Florida to Honor 23 Seniors at Tom Jones Memorial
Friday, April 15, 2022 | Track and Field
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida track and field program is set to honor its class of senior athletes this weekend during the final home meet of the season.
The Gators have a class featuring a diverse group of athletes in all of the event groups. These seniors have won SEC Championships and earned All-American Honors while holding outstanding academic records in the classroom.
This group of 23 individuals features athletes from the Bahamas, Barbados and Guyana as well as 11 different states.
A handful of athletes will return to Florida's team next season while pursuing further education while some will take on professional careers inside and outside of track and field.
The 2022 Senior Class by the Numbers:
All-American Honors: (at Florida): Taylor Manson (12), Gabrielle Wilkinson (4), Natricia Hooper (3), Jonathan Miller (2), Dedrick Vanover (1)
SEC Champions: Dedrick Vanover (2022 SEC Indoors, 60 Meters), Gabrielle Wilkinson (2021 SEC Outdoors, 1500 Meters)
SEC All-Academic Members: Grace Blair, Payton Capes-Davis, Maria Fernandez, Gianna Forte, Sydney Fowler, Natricia Hooper, Emily Jones, Taylor Manson, Pamela O'Brien, Gabrielle Wilkinson, Matthew Clark, Nick Deal, Cameron Mahorn
Meet the Seniors:
Grace Blair
Grace Blair is a native of Gainesville, Fla. and will be graduating with a degree in Journalism this Spring.
She is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree. During the course of her career, she competed at three different SEC Championships and anchored Florida's DMR team to a seventh-place finish at the 2020 SEC Indoor Championships.
Following graduation, she will be a clinical research coordinator with the children's research institute in St. Pete before heading to Physician Assistant school.
Serena Brown
Serena Brown is a native of New Providence, The Bahamas. She is a graduate transfer from Iowa and competes in the discus.
She is the Bahamian National Record Holder in the Discus.
Brown will continue her studies next year as she finishes her thesis for her masters of construction science at Florida.
Payton Capes-Davis
Payton Capes-Davis hails from Shoreham, N.Y. competed in both Track and Cross Country for the Gators. She will graduate with a degree in History and Political Science.
She was named a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and ran in multiple cross country meets for Florida.
Maria Fernandez
Maria Fernandez is a native of Doral, Fla.
She competed in meets over four different seasons and is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll Member.
Gianna Forte
Gianna Forte is a native of Jacksonville, Fla. and competed in both Track and Cross Country for the Gators.
Forte ran in a handful of races for the Gators in both the 5000 meters and 10000 meters. She was also named to the 2021 SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Following her graduation this spring, Forte plans to enroll in Physical Therapy school.
Sydney Fowler
Sydney Fowler hails from Apopka, Fla. and will graduate with a degree in sociology this spring.
She made her Florida debut in the 800 meters at this year's Pepsi Florida Relays. She was named to the 2020 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
Following her graduation, she plans to begin her master's degree in Forensic Science at UF with the goal of having a career as a forensic analyst or crime scene investigator.
Natricia Hooper
A native of Georgetown, Guyana, Natricia Hooper has had an outstanding impact on the Florida program in her four seasons in Gainesville. The 2022 NCAA Indoor Runner-Up in the Triple Jump will graduate with a master's degree in management this spring.
Hooper is a three-time All-American in her time with the Gators and finished as the SEC and NCAA Indoor Runner-Up this season. She is No. 2 Outdoors and No. 3 Indoors in the Triple Jump on Florida's All-Time Top-10 list.
She helped secure Florida's 2022 NCAA Indoor National Championship with eight crucial points in the team race in March.
Hooper received her undergraduate degree last spring with her bachelor's degree in Sport Management. She holds the Guyana national record in the Triple Jump and is among one of the top jumpers in contention for a Triple Jump Outdoor NCAA Championship this June.
Emily Jones
A native of Salem, Utah, Emily Jones will graduate with a Master's in Public Health this spring. She made her track debut at the Pepsi Florida Relays and also competed in four cross-country races.
She is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll Member.
After graduation, she hopes to work in women's and children's health, helping out others.
Taylor Manson
Taylor Manson will go down as one of the most decorated athletes in Florida women's track and field history. She hails from East Lansing, Mich. and will graduate with her master's degree in Health Education Behavior this spring.
She is a 12-time All-American and 5-time All-SEC honoree. Manson also earned a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for her role in the 4x400 American mixed relay team.
She sits No. 3 Outdoor and No. 6 Indoor in the 400 meters in Florida's history and ran the second leg of the Gators' fastest-ever Indoor 4x400 team.
Manson also earned a gold medal in the 4x400 and bronze medal in the 400 meters at the IAAF World U20 Championships in 2018.
She was a member of both Florida's 2018 SEC Outdoor Championship team and the 2022 NCAA Indoor National Championship team.
Manson plans to continue running track professionally. After her career, she would like to pursue a career in epidemiology.
Pamela O'Brien
A native of Davidsonville, Maryland, O'Brien will graduate with a degree in psychology this spring. She competed in meets over the course of three seasons and now sits number nine in the 3000-meter steeplechase on Florida's All-Time Top 10 list.
O'Brien is a Three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member in Track and Field.
After graduation, she will commission into the Marine Corps as a second lieutenant.
Asia Smith
A graduate transfer from San Diego State, Asia Smith joined the Gators this year as a Pentathlete/Heptathlete.
Smith sits No. 5 in the Pentathlon on Florida's All-Time Top 10 List after her seventh-place performance at the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships.
The Escondido, Calif. native will graduate with a master's degree in mass communication this summer and pursue a career in sports.
Cait Tate
A graduate transfer from Virginia Tech, Tate joined the Florida program this season.
Tate ran the second leg on Florida's fourth-fastest DMR team in school history and the third leg on Florida's 10th-fastest 4x100 team in school history.
The Atlanta, Ga. Native already owns a bachelor's degree in English and will earn a Dyslexia Graduate Certificate this spring with the hopes of being a special education teacher next year.
Sasha Wells
A native of Nassau, The Bahamas, Wells joined the Gators this season as a graduate transfer from Oral Roberts.
Wells ran at the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships and is sixth all-time in Florida history in the 60-meter hurdles.
She plans to continue a post-collegiate athletic career while also finishing up the duration of master's degree in history. After her master's program, she would also like to get a doctorate degree in history.
Gabrielle Wilkinson
A native of Wynnewood, Pa., Gabrielle Wilkinson has been a constant contributor for the Gators since her arrival in Gainesville.
Wilkinson is a four-time All-American and the 2021 SEC Outdoor Champion in the 1500 meters.
She is No. 2 Indoor and Outdoor in the 800 meters on Florida's All-Time Top 10 list. She also finished third in the 800 meters at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Wilkinson is graduating with a degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology and will return to Florida's team next year while furthering her education in the Health Education Behavior Master's program.
Adam Bouchard
A native of Owensboro, Ky., Adam Bouchard joined the Gators this year as a graduate transfer from Kentucky Wesleyan.
Bouchard has competed in two meets for the Gators and will graduate with a master's degree in Sport Management next fall.
He plans to stay in Gainesville and work as a Parks and Recreation Supervisor for Depot Park while finishing his master's degree online.
Dalton Brown
Dalton Brown is a native of Mount Dora, Fla.
He has spent two years running with the Gators after transferring from North Florida.
Matt Clark
Matthew Clark is a native of St. John's, Fla. and has been a member of the Gators track and field program for five seasons.
Clark competed in five meets during his Florida career including the 2019 SEC Outdoor Championships.
He will graduate with a master's degree in Sport Management this spring. He is set to begin an internship with the American Junior Golf Association working in tournament travel operations.
Nick Deal
Nick Deal is another five-year member of the Florida Track and Field program.
The St. John's, Fla. native has run at five separate SEC Championships and holds the No. 10 spot on Florida's All-Time Indoor List in the 3000 meters.
He is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and will graduate with a master's degree in management this spring.
Following graduation, he will work a year-long internship with Athletes in Action, a Christian Sports Ministry.
Cameron Mahorn
Cameron Mahorn is a native of Wellington, Fla and is in his fourth year with the Gators.
Mahorn has competed at two separate SEC Championships and is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member.
He is graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering this spring and plans to begin a career in engineering with the goal of starting his own consulting firm.
Jonathan Miller
Jonathan Miller transferred to Florida before the 2020 season and has spent three years with the Gators.
A native of Bridgetown, Barbados, Miller is a two-time All American and has competed at four separate SEC Championships.
He ranks No. 9 all-time in Florida History in the Triple Jump indoors. He is graduating with a degree in Education Sciences this spring.
Miller plans to continue his track and field career following his graduation from Florida.
Mark Porter
Mark Porter joined the Gators this year as a graduate transfer from Penn State.
In his debut for the Gators at the Pepsi Florida Relays, the Reading, Mass. native moved into No. 6 All-Time in the Javelin throw.
He is currently working on his P.h.D in Plant Breeding and will continue his studies following the end of his throwing career this spring.
Kemuel Santana
Kemuel Santana joined the Gators as a transfer from Washington this season.
The Federal Way, Wash. native competed at the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships for the Gators.
Santana will look to continue running professionally while representing the Dominican Republic.
He will graduate next fall with a master's degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology.
Dedrick Vanover
A native of Gainesville, Dedrick Vanover has spent the last two seasons with the Gators.
Vanover was the SEC Indoor Champion in the 60 meters this year and was a Second Team All-American.
He is tied for the sixth-best 60-meter time in Florida history and ran the leadoff leg for Florida's fourth-fastest 4x100 team earlier this season.
Last year he finished third at the SEC Outdoor Championships in the 100 meters.
Vanover will graduate with a degree in Education Sciences this spring. He plans to continue running
The Gators have a class featuring a diverse group of athletes in all of the event groups. These seniors have won SEC Championships and earned All-American Honors while holding outstanding academic records in the classroom.
This group of 23 individuals features athletes from the Bahamas, Barbados and Guyana as well as 11 different states.
A handful of athletes will return to Florida's team next season while pursuing further education while some will take on professional careers inside and outside of track and field.
The 2022 Senior Class by the Numbers:
All-American Honors: (at Florida): Taylor Manson (12), Gabrielle Wilkinson (4), Natricia Hooper (3), Jonathan Miller (2), Dedrick Vanover (1)
SEC Champions: Dedrick Vanover (2022 SEC Indoors, 60 Meters), Gabrielle Wilkinson (2021 SEC Outdoors, 1500 Meters)
SEC All-Academic Members: Grace Blair, Payton Capes-Davis, Maria Fernandez, Gianna Forte, Sydney Fowler, Natricia Hooper, Emily Jones, Taylor Manson, Pamela O'Brien, Gabrielle Wilkinson, Matthew Clark, Nick Deal, Cameron Mahorn
Meet the Seniors:
Grace Blair
Grace Blair is a native of Gainesville, Fla. and will be graduating with a degree in Journalism this Spring.
She is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree. During the course of her career, she competed at three different SEC Championships and anchored Florida's DMR team to a seventh-place finish at the 2020 SEC Indoor Championships.
Following graduation, she will be a clinical research coordinator with the children's research institute in St. Pete before heading to Physician Assistant school.
Serena Brown
Serena Brown is a native of New Providence, The Bahamas. She is a graduate transfer from Iowa and competes in the discus.
She is the Bahamian National Record Holder in the Discus.
Brown will continue her studies next year as she finishes her thesis for her masters of construction science at Florida.
Payton Capes-Davis
Payton Capes-Davis hails from Shoreham, N.Y. competed in both Track and Cross Country for the Gators. She will graduate with a degree in History and Political Science.
She was named a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and ran in multiple cross country meets for Florida.
Maria Fernandez
Maria Fernandez is a native of Doral, Fla.
She competed in meets over four different seasons and is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll Member.
Gianna Forte
Gianna Forte is a native of Jacksonville, Fla. and competed in both Track and Cross Country for the Gators.
Forte ran in a handful of races for the Gators in both the 5000 meters and 10000 meters. She was also named to the 2021 SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Following her graduation this spring, Forte plans to enroll in Physical Therapy school.
Sydney Fowler
Sydney Fowler hails from Apopka, Fla. and will graduate with a degree in sociology this spring.
She made her Florida debut in the 800 meters at this year's Pepsi Florida Relays. She was named to the 2020 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
Following her graduation, she plans to begin her master's degree in Forensic Science at UF with the goal of having a career as a forensic analyst or crime scene investigator.
Natricia Hooper
A native of Georgetown, Guyana, Natricia Hooper has had an outstanding impact on the Florida program in her four seasons in Gainesville. The 2022 NCAA Indoor Runner-Up in the Triple Jump will graduate with a master's degree in management this spring.
Hooper is a three-time All-American in her time with the Gators and finished as the SEC and NCAA Indoor Runner-Up this season. She is No. 2 Outdoors and No. 3 Indoors in the Triple Jump on Florida's All-Time Top-10 list.
She helped secure Florida's 2022 NCAA Indoor National Championship with eight crucial points in the team race in March.
Hooper received her undergraduate degree last spring with her bachelor's degree in Sport Management. She holds the Guyana national record in the Triple Jump and is among one of the top jumpers in contention for a Triple Jump Outdoor NCAA Championship this June.
Emily Jones
A native of Salem, Utah, Emily Jones will graduate with a Master's in Public Health this spring. She made her track debut at the Pepsi Florida Relays and also competed in four cross-country races.
She is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll Member.
After graduation, she hopes to work in women's and children's health, helping out others.
Taylor Manson
Taylor Manson will go down as one of the most decorated athletes in Florida women's track and field history. She hails from East Lansing, Mich. and will graduate with her master's degree in Health Education Behavior this spring.
She is a 12-time All-American and 5-time All-SEC honoree. Manson also earned a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for her role in the 4x400 American mixed relay team.
She sits No. 3 Outdoor and No. 6 Indoor in the 400 meters in Florida's history and ran the second leg of the Gators' fastest-ever Indoor 4x400 team.
Manson also earned a gold medal in the 4x400 and bronze medal in the 400 meters at the IAAF World U20 Championships in 2018.
She was a member of both Florida's 2018 SEC Outdoor Championship team and the 2022 NCAA Indoor National Championship team.
Manson plans to continue running track professionally. After her career, she would like to pursue a career in epidemiology.
Pamela O'Brien
A native of Davidsonville, Maryland, O'Brien will graduate with a degree in psychology this spring. She competed in meets over the course of three seasons and now sits number nine in the 3000-meter steeplechase on Florida's All-Time Top 10 list.
O'Brien is a Three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member in Track and Field.
After graduation, she will commission into the Marine Corps as a second lieutenant.
Asia Smith
A graduate transfer from San Diego State, Asia Smith joined the Gators this year as a Pentathlete/Heptathlete.
Smith sits No. 5 in the Pentathlon on Florida's All-Time Top 10 List after her seventh-place performance at the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships.
The Escondido, Calif. native will graduate with a master's degree in mass communication this summer and pursue a career in sports.
Cait Tate
A graduate transfer from Virginia Tech, Tate joined the Florida program this season.
Tate ran the second leg on Florida's fourth-fastest DMR team in school history and the third leg on Florida's 10th-fastest 4x100 team in school history.
The Atlanta, Ga. Native already owns a bachelor's degree in English and will earn a Dyslexia Graduate Certificate this spring with the hopes of being a special education teacher next year.
Sasha Wells
A native of Nassau, The Bahamas, Wells joined the Gators this season as a graduate transfer from Oral Roberts.
Wells ran at the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships and is sixth all-time in Florida history in the 60-meter hurdles.
She plans to continue a post-collegiate athletic career while also finishing up the duration of master's degree in history. After her master's program, she would also like to get a doctorate degree in history.
Gabrielle Wilkinson
A native of Wynnewood, Pa., Gabrielle Wilkinson has been a constant contributor for the Gators since her arrival in Gainesville.
Wilkinson is a four-time All-American and the 2021 SEC Outdoor Champion in the 1500 meters.
She is No. 2 Indoor and Outdoor in the 800 meters on Florida's All-Time Top 10 list. She also finished third in the 800 meters at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Wilkinson is graduating with a degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology and will return to Florida's team next year while furthering her education in the Health Education Behavior Master's program.
Adam Bouchard
A native of Owensboro, Ky., Adam Bouchard joined the Gators this year as a graduate transfer from Kentucky Wesleyan.
Bouchard has competed in two meets for the Gators and will graduate with a master's degree in Sport Management next fall.
He plans to stay in Gainesville and work as a Parks and Recreation Supervisor for Depot Park while finishing his master's degree online.
Dalton Brown
Dalton Brown is a native of Mount Dora, Fla.
He has spent two years running with the Gators after transferring from North Florida.
Matt Clark
Matthew Clark is a native of St. John's, Fla. and has been a member of the Gators track and field program for five seasons.
Clark competed in five meets during his Florida career including the 2019 SEC Outdoor Championships.
He will graduate with a master's degree in Sport Management this spring. He is set to begin an internship with the American Junior Golf Association working in tournament travel operations.
Nick Deal
Nick Deal is another five-year member of the Florida Track and Field program.
The St. John's, Fla. native has run at five separate SEC Championships and holds the No. 10 spot on Florida's All-Time Indoor List in the 3000 meters.
He is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and will graduate with a master's degree in management this spring.
Following graduation, he will work a year-long internship with Athletes in Action, a Christian Sports Ministry.
Cameron Mahorn
Cameron Mahorn is a native of Wellington, Fla and is in his fourth year with the Gators.
Mahorn has competed at two separate SEC Championships and is a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member.
He is graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering this spring and plans to begin a career in engineering with the goal of starting his own consulting firm.
Jonathan Miller
Jonathan Miller transferred to Florida before the 2020 season and has spent three years with the Gators.
A native of Bridgetown, Barbados, Miller is a two-time All American and has competed at four separate SEC Championships.
He ranks No. 9 all-time in Florida History in the Triple Jump indoors. He is graduating with a degree in Education Sciences this spring.
Miller plans to continue his track and field career following his graduation from Florida.
Mark Porter
Mark Porter joined the Gators this year as a graduate transfer from Penn State.
In his debut for the Gators at the Pepsi Florida Relays, the Reading, Mass. native moved into No. 6 All-Time in the Javelin throw.
He is currently working on his P.h.D in Plant Breeding and will continue his studies following the end of his throwing career this spring.
Kemuel Santana
Kemuel Santana joined the Gators as a transfer from Washington this season.
The Federal Way, Wash. native competed at the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships for the Gators.
Santana will look to continue running professionally while representing the Dominican Republic.
He will graduate next fall with a master's degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology.
Dedrick Vanover
A native of Gainesville, Dedrick Vanover has spent the last two seasons with the Gators.
Vanover was the SEC Indoor Champion in the 60 meters this year and was a Second Team All-American.
He is tied for the sixth-best 60-meter time in Florida history and ran the leadoff leg for Florida's fourth-fastest 4x100 team earlier this season.
Last year he finished third at the SEC Outdoor Championships in the 100 meters.
Vanover will graduate with a degree in Education Sciences this spring. He plans to continue running
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