The program totaled seventeen top-five finishes at the LSU Invitational.
BATON ROUGE, La. – The conlcusion of both the LSU Invitational and East Coast Relays marks the end of the Gators Track & Field regular season. The Gators ended said regular season on a strong note as while competing in Baton Rouge, the men’s and women’s teams totaled seventeen top five finishes, multiple personal records and countless performances to build upon.
Before looking ahead to the postseason, outlined below is the highlights from the Gators regular season finale.
TOP PERFORMANCES
The group of Jevaughn Powell, Wanya McCoy, Malique Smith-Band and Robert Gregory notched one of the best times in the NCAA this year while competing the 4x100m. Their time of 38.71 earned them third place in the event and is the third best time in the nation in 2024.
Making his 2024 100m debut, Wanya McCoy earned a fifth-place finish behind an impressive time of 10.11 (+2.3m/s). This mark is just 0.01 seconds short of reaching the Florida All-Time Top 10 List and would stand as a top mark in the NCAA this year if not for the wind.
Powell, like McCoy, followed up his performance in the 4×100 with an impressive mark in an individual event: 200m. The Clarendon, Jamaica native earned a time of 20.28 (+2.3m/s). If wind-legal, the time itself would stand as the ninth best in program history.
Reheem Hayles earned his best run of the season while competing in the men’s 400m. Not only was his time of 45.31 a season-best for the New York native, but it also stands as the eighth-best in the NCAA in 2024.
Anthaya Charlton continues to strengthen her 2024 resume in the long jump. After landing a jump of 6.60m/21’8” at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational she notched an even better jump on Saturday as her best mark was measured at 6.74m/22’1.5” (+ 4.4).
Other Gators that finished inside the top five in their respective events include: Miguel Pnatojas, Joe Wester, Imani Washington, Will Gross IV, Gracelyn Leiseth, Abraham Sargent, Claire Bryant, Malcolm Clemons, Sean Dixon-Bodie and Alissa Braxton
BREAKING INTO THE ALL-TIME TOP 10
The women’s 4x100m team of Kayla Davis, Grace Stark, Jayla Hollis and Anthaya Charlton opened Saturday’s running events strong. The quartet completed the race in 43.60 which is a season best for the group and the No. 10 time on Florida’s All-Time Top 10 list in the event. The current Gators surpassed the 4x100m team that competed at the 2008 NCAA Championships (43.61).
LET’S GET PERSONAL
Ashton Schwartzman notched a personal record in the men’s 400m. The Wautoma, Wisconsin native crossed the finish line in 45.90 topping his previous best by 0.08.
Competing in the 100m H, Jayla Hollis snapped her personal record that had stood since 2021 with a new best time of 12.97.
For the second consecutive meet, Jess Edwards notched a new best time in the 800m. After running 2:05.99 at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational two weeks ago, Edwards tallied a time of 2:05.95 on Saturday.
RESULTS
Saturday, April 27 – Track (LSU Invitational)
Events
Place. Athlete – Time | Notes
100m (W)
16. Kayla Davis – 11.55
100m (M)
5. Wanya McCoy – 10.11 (+ 2.3m/s)
10. Robert Gregory – 10.23 (+ 2.3m/s)
13. Malique Smith-Band – 10.26 (+ 3.1m/s)
100m H (W)
7. Jayla Hollis – 12.97
16. Melanie Welsing – 14.12
110m H (M)
12. Joey Stravato – 14.42
200m (W)
9. Jayla Hollis – 23.30
14. Kayla Davis – 23.71
200m (M)
2. Jevaughn Powell – 20.28 (+ 2.3m/s)
8. Malique Smith-Band – 20.73 (+ 4.5m/s)
400m (M)
3. Reheem Hayles – 45.31
6. Ashton Schwartzman – 45.90 | PR
15. Sam Austin – 46.87
19. Rios Prude Jr. – 47.07
26. Ryan Maseman – 47.98
800m (W)
6. Jess Edwards – 2:05.95 | PR
800m (M)
4. Miguel Pantojas – 1:48.98
9. Jenoah McKiver – 1:49.97 | PR
14. Gavin Nelson – 1:51.22
21. Chase Ruskin – 1:53.40
23. Noah Musselwhite – 1:53.93
28. Edward Kepran – 1:55.88
1500m (M)
3. Joe Wester – 3:48.08
4x100m (W)
7. Davis, Stark, Hollis, Charlton – 43.60 | No. 10 on UF All-Time Top 10 List
4x100m (M)
3. Powell, McCoy, Smith-Band, Gregory – 38.71 | No. 3 in NCAA in ’24
Saturday, April 27 – Field (LSU Invitational)
Events
Place. Athlete – Mark | Notes
Hammer Throw (W)
4. Imani Washington – 55.11m/180’9”
Hammer Throw (M)
5. Will Gross IV – 63.46m/208’2”
Shot Put (W)
3. Gracelyn Leiseth – 16.86m/55’3.75”
9. Melanie Welsing – 11.01m/36’1.50”
Shot Put (M)
6. Logan Montgomery – 17.13m/56’2.50”
Discus Throw (W)
3. Gracelyn Leiseth – 51.57m/169’2”
Discus Throw (M)
6. Logan Montgomery – 45.32m/148’8”
Javelin Throw (M)
2. Abraham Sargent – 69.64m/228’5”
Long Jump (W)
1. Anthaya Charlton – 6.74m/22’1.50” (+ 4.4)
4. Claire Bryant – 6.37m/20’10.75” (+ 2.6)
7. Kendall Brown – 5.89m/19’4” (+ 3.8)
Long Jump (M)
3. Malcolm Clemons – 7.94m/26’0.75” (+ 3.4)
5. Sean Dixon-Bodie – 7.79m/25’6.75” (+ 4.0)
13. Jordan McCants – 6.95m/22’9.75” (+ 4.1)
Triple Jump (W)
4. Alissa Braxton – 12.97m/42’6.75” (+ 4.2)
7. India Alix – 12.60m/41’4.25”
Triple Jump (M)
7. Michael Holloway II – 15.32m/50’3.25”
High Jump (W)
4. Claire Bryant – 1.70m/5’7”
7. Melanie Welsing – 1.65m/5’5”
Saturday, April 27 – Track (East Coast Relays)
Events
Place. Athlete – Time | Notes
800m (W)
25. Ashley Klingenberg – 2:15.99 | SB
800m (M)
17. Matt Mule’ – 1:54.96
38. Michael Fiore – 1:58.28
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