Women’s 4x400m Captures New School Record to Close Out Pepsi Florida Relays

Saturday, April 4

Gainesville, Fla.

Florida Gators

Pepsi Florida Relays

Women’s 4x400m Captures New School Record to Close Out Pepsi Florida Relays

Saturday, April 4, 2026 | Track and Field

Multiple athletes climb Florida’s all-time lists with record breaking relays and top NCAA marks

By: Maleah Morales

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida closed out its first home meet of the season in an expected fashion, with eight new personal bests, seven additions to the program's all-time list and one new school record.

HIGHLIGHTS
Throws
Jarno van Daalen started the day off hot for the Orange and Blue, launching a 60.21m (197-6) discus for a third place finish in the event. The freshman's first outdoor event as a Gator locked him in at No. 5 on Florida's all-time list while also ranking him as the top NCAA freshman in the event this season.

Gracelyn Leiseth finished the women's shot put invitational with a third place 17.76m (58-3 ¼) mark, as Abigail Elmore completed her first showing in the event as a Gator with a 12.57m (41-3) on her second attempt.

Sprints/Hurdles
A new program No. 2 in the women's 100m came in Gabrielle Matthews, who took the crown with an 11.11 finish in her first 100m race in the Orange and Blue. The senior came hot out of lane five, securing the win by 0.04 seconds in the second heat of the day. Jade Brown finished close behind, nabbing a top ten finish at 11.41.

Aleesa Samuel shaved 0.46 seconds off from her debut performance in the 100mH last week, posting a personal best 13.90 this weekend. Ja'Neil Harris also improved on his previous mark, clocking 47.56 in the men's 400m to cut 0.20 seconds off his time.

After notching multiple personal bests in his season debut just a week ago, Trenton Howard followed up with a 10.17 finish in the men's 100m, shaving nearly 0.15 seconds off his previous time. The sophomore also led off the Gators' 4x100m relay, helping power the team to a 39.14 finish alongside Jaden Wiley, Almond Small and Wanya McCoy. The group ultimately placed second in the final after posting the nation's second fastest time of 38.67 in the prelims a day prior.

Mid-Distance
Four of Florida's eight personal best marks came from the 800m crew, including Layla Haynes, Jonah Kirspel, Gavin Nelson and Alejandro de Bastos. Haynes finished in 2:02.51, shaving more than a full second off her previous time and moving into No. 6 in program history. Freshman Claire Stegall finished just ahead of her, recording the third fastest time in program history in her outdoor debut for the Gators at 2:01.07.

On the men's side, Nelson and Kirspel each put up their best performance in heat one. Nelson cut 0.67 seconds to place second in 1:46.60, while Kirspel dropped 4.91 seconds from his previous mark to finish 11th in 1:47.69. De Bastos followed with a personal best of his own in heat five, shaving nearly two seconds off his time to clock 1:52.97.

Relays
The event of the evening came from the 4x400m relays. The women's team of Quincy Penn, Tyra Cox, Malia Campbell and Sydney Sutton grabbed hold of a new program record in 3:26.02 to claim the fourth fastest time in the country this season.

Following the women's performance, the men's 4x400 team surged to a commanding first place finish, winning by more than a second with a time of 3:02.25. Jayden Horton-Mims, Justin Braun, Nicholas Spikes, and Daneil Wright made up the quartet that currently holds the season's fastest relay time in the country.

UP NEXT
Florida will host its second home meet of the season, as the Gators take on the Tom Jones Memorial from April 17-18 at James G. Pressly Stadium.

RESULTS

Event	Athlete Results
Discus (M)	3. Jarno van Daalen: 60.21m / 197-6 ^
100mH (W)	21. Aleesa Samuel: 13.90 (PB)
4x100 Final (M)	2. Howard, Wiley, Small, McCoy: 39.14
4x100 Olympic Development (W)	1. Cox, Brown, Matthews, Sutton: 43.09 ^
Shot Put Invite (W)	2. Gracelyn Leiseth: 17.76m / 58-3 ¼ 12. Abigail Elmore: 12.57m / 41-3
Triple Jump (W)	4. Gabrielle Pierre: 12.70m / 41-8
800m (W)	3. Claire Stegall: 2:01.07 ^ 4. Layla Haynes: 2:02.51 (PB)^ 56. Isobelle Jones: 2:16.99
800m (M)	2. Gavin Nelson: 1:46.60 (PB)^ 6. Miguel Pantojas: 1:47.01 11. Jonah Kirspel: 1:47.69 (PB) 13. Oussama Allaoui: 1:47.83 33. Riley Smith: 1:49.54 60. Alejandro de Bastos: 1:52.97 (PB)
400m (W)	6. Quincy Penn: 52.13 18. Malia Campbell: 53.26 37. Marianna Wright: 55.00
400m (M)	40. Ja'Neil Harris: 47.56 (PB)
Triple Jump Invite (M)	3. Jaden Lippett: 15.48 / 50-9 ½
Triple Jump Invite (W)	2. Asia Phillips: 13.14 / 43-1 ½
100m (W)	1. Gabrielle Matthews: 11.11 (PB)^ 10. Jade Brown: 11.41
100m (M)	4. Trenton Howard: 10.17 (PB) 36. Jaden Wiley: 10.58 49. Wanya McCoy: 11.60
4x400m (W)	3. Penn, Cox, Campbell, Sutton: 3:26.02 (SR)^
4x400m (M)	1. Horton-Mims, Braun, Spikes, Wright: 3:02.25

(PB) indicates new personal best
(SR) indicates new school record
^ indicates new top ten mark on school record

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