erik Newby-Triple Jump (15.71m/51-6.5); Matt Vincent-High Jump (2.22m/7-3.25)
Women (6)
Automatic: Melissa DeLeon-800m (2:04.43); Candice Scott-Shot Put (16.52m/54-2.5)
Provisional: LaQuanda Cotten-Discus (53.62m/175-11); Keyon Soley-Long Jump (6.44m/21-1.5); 4x100m Relay (Amber Robinson, Faith Rein, Ebony Shotwell, Yolanda Thompson)-44.45; Yolanda Thompson-Triple Jump (12.80m/42-0)
FINAL Men's Team Scoring
1. Tennessee, 147
2. Arkansas, 133
3. Florida, 107
4. LSU, 105
5. Georgia, 84.5
6. Alabama, 58
7. South Carolina, 50.5
8. Auburn, 50
9. Mississippi State, 35
10. Mississippi, 25
11. Kentucky, 23
FINAL Women's Team Scoring
1. South Carolina, 148
2. Arkansas, 138
3. Florida, 133
4. LSU, 114
5. Auburn, 88
6. Tennessee, 52.5
7. Georgia, 49
8. Kentucky, 27
9. Alabama, 20
10. Vanderbilt, 19.5
11. Mississippi, 17
12. Mississippi State, 13
