Florida Wins 10 Medals at the SEC Indoor Championships

Florida men’s and women’s teams finishes runner up at the 2023 SEC Indoor Championships

FAYETTEVILLE, AR. – With the conclusion of the SEC Indoor Championship, both the men’s and women’s teams secured second place finishes. The men’s team secured the finish with a team score of 73 points, while the women’s team finished with a team score of 84 points.

For the meet, the Gators earned 10 medals, four on Friday and an additional six on Saturday. The first medal of the day came via Jacory Patterson (45.03), who earned silver while recording the third-fastest time in school history in the 400m. Shortly after, Talitha Diggs put on a performance (50.15), not only securing gold in the the women’s 400m but also setting the American, NCAA, and School record in the event. Next, Sam Austin earned silver in the men’s 800m (1:48.67) followed by Jacory Patterson, earning his second medal of the day, this time it was gold in the men’s 200m (20.29).

Two women’s field athletes won the final medals of the day. Jasmine Moore continued her dominance in jumps, winning gold in the triple jump (14.09m/46’2.75″) a day after taking gold in the long jump. Freshman Alida Van Daalen picked up the final medal, a gold in the shot put, while also breaking the school record.

Jacory Patterson won the men’s Cliff Harper Trophy, an honor awarded to the high points scorer at the SEC Indoor Championships. Patterson earned 18 points, 10 from his gold in the 200m and 8 from silver in the 400m.

Next up, the Gators travel to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 10th and 11th.

SEC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEET

Saturday’s Finals Recap

60m

Men- Pjai Austin finishes in the top-5 of a men’s 60m race for the third time this season. Austin finished fifth in the SEC Indoor Championship finals with a time of 6.72.

Women- Jasmine Montgomery finished eighth in the 60m (7.37) running in her first championship event as a Gator.

60m Hurdles

Men- A day after finishing fifth in the men’s long jump competition, Caleb Foster crossed the finish line in seventh place with a time of 7.85 in the men’s 60m hurdles.

Women-Jayla Hollis finished seventh in the women’s 60m hurdles (8.20).

200m

Men- All three Gators in the men’s 200m prelims qualified for the finals. Jacory Patterson was the leader of the pack, taking gold in the event with a time of 20.29, the second fastest indoor 200m in school history. Robert Gregory was the second Gator to cross the line (20.52) with a fourth-place finish and the seventh fastest time in school history. Tyler Davis rounded out the trio finishing eighth (20.94).

Women- Florida had three women advance to the women’s 200m finals. Kynnedy Flannel (23.11), Talitha Diggs (23.31), and Jayla Hollis (23.59) finished sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively.

400m

Men- In the men’s 400m finals, Jacory Patterson won his first medal of the day. Patterson, who ran the third fastest time in school history in the event, placed second (45.05) for a silver medal finish. Ryan Willie finished fourth, running an indoor personal best and the fourth fastest time in school history (45.15). Jevaughn Powell (45.73) and Emmanuel Bamidele (46.36) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Women- Talitha Diggs continues to break records on the track. In the 400m final, Diggs ran a 50.15, winning the gold. Her place on the podium was not where the accolades ended. Her time was the fastest in NCAA history, the American record, the Randal Tyson Track Center facility record, the SEC Indoor Championship Record, and a new school record. It was also the eighth fastest time in world history for the event.

800m

Men- Sophomores Sam Austin and Ryan Maseman both finished top-4 in the men’s 800m. Austin’s silver medal finish today (1:48.67) bested his bronze medal at the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships. Maseman, an Alabama transfer, crossed the line fourth (1:49.75).

Women- Seniors Gabrielle Wilkinson and Imogen Barrett advanced to the finals of the 800m after strong performances yesterday. Wilkinson ran 2:06.44, finishing sixth and Barrett ran 2:06.44, finishing seventh.

Mile

Men- Joe Wester made it through prelims and into the men’s mile final, finishing ninth (4:06.82).

High Jump

Men- Corvell Todd, in his first championship meet as a Gator, finished fifth with a high jump of 2.15m/7’0.5″. This mark matches his season high in the event he set at the Tyson Invitational.

Women- A day after earning silver in the women’s long jump, Claire Bryant competed in the women’s high jump with a fifth place finish and a mark of 1.80m/7’0.5″.

Shot Put

Men- Logan Montgomery’s season of growth continues. The freshman from Georgia recorded a new personal best for the third time this season. His mark of 17.75m/58’3″ helped him finish tenth in his first championship meet.

Women- Alida Van Daalen takes gold in shot put in her first championship meet. Her mark of 18.66m/61’2.75″ sets a new school record. Thea Jensen finished thirteenth in her first meet of the season 14.88m/48’10”.

Triple Jump

Men- The trio of Sean Dixon-Bodie, Malcolm Clemons, and Michael Holloway II took part in the men’s triple jump. Dixon-Bodie finished fifth with a mark of 16.39m/53’9.25″, Clemons finished eighth with a jump of 15.92m/52’2.75″, and Holloway II finished eleventh (15.76m/51’8.5″). Holloway II’s jump was a new personal best in the triple jump.

Women- Jasmine Moore continued her dominance of horizontal jumps securing her second gold medal in as many days. This time it was in the triple jump where her mark of 14.09m/46’2.75″, was golden and won her the event title.

3000m

Men- Both Cavan Wilson and Jonathan Pitchford competed in the men’s 3000m final. In his event debut, Pitchford finished thirteenth (8:30.24), and Wilson placed twenty-first with a time of 8:22.04.

Women- Vasileia Spyrou (9:30.30) and Emily Culley (9:58.81) finished eleventh and twenty-ninth, respectively, in the women’s 3000m.

4×400

Women- The women’s 4×400 team of Laila Owens, Vanessa Watson, Jayla Hollis, and Ramiah Elliott finished fifth (3:38.85).

SEC Indoor Championships Results (All events are finals unless otherwise noted)

Event

Place, Gators (Time/Distance), Notes

60m (M)

5. Pjai Austin (6.72)

60m (W)

8. Jasmine Montgomery (7.37)

60m Hurdles (M)

7. Caleb Foster (7.85)

60m Hurdles (W)

7. Jayla Hollis (8.20)

200m (M)

1. Jacory Patterson (20.29) 2nd Fastest in School History, Indoor Personal Best

4. Robert Gregory (20.52) 7th Fastest 200m in School History, Indoor Personal Best

8. Tyler Davis (20.94)

200m (W)

6. Kynnedy Flannel (23.11)

7. Talitha Diggs (23.31)

8. Jayla Hollis (23.59)

400m (M)

2. Jacory Patterson (45.05) 3rd Fastest Time in School History, Indoor Personal Best

4. Ryan Willie (45.15) 4th Fastest Time in School History, Indoor Personal Best

6. Jevaughn Powell (45.73) Personal Best

7. Emmanuel Bamidele (46.36)

400m (W)

1. Talitha Diggs (50.15) Fastest Time in NCAA History, American Record, Facility Record, SEC Indoor Championship Record, Fastest Time in School History, Personal Best, 8th Fastest Time in World History

800m (M)

2. Sam Austin (1:48.67)

4. Ryan Maseman (1:49.75)

800m (W)

6. Gabrielle Wilkinson (2:06.11)

7. Imogen Barrett (2:06.44)

Mile (M)

9. Joe Wester (4:06.82)

High Jump (M)

5. Corvell Todd (2.15m/7’0.5″)

High Jump (W)

5. Claire Bryant (1.80m/5’10.75″)