Gators' Revamped 4x400 Relay Team Has Big Finish In Mind
Thursday, April 21, 2016 | Track and Field, Scott Carter
Freshman Kunle Fasasi joins veteran trio this weekend at Tom Jones Invitational
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Tom Jones Memorial Invitational is the Florida track and field team's final home event of the season.
Beyond that, this weekend's meet at Percy Beard Track is when the Gators start to gaze ahead toward their ultimate goal, adding more conference and national titles to their trophy cases inside the Lemerand Center.
That often means tweaks to the lineup for Gators head coach Mike Holloway.
"It's kind of what we do this time of year,'' Holloway said Wednesday afternoon underneath a beautiful sky. "We'll see how special they are. Right now, we just want them to stick their nose in it and compete."
In this case, Holloway was speaking about four specific Gators. They lingered around the track as Holloway spoke, preparing for another day of practice toward what they hope is a memorable finish to the outdoor season.
Individually, seniors Arman "Gino" Hall, Najee Glass and Hugh Graham Jr. have provided Holloway his share of thrills the past four seasons. Collectively, they can be scary good.
The trio, along with former UF sprinter Dedric Dukes, stands alone in UF's record books as a 4x400-meter relay team. In 2014 they ran the fastest 4x400 time in NCAA history (2 minutes, 59.73 seconds) at an outdoor event other than the NCAA Championships. The time remains a school record and third-fastest time in NCAA outdoor history.
Holloway is teaming Hall, Glass and Graham Jr. with freshman Kunle Fasasi for the first time this weekend in search of bettering Florida's top time (3:03.42 on April 2 at the Pepsi Relays) in the 4x400 relay this season.
Fasasi replaces junior Eric Futch, who specializes in the 400-meter hurdles, as the Gators prime for a postseason run.
"We know we're better than that,'' Holloway said.
As of Wednesday, Holloway remained uncertain what legs each of the sprinters would run on the relay. No one seems concerned. Not with this foursome.
"I feel like when we're all running together, having those guys on the same team, it gives us a little more pump, more energy, because we're all good,'' Graham Jr. said. "We don't want to let each other down. Us together, I feel like we can't be stopped."
For Graham Jr. and Glass, both enter the Tom Jones Invitational in search of creating distance from the recent past. Graham Jr. was injured during the outdoor season a year ago and continues to round into form for the stretch run of his college career.
Graham Jr. plans to run the 4x100 relay and the 400 as an individual this weekend in addition to taking his turn on the 4x400 relay team.
"He is just starting to get his confidence back,'' Holloway said. "Anyone who knows Hugh Graham Jr. knows he is the ultimate competitor. He wants to get back to the NCAA meet. He wants to be in the final. He wants to challenge for a national title."
Meanwhile, Glass had a disappointing indoor season due to nagging injuries. As a junior he won the 400 SEC indoor title and was part of UF's outdoor national champion 4x400 relay team in 2013 as a freshman.
He is confident better days are ahead with an opportunity to run with Graham Jr., Hall and Fasasi.
"I hope to break the record our 400 team set my sophomore year,'' Glass said. "I feel like this group can definitely shatter that record. Not just break it, but shatter it. It's a very talented group."
Fasasi is the newcomer but has quickly proven he deserves an opportunity to join the trio of seniors in an event the Gators have traditionally excelled in.
He joined the program out of the O.A.U International School in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Fasasi was a bronze medalist in the 400 at the 2015 African Junior Athletics Championships and is one of his native country's top up-and-coming Olympic hopefuls.
Earlier this month at the Pepsi Relays, Fasasi won the 400 with a time of 45.43 seconds, which ranks second in NCAA Division I this season.
"Ever since fall I have been telling people he is going to do great things,'' Glass said.
Holloway is not surprised at the instant impact Fasasi has made on the program.
"He offers a lot. We knew when we were recruiting him that he was special,'' Holloway said. "The big thing is he has a competitive drive and spirit we expect. We just have to figure out what exact order we're going to run with those guys."
As for Hall, a two-time national champion in the 4x400 during his UF career, he has been a rock for Holloway over the past four years. If the others face question marks, Hall is often the answer.
"He has run some fantastic relay legs for us so far,'' Holloway said. "He has been on the biggest stage. He has kind of run the gamut. He knows if he puts a great race together, he'll run a great time."
The field includes strong 4x400 entries from Texas Christian University and international teams from Great Britain and Belgium.
Graham Jr. welcomes the competition. This is the time of year the Gators usually shine.
"We like our chances,'' he said. "Always."
