SEC Indoor title and newcomer Strausa have Gators women revved up for NCAA meet
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 | Softball, Track and Field, Scott Carter
Gators track and field coach Mike Holloway sensed something special could happen for the UF women's team at the SEC Indoor Championships two weeks ago in Lexington, Ky.
He knew the women had the talent to win the title. But Holloway felt the same way last year, too.
This time was different. He saw a transformation ignited during a team meeting last April.
“When they walked into the building, they were determined to come out champions and they did,'' Holloway said earlier this week.
The Florida women, boosted by points in 16 of 20 scoring opportunities, handily defeated LSU for the conference title. The Gators now have their sights set on the NCAA indoor title this weekend in Nampa, Idaho.
(Photo: Newcomer Agata Strausa adds to UF women's title hopes).
Holloway was pleased with the way the UF women entered the building in Kentucky and equally pleased to hear them talk about how they can improve as they exited the meet with the championship trophy.
“I stood up here a year ago and I talked about the women's team getting better and how we needed to have a better focus and start believing in ourselves,'' Holloway said. “The women have done that.”
Florida's only individual champion at the SEC Indoor meet was Florence Ngetich in the 5,000 meters, but several athletes finished in the top three of their respective events, including newcomer Agata Strausa in the mile.
Strausa, who is from Riga, Latvia, didn't join the team until January. However, she has quickly made her presence felt and helped the Gators set a school record in the women's distance medley last week at the Columbia Last Chance Meet in New York.
Strausa teamed with Ebony Eutsey, Shelby Hayes and Cory McGee to finish the event in a school-record 10:58.77.
Strausa's arrival has added more firepower to a women's roster that was already much-improved from a season ago due a more confident approach.
“Anytime you have an athlete of her caliber come into your program it kind of puts a little more excitement,'' Holloway said. “When she got here in January and the other girls got to see her level of talent and her level of commitment, she really fit in for what we're trying to do here.”
The men finished second at the SEC Indoors but as both squads prepare for the NCAA meet, the expectations are high considering the talent.
The women hope to build off their success at the SEC meet. The men hope to overcome some of the mistakes that cost them the team title.
“The NCAA meet is all about scoring opportunities,'' Holloway said. “We have put ourselves in good position with both the men and women to be very successful.”
