Graduation Caps Banner Year for Gators Long Jumper Clemons
Monday, December 9, 2024 | Men's Track and Field, Otis Hawkins Center
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It's been a year of milestones for Malcolm Clemons.
And Clemons isn't finished.
A senior long jumper for the Gators, Clemons is gearing up for UF commencement ceremonies this week to cap a memorable 2024 for the Oakland, Calif., native.
Clemons is receiving his bachelor's degree in international studies with a focus on Africa from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. However, this is not the final piece of schooling for Clemons as he plans to attain a master's degree in sports management to tie it back to working in sports, but for now, he is focused on the upcoming track and field season and launching his professional career.
"I plan on going professional at the end of this coming season," said Clemons.
Clemons has been part of three consecutive NCAA Outdoor national championship teams and has made great strides at UF in his academic and athletic career. He competed in the triple jump and the long jump for the Gators and represented Team USA in the long jump in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Clemons earned USTFCCCA Outdoor First Team All-American honors in 2023 and 2024, Indoor First Team All-American Honors in 2024 and Indoor Second Team All-American Honors in 2021 for the long jump.
U.S. jumpers like Malcolm Clemons want to continue to advance the sport, just as Hubbard did 100 years ago in Paris 🏅
— Andscape (@andscape) August 8, 2024
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Clemons has accomplished all the above as a UF student-athlete seeking a balance between academics and athletics. The Hawkins Center is a massive aid to the athletes, which is where Clemons was Thursday morning to participate in a luncheon honoring UF student-athletes graduating during the fall semester.
"There have been times where it was a little difficult, but being able to come into Hawkins and being able to find tutors or have somebody just to help me out with something if I need some help, and just show me the way to make things easier for myself always made it a little bit easier for me if I had a time where I was struggling a little bit," said Clemons.
The Hawkins Center is a resource provided to Gators student-athletes to help them achieve their academic goals while training to reach their athletic goals. It offers tutoring and academic advice or acts as a place for athletes to go for any help outside their sport.
"I would go to my coaches if I really needed some extra help with anything, but other than that, pretty much anything I needed was in Hawkins," said Clemons.
Even though he has competed on national and international stages, Clemons considers receiving a degree from the University of Florida a top moment in his life.
He grew up in Oakland and began participating in track and field when he was 5, competing in the Oakland Police Athletic League. He attended St. Mary's College High in nearby Berkeley, then moved to Florida to compete for IMG Academy in Bradenton.
While the task can seem daunting, Clemons has advice for other athletes working toward their degree from UF.
"I'd tell them that if you need help, everything's here for you,'' he said. "They'll make it really easy for you. If you need anything, if you feel stuck, somebody's here to talk to you and help you find a path.
"Really, your teammates can help you as well. Your teammates, they've been through it. You have older teammates and grad students. So, there's definitely things to help you through the process and to make it as easy as possible, so you can focus on anything else. If you'd rather focus on your sports over anything, then there's definitely time for that here."
In a year in which he won a national championship, qualified for the Olympics and competed in the Paris Games, Clemons is ready to walk across the stage in a cap and gown.
Earning his UF degree makes him proud to be a Gator.
"It means the world. I've always heard that this is the best school," said Clemons. "I've had a family member that came here, so I've always had it in my mind that this is a great place to go, a great place to get a degree.
"It's a well-respected place throughout the world, so having a degree from here, it'll mean a lot."
