Records Fall and Points are Earned on Day 1 of the NCAA Indoor Championships

Jasmine Moore, Claire Bryant, Sterling Lester, Caleb Foster, and Pjai Austin earn points for the Gators on day one of NCAA Indoors

ALBUQUERQUE, NM. – The Florida Gators wasted no time making a mark on the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships. In the first event of the day, Sterling Lester placed fourth in the women’s pentathlon (4358), earning the Gators five points. Her performance was the second-best in school history, behind only 2022 SEC Indoor Pentathlon Champion Anna Hall.

Shortly after, in the long jump Jasmine Moore’s firsts jump of the day broke the collegiate, meet, and facility record with a mark of 7.03m/23’0.75″. This initial jump was enough to take home gold and the Gators first individual national title of the Indoor Championships.

Claire Bryant, Moore’s jumping partner, finished with the bronze medal in long jump after jumping 6.88m/22’7″, a personal best. Her bronze medal is her first NCAA medal since the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships where she won silver in the long jump. The Gators took gold and bronze in the long jump, thanks to the spectacular performances of Moore and Bryant.

Talitha Diggs punched her ticket to the 400m finals after coming in second place (50.79) in the semifinals. She seeks to repeat as the NCAA Indoor 400m champion.

At the conclusion of day one of the women’s competition, the Florida Gators lead with 21 points.

The men’s competition began with the men’s long jump where Pjai Austin, kept the party rolling. On his first jump of the day in the long jump competition, Austin jumped the eighth best mark in school history (8.01m/26’3.5″), also a personal best, to earn seventh in the long jump finals. Caleb Foster ended his day in the long jump in an impressive fashion as well. Foster’s jump of 8.05m/26’5″ was just as inspiring, marking a personal best of his own and the fourth best indoor jump in school history.

On the track, Pjai Austin earned his second personal best of the day in the 60m semifinals. His time of 6.53 is the third fastest time in school history. In the 200m, both Robert Gregory (2.27) and Jacory Patterson (20.35) advanced to the finals. Gregory’s time is the second fastest in school history and the third fastest in the world this year. Ryan Willie advanced to the finals of the 400m after finishing second overall in the semifinals (45.37). The final men’s runner to advance to the finals was Sam Austin in the 800m. Austin earned first in the semifinals with a time of 1:47.65.

The men’s end day one of the competition in seventeenth place with five points, with most of their finals coming on day two.

Tomorrow the Gators begin day two of the NCAA Indoors Championship at 5:45 p.m. ET as senior Jasmine Moore looks to win gold and continue her unparalleled success in the horizontal jumps. Alida Van Daalen will compete in the shot put competition at 6:00 p.m. ET. The women’s field events will be followed by the women’s running finals. After the women’s competition concludes, Sean Dixon-Bodie will begin the men’s day in the triple jump at 8:45 p.m. ET followed by the men’s running event finals.

NCAA INDOOR CHAMPSIONSHIPS MEET

Friday’s Finals Recap

Pentathlon

Women- In the first event of the NCAA Indoor Championships, Sterling Lester led off the competition in the pentathlon with the 60m hurdles. She ran a personal best of 8.35, placing sixth in the hurdles. In the second pentathlon event, Lester recorded another personal best, this time in the high jump (1.72m/5’7.75″) finishing twelfth. In shot put, Lester threw a season-best mark of 11.56m/37’11.25″ in the event, finishing thirteenth. In the long jump, Lester recorded her third personal best of the day (6.14m/20’1.75″), securing third in the event and positioning her sixth overall going into the 800m final pentathlon event. In the final event, Sterling Lester finished third in the 800m (2:14.21), moving her into the top-4. Lester finished with 4358 points, securing a fourth-place finish in the pentathlon. Lester finished her NCAA Indoor Championships with four personal bests (60m hurdles, high jump, long jump, and pentathlon) and the second all-time pentathlon mark in school history.

Long Jump

Men- Caleb Foster’s final jump of the day (8.05m/26’5″) earned him several accolades, including a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. This jump was also the fourth-best indoor long jump in school history and a personal best. Pjai Austin’s first jump of the day in the long jump was record-setting. Austin’s jump of 8.01m/26’3.5″ earned him a personal best, the eighth best mark in school history in the indoor long jump, and a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Indoors.

Women- In her first jump in any event at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships, Jasmine Moore put on a show, breaking the indoor long jump collegiate record, previously held by Tara Davis of Texas, and securing her spot at the top. Her jump of 7.03m/23’0.75″ is a new collegiate, facility, and meet record and is the currently the leading mark in the world. It also earned her gold in the women’s long jump and back to back NCAA Indoor Long Jump titles. She has won every SEC and NCAA horizontal jump competition since becoming a Gator. Moore’s jumping partner, Claire Bryant recorded a new personal best of 6.88m/22’7″ to take bronze. This is Bryant’s second NCAA medal, having finished runner up at the 2021 NCAA Indoor Championships in long jump.

Friday’s Semis Recap

60m

Men- Pjai Austin finished first in his 60m heat and second overall in the semifinals with a time of 6.53. His time is a new personal best and the third fastest in school history in the event. This was Austin’s second personal best and top-10 school finish of the day; his 8.01m/26’3.5″ jump in the long jump was the other.

200m

Men- Transfer Robert Gregory, competing in his first NCAA Championship as a Gator, advanced to the 200m finals, running the second fastest time in school history (20.27) and the third fastest time in the world so far this year. Fresh off of his SEC Indoor title in the 200m, Jacory Patterson ran a 20.35, qualifying for the 200m NCAA Indoor finals.

Women- Kynnedy Flannel finished fourteenth in the 200m semifinals, running the event in 20.98.

400m

Men- Both Ryan Willie and Jevaughn Powell competed in the semifinals of the men’s 400m. Willie finished first in his heat and second overall with a time of 45.37, securing his spot in the men’s final tomorrow. Powell finished twelfth (46.04).

Women- Talitha Diggs secured her place in the 400m finals after finishing second in the semifinals with a time of 50.79.

800m

Men- Sam Austin finished first overall in the 800m semifinals (1:47.65), automatically qualifying for the finals on Saturday.

Women- Imogen Barrett finished qualifying in thirteenth place with a time of 2:08.25.

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

Event

Place, Gators (Time/Distance), Notes

Pentathlon (W) Overall

60m Hurdles

High Jump

Shot Put

Long Jump