Saturday, March 19
Orlando, FL
Florida Gators
at
Black & Gold Challenge
Devin McDermott raced into Florida's all-time outdoor top 10 at the Black & Gold Challenge.
McDermott’s Steeplechase Helps Gators Close Black & Gold Challenge on High Note
Saturday, March 19, 2016 | Track and Field
The Gators totaled four all-time outdoor top 10 marks and 10 personal records this weekend
ORLANDO, Fla. – The University of Florida track and field program completed its first meet of the outdoor season on Saturday (March 19) afternoon, as it wrapped up competition at the Black & Gold Challenge with two more all-time top 10 marks and seven personal records.
Despite rainy conditions throughout most of the day, in addition to a lightning delay that pushed back the start of the field events by nearly five hours, redshirt junior Devin McDermott cracked UF's all-time top 10 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The Bradenton, Fla. native's time ranks No. 8 in program history on the women's side.
Sophomore Lloydricia Cameron, the top collegian in both the discus and shot put, moved into the No. 8 spot on Florida's all-time outdoor top 10. Her mark of 16.07 meters topped her previous outdoor shot put personal record by nearly two feet.
Former Gator Keely Medeiros, representing Brazil, was the only thrower to top Cameron in the shot put.
For a second consecutive day, sophomore Jontavia Dykes turned in a massive PR. After a 50-plus foot PR in the hammer throw on Friday (March 18), Dykes notched nearly an eight-foot PR in the discus.
Three of the four Gators in the men's 800 meters race recorded personal records to round out the day.
BLACK & GOLD CHALLENGE MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern and subject to change)
HEARING OUT (COACH) HOLLOWAY
On the Florida all-time top 10 marks set this weekend…
"It was good to see Anders open up the way he did. We are expecting big things out of him. I know he and Coach (Steve) Lemke are both excited. It's good to have somebody we feel like can help us at the conference and national meets (as a true freshman). For AJ (McFarland) to have that improvement, as a redshirt freshman, is exciting. Devin (McDermott) has been working hard, putting in a lot of time and effort with Coach (Paul) Spangler. It was great to see that."
On his overall thoughts on the group that competed this weekend…
"I thought Jontavia Dykes had a good weekend—big PR for her in the discus. I also thought the young men in the 800 (meters) did well. Our talk and focus has just been on going out and getting better, and I feel like everyone who put the uniform on this weekend did that."
AND THEY'RE OFF TO…
Next up for the Gators are trips to the Raleigh Relays and Trojan Invitational, with the latter event being hosted by Southern California in Los Angeles. Both meets will be held next Friday (March 25) and Saturday (March 26).
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators; #PushTheButton; LastOneBestOne FinishTheMission
Despite rainy conditions throughout most of the day, in addition to a lightning delay that pushed back the start of the field events by nearly five hours, redshirt junior Devin McDermott cracked UF's all-time top 10 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The Bradenton, Fla. native's time ranks No. 8 in program history on the women's side.
Sophomore Lloydricia Cameron, the top collegian in both the discus and shot put, moved into the No. 8 spot on Florida's all-time outdoor top 10. Her mark of 16.07 meters topped her previous outdoor shot put personal record by nearly two feet.
Former Gator Keely Medeiros, representing Brazil, was the only thrower to top Cameron in the shot put.
For a second consecutive day, sophomore Jontavia Dykes turned in a massive PR. After a 50-plus foot PR in the hammer throw on Friday (March 18), Dykes notched nearly an eight-foot PR in the discus.
Three of the four Gators in the men's 800 meters race recorded personal records to round out the day.
BLACK & GOLD CHALLENGE MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern and subject to change)
| Day One – Friday, March 18th | |
| Event | Place, Athlete – Mark/Time | Notes |
| JT (W) | 1. Megan Reed – 42.30 meters (138-9) | Collegiate debut |
| HT (W) | 4. Jontavia Dykes – 53.71 meters (176-2) | Topped PR by 51 feet, 4 inches |
| HT (M) | 1. Anders Eriksson – 69.83 meters (229-1) | No. 2 mark on UF's all-time top 10 |
| 3. AJ McFarland – 60.66 meters (199-0) | No. 6 mark on UF's all-time top 10 | |
| 6. Angel Parra – 50.63 meters (166-1) | Florida debut | |
| Day Two – Saturday, March 19th | |
| Event | Place, Athlete – Mark/Time | Notes |
| DT (W) | 2. Lloydricia Cameron – 50.79 meters (166-8) | Top collegiate finisher |
| 4. Jontavia Dykes – 50.32 meters (165-1) | Topped PR by 7 feet, 11 inches | |
| DT (M) | 3. Christopher Olson – 46.87 meters (153-9) | Collegiate debut |
| SP (W) | 2. Cameron – 16.07 meters (52-8.75) | No. 8-ranked mark on UF's all-time outdoor top 10; top collegiate finisher |
| 3kSC (W) | 1. Devin McDermott – 10:51.65 | No. 8-ranked time on UF's all-time top 10 |
| 3kSC (M) | 1. Mark Mutz – 9:46.44 |
| 2. Bryce Statham – 9:52.25 | Collegiate debut | |
| 1,500m (W) | 4. Macy Huskey – 4:34.02 |
| 5. Amber Johnson – 4:34.24 | Topped PR by 6.04 seconds | |
| 15. Julie Wollrath – 4:54.27 | Collegiate debut | |
| 1,500m (M) | 1. Carlos Miranda – 3:54.98 |
| 3. Mac Reynolds – 3:55.64 | |
| 7. Charles Chambers – 4:11.68 | |
| 800m (M) | 5. Jack Guyton – 1:51.25 | Collegiate debut |
| 6. Jack Beitter – 1:51.33 | Outdoor debut; topped high school PR by 7.48 seconds | |
| 7. Magnus Pettersen – 1:51.46 | Topped high school PR by 1.22 seconds | |
| 9. Jack Rogers – 1:53.00 | Collegiate debut; topped high school PR by 2.68 seconds | |
HEARING OUT (COACH) HOLLOWAY
On the Florida all-time top 10 marks set this weekend…
"It was good to see Anders open up the way he did. We are expecting big things out of him. I know he and Coach (Steve) Lemke are both excited. It's good to have somebody we feel like can help us at the conference and national meets (as a true freshman). For AJ (McFarland) to have that improvement, as a redshirt freshman, is exciting. Devin (McDermott) has been working hard, putting in a lot of time and effort with Coach (Paul) Spangler. It was great to see that."
On his overall thoughts on the group that competed this weekend…
"I thought Jontavia Dykes had a good weekend—big PR for her in the discus. I also thought the young men in the 800 (meters) did well. Our talk and focus has just been on going out and getting better, and I feel like everyone who put the uniform on this weekend did that."
AND THEY'RE OFF TO…
Next up for the Gators are trips to the Raleigh Relays and Trojan Invitational, with the latter event being hosted by Southern California in Los Angeles. Both meets will be held next Friday (March 25) and Saturday (March 26).
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators; #PushTheButton; LastOneBestOne FinishTheMission
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