Mike Holloway has made Florida a national powerhouse, as well as a consistent producer of Olympians and world champions.
Mike Holloway, Gators Agree to 10-Year Contract Extension
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 | Track and Field
Mike Holloway has led the Gators to eight national titles and 14 SEC Championships during his head coaching tenures with the men's and women's teams
Link to feature story by FloridaGators.com Senior Writer Scott Carter.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida track and field and cross country head coach Mike Holloway and the Gators agreed to a 10-year contract extension, Athletic Director Scott Stricklin and the University Athletic Association announced Wednesday morning.
Holloway, currently in his 16th season as men's head coach and 11th season as women's head coach, will now be under contract through June 30, 2028.
"This is where he wants to be, and when a guy like Mouse Holloway says he wants to finish his career here, you don't have to be a very smart athletic director to go, 'Well, let's figure out a way to make that happen,'" Stricklin said.
"I can't tell you how good that makes me feel," Holloway said. "This time of year with jobs opening, there's always people calling with interest. It's nice to be courted, it's nice to be wanted, I guess, but at the end of the day, the trigger for me was when Scott said to me, 'I want to make you my track and field coach. I want you to be here as long as I'm here and as long as you want to be here.' That was big for me.
"That squelches all the noise," Holloway continued. "There are people talking about me going to other schools. This puts it to bed. It's important to me (the student-athletes) know I'm totally committed to them and this university. There's a commitment on both sides here. Scott wants me here, I want to be here; we want to move forward and want to stop all the noise in the room, because it's pretty loud. We want to quiet it down and get back to the business of what we do: performing at a high level at the championship meets.
"We've spent a lot of time building this program. I just don't know if I could ever walk away from this. I don't know how I could. Anybody who knows me knows that I love this place. I'm just so thankful to everybody around me that's worked so hard along with me to get us where we are."
Holloway, has led the Gators to eight national titles and 14 Southeastern Conference championships, in addition to 60 individual national titles, 159 individual SEC titles and six collegiate records (three of which still stand today) during his tenure as head coach—which began in 2003 (men) and 2008 (women).
Florida's eight NCAA titles on the men's side lead all Division I programs by three titles since 2010, when the Gators won their first under Holloway. Holloway's eight national titles are also the most by any coach in the history of Florida athletics.
Even more impressive than the national titles on the men's side has been the team's remarkable consistency at the NCAA Championships. In the 31 NCAA Championship meets Holloway has been head coach for, Florida's men boast 20 top-2 finishes, while no other program claims more than nine during that span.
While at times overshadowed by the men's astronomical success, Florida's women have been impressive in their own right during Holloway's tenure. The Gators are one of seven programs in the country with at least six top-4 finishes at NCAA Championship meets since Holloway became head coach in 2008, with the most recent occurrence coming at March's NCAA Indoor Championships. And Florida's five SEC indoor and outdoor titles are the third-most by any conference program since 2008, with the fifth coming two weeks ago as part of the program's first-ever SEC Outdoors sweep.
Florida's women are also one of three Division I programs with at least one NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier in all 21 events contested at the meet since 2008.
The following notes give added perspective to Holloway's historical achievements with the Gators:
Holloway began his career at Florida as a men's assistant coach in 1996, making this his 23rd season with the Gators. During his time as an assistant coach (1996-99) and associate head coach (2000-02), Florida racked up five individual titles, 13 individual SEC titles, and broke two collegiate records in the sprints, hurdles, and relays.
In the current NCAA Championship events, 57 of Florida's 79 school records (including ties) are held by student-athletes either directly coached by Holloway, or who competed for the Gators during his head coaching tenure.
In addition to his collegiate achievements, Holloway is regarded as one of the best coaches in the world at the international level, as evidenced by the following:
From a program perspective, the most recent IAAF World Championships (2017) and Olympics (2016) were some of the most prominent for Gator alums. Last summer in London, 15 Gators combined for five medals at the World Championships. In Rio de Janeiro the previous summer, 12 Gators collected a program-record six medals, four of which were gold.
Holloway and the Gators continue their outdoor season Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the NCAA East Preliminary in Tampa, Fla.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida track and field and cross country head coach Mike Holloway and the Gators agreed to a 10-year contract extension, Athletic Director Scott Stricklin and the University Athletic Association announced Wednesday morning.
Holloway, currently in his 16th season as men's head coach and 11th season as women's head coach, will now be under contract through June 30, 2028.
"This is where he wants to be, and when a guy like Mouse Holloway says he wants to finish his career here, you don't have to be a very smart athletic director to go, 'Well, let's figure out a way to make that happen,'" Stricklin said.
"I can't tell you how good that makes me feel," Holloway said. "This time of year with jobs opening, there's always people calling with interest. It's nice to be courted, it's nice to be wanted, I guess, but at the end of the day, the trigger for me was when Scott said to me, 'I want to make you my track and field coach. I want you to be here as long as I'm here and as long as you want to be here.' That was big for me.
"That squelches all the noise," Holloway continued. "There are people talking about me going to other schools. This puts it to bed. It's important to me (the student-athletes) know I'm totally committed to them and this university. There's a commitment on both sides here. Scott wants me here, I want to be here; we want to move forward and want to stop all the noise in the room, because it's pretty loud. We want to quiet it down and get back to the business of what we do: performing at a high level at the championship meets.
"We've spent a lot of time building this program. I just don't know if I could ever walk away from this. I don't know how I could. Anybody who knows me knows that I love this place. I'm just so thankful to everybody around me that's worked so hard along with me to get us where we are."
Holloway, has led the Gators to eight national titles and 14 Southeastern Conference championships, in addition to 60 individual national titles, 159 individual SEC titles and six collegiate records (three of which still stand today) during his tenure as head coach—which began in 2003 (men) and 2008 (women).
- NCAA Championships (men's) – indoor: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018; outdoor: 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017
- SEC Championships (men's) – indoor: 2004, 2011, 2015; outdoor: 2010, 2015, 2018
- SEC Championships (women's) – indoor: 2010, 2012, 2014; outdoor: 2009, 2018; cross country: 2009, 2010, 2012
Florida's eight NCAA titles on the men's side lead all Division I programs by three titles since 2010, when the Gators won their first under Holloway. Holloway's eight national titles are also the most by any coach in the history of Florida athletics.
Even more impressive than the national titles on the men's side has been the team's remarkable consistency at the NCAA Championships. In the 31 NCAA Championship meets Holloway has been head coach for, Florida's men boast 20 top-2 finishes, while no other program claims more than nine during that span.
While at times overshadowed by the men's astronomical success, Florida's women have been impressive in their own right during Holloway's tenure. The Gators are one of seven programs in the country with at least six top-4 finishes at NCAA Championship meets since Holloway became head coach in 2008, with the most recent occurrence coming at March's NCAA Indoor Championships. And Florida's five SEC indoor and outdoor titles are the third-most by any conference program since 2008, with the fifth coming two weeks ago as part of the program's first-ever SEC Outdoors sweep.
Florida's women are also one of three Division I programs with at least one NCAA Outdoor Championships qualifier in all 21 events contested at the meet since 2008.
The following notes give added perspective to Holloway's historical achievements with the Gators:
- USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2016)
- Fifth coach in Division I history to win eight men's NCAA Championships
- Fourth coach in Division I history with at least four indoor and four outdoor men's NCAA titles
- Third Division I coach since 1980 with at least six men's NCAA titles
- Florida became third program in history with seven consecutive top-3 finishes at both the men's NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships (Florida, 2009-15; Arkansas, 1992-2000; UTEP, 1975-82)
- Current streak of nine consecutive top-3 finishes at NCAA Outdoor Championships by the men's team is tied for the third-longest run in Division I history
- 32 individual national titles in men's sprints, hurdles, and 4x100 and 4x400 relays—all of which are Holloway's primary focus—since 1996 lead all of Division I by four titles
- 11 individual men's hurdles national titles since 1996 (no other program has won more than four in that span)
- Six men's 4x100 relay titles (tied for the most in Division I since 1996)
- Five men's 400-meter hurdles national titles (most in Division I history)
Holloway began his career at Florida as a men's assistant coach in 1996, making this his 23rd season with the Gators. During his time as an assistant coach (1996-99) and associate head coach (2000-02), Florida racked up five individual titles, 13 individual SEC titles, and broke two collegiate records in the sprints, hurdles, and relays.
In the current NCAA Championship events, 57 of Florida's 79 school records (including ties) are held by student-athletes either directly coached by Holloway, or who competed for the Gators during his head coaching tenure.
In addition to his collegiate achievements, Holloway is regarded as one of the best coaches in the world at the international level, as evidenced by the following:
- 2013 IAAF World Championships – Head Coach, United States
- 2012 Olympics (London) – Sprints and Relays Coach, United States
- Five Olympic gold medalists (four Gators) coached directly by Holloway (nine medals by six athletes, five of whom were Gators)
- Eight IAAF World Championships gold medals won by Holloway-coached athletes
- Coached at least one athlete at every IAAF World Championships meet since 2001
From a program perspective, the most recent IAAF World Championships (2017) and Olympics (2016) were some of the most prominent for Gator alums. Last summer in London, 15 Gators combined for five medals at the World Championships. In Rio de Janeiro the previous summer, 12 Gators collected a program-record six medals, four of which were gold.
Holloway and the Gators continue their outdoor season Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the NCAA East Preliminary in Tampa, Fla.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators; #WeBelieve; #LessSaid; #TheMissionContinues
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