Gators Claim Eight Titles at Tom Jones Memorial Classic

Saturday April 20, 2013

Gainesville, Fla.

Photo: Tim Casey
.Print. .The Florida track & field teams finished up their final home meet with a flourish, tallying eight titles at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic on a rainy Saturday at Percy Beard Track.



“I thought the meet went well,” Florida head coach Mike Holloway said. “We had a little bit of a snafu with the timing system (to delay the meet). Obviously would’ve loved the weather to be a little warmer but I think it’s just preparing us for a little bit later on in the year in Eugene. I thought everybody competed well.”



The Gators swept the hammer throw, as senior Jeremy Postin (Andover, Kan.) and sophomore Jayla Bostic (Wellington, Fla.) captured the hammer crowns with throws of 65.21m/213-11 and 56.91m/186-8, respectively.



The Florida men also finished 2-3-4 in the event, as sophomore Kyle Strawn (Temecula, Calif.) improved his standing at second all-time in program history with his second-place throw of 64.05m/210-2. David Triassi (Jacksonville, Fla.) and David Levin (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) rounded out the UF effort with their throws of 61.54m/201-11 (a new PR) and 58.02m/190-4, respectively.



“Those guys did a wonderful job today,” Holloway said. “Coach (Steve) Lemke continues to do a great job with that group and they’re all really dialed in to him and what he wants from them, so I’m really proud of that group. I think two of the four guys PB’d today so we’re really happy for them. David Triassi is just a great guy so really happy for him. Not that the other guys aren’t but him being a senior and his last home meet, it’s special for him to have a quality big (personal best).”



Senior Ugonna Ndu (Newark, N.J.) won the final home meet of her Gator career, taking the collegiate women’s 100-meter hurdles in 13.34 (+1.6). Junior Eddie Lovett (West Palm Beach, Fla.) was the top-finishing collegian in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, racing to an all-conditions season’s best of 13.46 (+3.0).



“This was kind of Eddie’s breakthrough weekend last year,” Holloway said. “I think you saw the same thing this year. Eddie’s working on some things and we’ve been training really hard but I was really pleased for him. Fastest time of the year and we’re moving in the right direction.”



Other winners for the Gators included Ciarra Brewer (Union City, Calif.) in the women’s triple jump (13.28m/43-7), Taylor Burke (Medina, Ohio) in the women’s high jump (1.80m/5-10.75), Luka Mustafic (Rakitje, Croatia) in the men’s shot put (17.72m/58-1.75), Stephanie Strasser (Fernandina Beach, Fla.) in the women’s 1,500 meters (4:23.66), and Jimmy Clark (St. Johns, Fla.) in the men’s 3,000 meters (8:10.21).



“Jimmy did a great job,” Holloway said. “I know he wanted to run faster but it wasn’t quite the pace he wanted early-on and a little chilly but it was a win and it just shows what kind of fitness he’s in as he moves forward. He’s going to run the 10K from here on out so it was a good test for him.”



Freshman Robin Reynolds (Miami, Fla.) was the top-finishing collegian in the women’s long jump, leaping to a personal-best-tying 6.25m/20-6.25 to finish third. Another Gator with a PB was senior Amani Bryant (Tampa, Fla.), who finished third overall in the women’s 400-meter hurdles with her time of 57.91, good for fifth all-time at Florida.



Freshman Arman Hall (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was impressive in the men’s 200 meters, finishing second ahead of 15 professionals in 20.73 (+1.6). Hugh Graham, Jr. (Miami, Fla.) was the top-finishing collegian as well, taking sixth overall in the men’s 100 meters in 10.38, his first attempt at running the event.



Next up for the Orange and Blue is the final weekend of the regular season, the Gators travel to Fayetteville, Ark. for the Arkansas Spring Invitational, April 26-27, and the Payton Jordan Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. on April 28.



For all of the latest information on Florida track and field, please log on to www.GatorZone.com/trackfield or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow Florida track and field on Twitter at @GZTrackField or www.twitter.com/GZTrackField. You can also find the Gators on Facebook.



TOM JONES MEMORIAL CLASSIC :: SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013 :: GAINESVILLE, FL



FIELD EVENTS



Women’s High Jump

1. Taylor Burke, 1.80m/5-10.75

4. Alexis Muniz, 1.61m/5-3.25

7. Lorraine Graham, 1.51m/4-11.50



Women’s Pole Vault

2. Cristina Valdes, 3.21m/10-6.25

-- Caitlin Schuessler, NH



Men’s Pole Vault

4. Jared Watkins, 5.00m/16-4.75

6. Max Lang, 4.85m/15-11

7. Kyle Mailloux, 4.40m/14-5.25



Women’s Long Jump

3. Robin Reynolds, 6.25m/20-6.25 (+2.0) (PR)



Women’s Triple Jump

1. Ciarra Brewer, 13.28m/43-7 (+0.6)

2. Gissell Warner, 12.49m/40-11.75 (+1.4) (PR)



Women’s Discus Throw

2. Kaitlin Davis, 50.12m/164-5 (PR)

4. Ashley Miller, 49.14m/161-3

9. Manuela Burtsher, 40.49m/132-10



Men’s Discus Throw

4. Kyle Strawn, 45.61m/149-8

5. David Triassi, 45.39m/148-11



Women’s Hammer Throw

1. Jayla Bostic, 56.91m/186-8



Men’s Hammer Throw

1. Jeremy Postin, 65.21m/213-11

2. Kyle Strawn, 64.05m/210-2 (PR)

3. David Triassi, 61.54m/201-11 (PR)

4. David Levin, 58.02m/190-4



Women’s Javelin Throw

2. Marija Vucenovic, 54.00m/177-2

3. Fawn Miller 50.64m/166-1



Men’s Javelin Throw

3. Zane Breakiron 55.81m/183-1



Women’s Shot Put

3. Arlitha Mackey, 13.66m/44-9.75



Men’s Shot Put

1. Luka Mustafic, 17.72m/58-1.75 (CB)

2. Hunter Joyer, 15.56m/51-0.75

T4. Kyle Strawn, 15.15m/49-8.50



RUNNING EVENTS



Women’s 100 Meters

10. Darshay Davis, 11.83 (+1.8)



Men’s 100 Meters

6. Hugh Graham, Jr., 10.38 (+1.2)

15. Leonardo Seymore, 10.80 (+1.2)



Women’s 200 Meters

13. Ebony Eutsey, 23.74 (+0.1)

16. Robin Reynolds, 23.91 (+0.1)

24. Lorraine Graham, 24.71 (+2.0) (PR)

34. Dierdre Lee, 25.95 (+2.0)



Men’s 200 Meters

2. Arman Hall, 20.73 (+1.6)

6. Leonardo Seymore, 21.18 (+1.6)

7. Najee Glass, 21.21 (+1.6)



Women’s 400 Meters

15. Dierdre Lee, 1:00.58



Men’s 400 Meters

6. Jovon Toppin, 48.26

10. Ryan Schnulle, 48.93

11. Michael Burris, 49.14

12. Sean Obinwa, 49.18



Women’s 800 Meters

3. Cory McGee 2:06.83

4. Agata Strausa, 2:07.90

-- Lanie Whittaker, DNF



Men’s 800 Meters

5. Luc Lawrence, 1:53.99



Women’s 1,500 Meters

1. Stephanie Strasser, 4:23.66 (PR)

2. Shelby Hayes, 4:27.99

3. Mandy Perkins, 4:29.14

9. Macy Huskey, 4:38.59

14. Brittany Koziara, 4:48.68



Men’s 1,500 Meters

3. Daniel Wehunt, 3:58.62



Men’s 3,000 Meters

1. Jimmy Clark, 8:10.21

2. JL Hines, 8:15.92

3. Josh Izewski, 8:27.93

4. Elliot Clemente, 8:45.01

-- Mark Parrish, DNF



Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles – FINALS

1. Ugonna Ndu, 13.34 (+1.6)

3. Lorraine Graham, 13.82 (+1.6)

4. Paige Morton, 14.33 (+1.6)



Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles – PRELIMS

3. Eddie Lovett, 13.62 (+3.6)q



Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles – FINALS

2. Eddie Lovett, 13.46 (+3.0)



Women’s 400-Meter Hurdles

3. Amani Bryant, 57.91 (PR)

6. Paige Morton, 1:00.17

10. Monique Harris, 1:03.56

17. Zari Whittaker, 1:21.33



Men’s 400-Meter Hurdles

2. Kadesh Roberts, 53.28

4. Gabe Aird, 53.64



Men’s 3,000-Meter Steeplechase

3. Mark Mutz, 9:41.30



Women’s 4x100-Meter Relay

5. Florida ‘A’ (Reynolds, Davis, Gause, Eutsey), 45.65



Men’s 4x400-Meter Relay

2. Florida ‘A’ (Burris, Toppin, Schnulle, Obinwa), 3:12.06

Courtesy Florida