Garcia’s SEC Title Highlights Successful Day One of Conference Championships

Thursday, May 14

Starkville, MS

Florida Gators

SEC Outdoor Championships

Garcia’s SEC Title Highlights Successful Day One of Conference Championships

Friday, May 15, 2015 | Track and Field

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Behind junior Eddie Garcia's first-career Southeastern Conference title, the University of Florida men's and women's track & field teams sit third and seventh following day one of the SEC Outdoor Championships. This week's meet is being held at the Mike Sanders Track and Field Complex in Starkville, Miss.

The Jacksonville, Fla. product grabbed the crown in the 10,000-meter run as he crossed the finish line in a time of 29:49.92. Garcia won the event for the sixth time in Florida history and becomes the first to do so since teammate Jimmy Clark won the race at the 2013 league championships.

Speaking of Clark, he finished ninth in tonight's race with a time of 30:53.38.

Also contributing to the Gator men's team score of 16 points was thrower Kyle Strawn as he placed third in the hammer with a toss of 65.23 meters (214-0).

On the women's side, UF totaled three team points led by a pair of Gators in the hammer throw. Junior Jayla Bostic led the way as she finished in eighth place with a mark of 54.87m (180-0), while freshman Lloydricia Cameron captured ninth with a throw of 53.28m (174-10). In the women's 10,000, rookie Lauren Brasure crossed the finish line in seventh place with a time of 35:39.12.

In addition, Florida qualified seven athletes, five men and two women, for finals following all of tonight's preliminary races.

Entering this week, UF owns nine SEC outdoor championships, four on the men's side ('53, '56, '87, '10) and five in women's action ('92, '97, '98, '03,'09).

HEARING OUT HOLLOWAY

On Eddie Garcia:

“It's an unbelievable accomplishment for Eddie (Garcia). You're talking about a guy that really comes to work every day and does what we ask of him. But that was still a big surprise for everyone. Words can't explain how proud I am of him and Coach Spangler. Also, those points are obviously huge for our team. I think we had a great day overall and his race was a great way to cap it off.”

On UF's throwers today:

“We thought Jayla (Bostic) would throw a little further than that, but we are pleased that she was able to get some points for our team. On the men's side, Kyle (Strawn) has been consistently in the top four all year long, so to get third I am very proud of him.”

On UF's efforts in the prelims:

“I thought that we did a great job of qualifying tonight. We had a few bumps in the road but we were able to get two guys in the 400-meter hurdles, a guy and girl in the 200-meter dash and a few in the 800-meter race too. We just need to get back to the hotel tonight, get some rest and come back tomorrow with the same fire and intensity that we had tonight.”

EDDIE GARCIA – 2015 SEC 10,000-METER RUN CHAMPION

On getting stronger as the race went:

“Our race plan was to keep myself in position the entire way. Also, we've been doing a lot of speed work, Jimmy (Clark) and I, so we both knew that if it came down to the finish then we'd be alright.”

On the final two laps of the race:

“With just those couple of laps left, I was just trying to score as many points as I could for the Gators, you know? This is the SEC Championships and I just ran with my heart during the end of the race. It was just all heart.”

THURSDAY PRELIM NOTABLES

· Ryan Schnulle and Andres Arroyo each qualified for the men's 800-meter dash finals as they recorded the third (1:47.20) and eighth (1:47.74) fastest times.

· In the women's 800-meter dash, Claudia Francis finished with the ninth-quickest time (2:07.44) to advance to the finals.

· Dedric Dukes and Kyra Jefferson qualified for the 200-meter dash men's and women's finals with times of 20.45 and 22.93 seconds, respectively.

· In the men's 400-meter dash hurdles, Eric Futch ranked second (50.42) and TJ Holmes (52.14) is eighth, as they qualified for the event's finals.

2015 GATOR SEC CHAMPIONS

Eddie Garcia: Men's 10,000-meter run (29:49.92)

TEAM STANDINGS THROUGH DAY ONE

Women

1. Texas A&M, 20

2. Missouri, 18

3. Arkansas, 10

4. Alabama, 9

5. Kentucky, 8

6. Auburn, 5

T7. FLORIDA, 3

T7. Vanderbilt, 3

9. Georgia, 2

Men

1. Georgia, 25

2. Texas A&M, 17

3. FLORIDA, 16

4. Ole Miss, 10

5. Arkansas, 8

5. Kentucky, 8

5. Mississippi State, 8

8. Missouri, 6

8. South Carolina, 6

8. Auburn, 6

11. LSU, 4

12. Tennessee, 3

2015 SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS | THURSDAY RESULTS

COMPLETE THURSDAY GATOR COMPETITORS
FIELD EVENTS
WOMEN'S HAMMER THROW	8. Jayla Bostic (54.87m/180-0), 9. Lloydricia Cameron (53.28m/174-10)
MEN'S HAMMER THROW	3. Kyle Strawn (65.23m/214-0)
TRACK EVENTS
MEN'S 800M PRELIM	3. Ryan Schnulle (1:47.20), 8. Andres Arroyo (1:47.74) \| both Gators qualify for finals
WOMEN'S 800M PRELIM	9. Claudia Francis (2:07.44) \| qualifies for finals
MEN'S 200M PRELIM	1. Dedric Dukes (20.45, -0.6) \| qualifies for finals, 24. Damien Daniels (22.05, -0.9), DQ. Antwan Wright
WOMEN'S 200M PRELIM	1. Kyra Jefferson (22.93, -0.6) \| qualifies for finals, 10. Destinee Gause (23.52, -0.6)
MEN'S 400H PRELIM	2. Eric Futch (50.42) \| qualifies for finals, 8. TJ Holmes (52.14) \| qualifies for finals, 12. Gabriel Aird (53.44), 13. Maurice Dix (53.44)
MEN'S 10,000M FINAL	1. Eddie Garcia (29:48.39), 9. Jimmy Clark (30:53.38)
WOMEN'S 10,000M FINAL	7. Lauren Brasure (35:39.12) – pictured below

2015 SEC OUTDOORS GATORS MEET SCHEDULE (All times CT)

Friday Schedule

FIELD EVENTS

2:00PM	MEN'S LONG JUMP PRELIM & FINAL – Dendy / Bates
	Marquis Dendy PR: 8.10m/26-7
	KeAndre Bates PR: 7.62m/25-0

2:00PM	WOMEN'S LONG JUMP PRELIM & FINAL – McQueen
	Darrielle McQueen PR: 6.22m/20-5

4:00PM	MEN'S SHOT PUT PRELIM & FINAL – Zunic
	Stipe Zunic PR: 20.60m/67-7

4:00PM	WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP FINAL – Burke
	Taylor Burke PR: 1.85m/6-0.75

5:00PM	WOMEN'S DISCUS PRELIM & FINAL – Cameron / Dykes
	Lloydricia Cameron PR: 51.48m/168-11
	Jontavia Dykes PR: 47.91m/157-2.25

TRACK EVENTS

3:45PM	MEN'S 1500M PRELIM – Chambers
	Charles Chambers PR: 3:52.61

4:00PM	WOMEN'S 1500M PRELIM – Tubbs / Perry / Huskey / Hayes / Greene
	Taylor Tubbs PR: 4:21.90
	Lauren Perry PR: 4:24.85
	Macy Huskey PR: 4:30.45
	Shelby Hayes PR: 4:19.72
	Becky Greene PR: 4:17.36

4:20PM	MEN'S 110M HURDLES PRELIM – Hart / Pitt / Chambliss
	Yanick Hart PR: 13.91
	Moriell Pitt PR: 14.16
	Caleb Chambliss PR: 14.59
4:40PM	WOMEN'S 100M HURDLES PRELIM – Owens / McEnany / Favors / Eady
	Bridgette Owens PR: 12.71
	Ryann McEnany PR: 13.85
	Ashley Favors PR: 14.20
	Tyjah Eady PR: 13.87

5:00PM	MEN'S 400M PRELIM – Glass / Hall / Uruburu
	Najee Glass PR: 44.79
	Gino Hall PR: 44.82
	Nick Uruburu PR: 46.57

5:20PM	WOMEN'S 400M PRELIM – Reynolds / Washington / Nunn
	Robin Reynolds PR: 51.36
	Destiny Washington PR: 54.24
	Julie Nunn PR: 55.56

5:40PM	MEN'S 100M PRELIM – Dukes / Wright / Daniels / Osorio
	Dedric Dukes PR: 10.29
	Antwan Wright PR: 10.20
	Damien Daniels PR: 10.85
	Tyler Osorio PR: 10.92

5:55PM	WOMEN'S 100M PRELIM – Sanders
	Shayla Sanders PR: 11.20

6:20PM	MEN'S STEEPLECHASE FINAL – Parrish
	Mark Parrish PR: 8:42.38

6:40PM	WOMEN'S STEEPLECHASE FINAL - McDermott
	Devin McDermott PR: she's never run the steeplechase at UF, so her time will be a PR