UF T&F: Gators Reset Collegiate Lead in 4x400m Relay on Day One of Pepsi Florida Relays

The Gators made waves in the national rankings on the first day of competition in James G. Pressly Stadium of the 2025 season.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gators Track and Field competed in day one of the Pepsi Florida Relays on Friday. Three athletes made additions to Florida’s all-time top ten lists, and two events saw top-five performances at the collegiate level for the 2025 season.

Tickets
Tickets for day two of Pepsi Florida Relays are still available. Tickets can be purchased in advance here<https://am.ticketmaster.com/gators/en/buy/pepsiflrelays25>, or purchased at the Ticket Office on the day of the event. All tickets are general admission, and re-entry is allowed.

Gators Track & Field schedule posters & magnets will be available for fans to pick up upon admission.

Highlights
Sprints/Relays
The Gators’ 4x400m Relay team, which set the collegiate lead just a week ago, reset their own top time at 3:03.62 on Friday night. Ashton Schwartzman and Rios Prude, making their outdoor season debuts, combined to give the Gators a massive, two-second lead over the rest of heat two. Nicholas Spikes, who ran in the previous NCAA-leading effort at FSU Relays, cruised to a 46.02 split, the fastest third leg of the entire field. Markevus Jackson brought the stick home, pushing the Gators’ collegiate lead forward with a 46.23 split.

In the 4x100m fields, both the Gator men and women advanced through the preliminary heats. The unit of Justin Braun, Garrett Fox, Malique Smith-Band and Jaden Wiley delivered the baton in 39.25, winning their heat and automatically qualifying for the final. Quincy Penn, Anthaya Charlton, Habiba Harris and Thalia Waters combined for a 43.99 time, taking second in their heat and qualifying by time.

All three of the Gators relay teams, as well as an additional men’s 4×400 unit, will compete again on Saturday in their respective finals.

Throws
Leikel Cabrera Gay stood out yet again in his second crack at collegiate competition, improving on his personal best to the tune of a 77.13m [253′ 0″] throw. The mark is the fourth-best in NCAA this season, and pushes him to the No. 5 spot on the all-time program leaderboard.

Mid-Distance
In the invite portions of the men’s and women’s 1500m fields, Tia Wilson and Joe Wester etched their names into the program record books. Wilson, the SEC women’s Indoor Mile champ, kept her momentum from the end of indoor season, running a 4:13.92 and claiming the No. 7 spot on the program performance list.

Wester delivered an impressive race, featuring a strong final kick that vaulted him six places, up to third place and a 3:43.21 finish. The senior, one of the distance program’s elder statesmen, makes his first addition to the all-time top-ten lists, slotting in at No. 6 for his performance.

Pepsi Florida Relays – Day One Results (Florida Gators Entries)
Field Events
Event

Participant – time or mark//place in heat (overall)

Notes

W Hammer Throw

Imani Washington – 61.61m [202′ 1″]//10th

W Discus Invite

Alida Van Daalen – 61.69m [202′ 4″]//2nd
Gracelyn Leiseth – 51.43m [168′ 8″]//8th

W Long Jump Invite

Alyssa Banales – 6.15m [20′ 2.25″]//4th

M Javelin

Leikel Cabrera Gay – 77.13m [253′ 0″]//4th
Aiden Broussard – 60.95m [199’11”]//12th

UF All-Time No. 5, 2025 NCAA No. 4

W Long Jump Open

Kendall Brown – 5.63m [18′ 5.75″]//14th

W Javelin

Evelyn Vanzwieten – 45.46m [149′ 2″]//12th
Elaina Perkins – 44.88m [147′ 3″]//13th

Track Events
Event

Participant – time or mark//place in heat (overall)

Notes

W 4x100m Prelims

Quincy Penn, Anthaya Charlton, Habiba Harris, Thalia Waters – 43.99//2nd (4th)

Qualified by time

M 4x100m Prelims

Justin Braun, Garrett Fox, Malique Smith-Band, Jaden Wiley – 39.25//1st (7th)

Qualified by finish

W 1500m

Ava Wyant – 4:34.99//3rd (4th)
Lindsey Kiehl – 4:45.51//11th (21st)
Annie Loehle – 4:46.93//5th (26th)
Allison Drummond – 5:03.56//10th (35th)

M 1500m

Gavin Nelson – 3:47.61//5th (5th)
Alec Miller – 3.54.78//1st (10th)
Evan Fleming – 3:55.78//4th (13th)
Jonathan Pitchford – 3:59.00// 11th (19th)

M 200m

Justin Braun – 20.65//1st (8th)
Garrett Fox – 21.18//5th (28th)
Trenton Howard – 21.33//1st (35th)
Ryan McCloskey – 21.54//2nd (38th)
Reheem Hayles – 21.56//6th (39th)
Markevus Jackson – 21.65//3rd (42nd)
Toby Makoyawo – 21.75//4th (43rd)

M 400mH

Jarrell Jimenez – 52.75//2nd (22nd)

M 4x400m Open

Ashton Schwartzman, Rios Prude, Nicholas Spikes, Markevus Jackson – 3:03.62//1st (1st)

2025 NCAA No. 1, Qualified by Finish

W 1500m Invite

Tia Wilson – 4:13.92//2nd

UF All-Time No. 7

M 1500m Invite

Joe Wester – 3:43.21//3rd

PB, UF All-Time No. 6

W 5000m