Florida Gators
NCAA Championships-Day 4
Men's Track Ties For Fourth, Women Sixth at NCAA's
Sunday, June 2, 2002 | Track and Field
The University of Florida track teams finished up competition in the 2002 NCAA Championships this evening in Baton Rouge, La. For the second time in three years, the Gator men's team returns to Gainesville with a trophy. UF finished in a tie for fourth place with Clemson, notching 32 points. The Gator women's team has a total of 29 points, finishing in sixth place. Gator sophomore Rickey Harris followed up his 400m hurdles championship last night with a second-place finish in the 400m.
The host Louisiana State Tigers won the men's team race with 64 points. Tennessee was second with 57. Southern Methodist had 42 points for third. In the women's team scoring, South Carolina won the first NCAA team title in the school's history with 82 points. UCLA was second with 72 points.
"My hat goes off to this Gator team for bringing home a trophy,' Head Coach Doug Brown said. "We were 34thindoors and we came back to finish with a trophy. I couldn't ask for anything more from this team. They gave their hearts. I'm proud."
Harris had a time of 44.93 in the 400-meter race to finish second to Gary Kikaya of Tennessee. With the runner-up finish, Harris becomes the second male athlete in NCAA history to be an All-American in the 400m hurdles and the 400m dash. Harris won the 400m hurdle race last evening. Harris joins former Olympic gold medalist Rex Cawley as the double All-Americans in the one-lap events. Cawley, like Harris was the champion of the 400m hurdles and the runner-up in the quarter mile.
"I actually felt tired, believe it or not," Harris said after the race. "I did some warming up earlier this morning and my legs felt really good. I just ran out there and ran the best I could. Being in lane seven, I was so far ahead that I couldn't see Gary Kikaya coming behind me. I couldn't do anything about it because he flew right by me. I just tried to catch him.
"I ran four 400's already in this meat alone, so I can't be too mad," Harris continued. "Next year I am going to come back and train harder and prepare for the double again. Hopefully, I'll win it next time."
Matt Vincent and Joe Squittieri represented UF in the high jump championship. UF was the only school with two athletes in the competition. Vincent cleared 7-3.25 to finish fourth in the meet and score five key points for the team. Squittieri had a mark of 7-1.75 for ninth in the competition.
In the final event of the day, UF needed an eighth place finish to break a tie in the team standings. UF was the ninth seed in the final of the 4x400m relay. A long week of running culminated in the Gator team of Ahmad Jasmine, Kyle Farmer, Stefan Pastor and Harris ran 3:07.58 to finish ninth for a fourth-place team finish, tying Florida with Clemson.
For the women, Candice Scott finished sixth with a mark of 54-0.5. She improved on all of her first three throws before making the final as the fourth seed. Scott ends her season with 24 wins, four All-American honors, four SEC Championships and an NCAA Championship in the weight throw indoors.
Amber Robinson closed out Florida's scoring for the meet with a seventh-place finish in the 200m. She had a time of 23.34 to earn two points for the team, giving UF its final point total of 29.
Florida's NCAA Champion
Rickey Harris-Men's 400m hurdles (48.16)
Florida All-Americans (12 Athletes, 13 Honors)
Men (5 Athletes 6 Honors): Taylor Jacobs-200m (20.95, 13th overall, eighth American); Moise Joseph-800m (1:45.74, 2nd); Chris Duncan-3,000m Steeplechase (8:38.59, 6th); Rickey Harris-Men's 400m hurdles (48.16, 1st); 400m (44.93, 2nd); Matt Vincent-High Jump (2.22m/7-3.25, 4th)
Women (8 Athletes, 8 Honors): Candice Scott-Hammer Throw (63.09m/207-0, 5th); Shot Put (16.47m/54-0.5, 6th); Keyon Soley-Long Jump (6.39 m/20-11.75, 4th); 4x100m relay (Amber Robinson, Ebony Shotwell, Keyon Soley, Yolanda Thompson)-44.07, 4th; Rachel Longfors-Discus (53.15m/174-4, 7th); Melissa DeLeon-800m (2:05.69, 4th); Kristina Bratton-800m (2:06.15, 6th); Amber Robinson-200m (23.34, 7th)
Florida's Events Today:
Men's 400m FINAL
Rickey Harris-44.93, second
Men's 4x400m FINAL
Florida (Ahmad Jasmine, Kyle Farmer, Stefan Pastor, Ali Abiola)-
Men's High Jump FINAL
Matt Vincent-7-3.25/2.22m, fourth
Joe Squittieri- 7-1.75, 2.18 meters, ninth
Women's 200m FINAL
Amber Robinson-23.34, seventh
Women's Shot Put FINAL
Candice Scott-54-0.5/16.47 meters, 6th
FINAL Men's Top 10 Team Scoring
1. LSU, 64
2. Tennessee, 57
2. Southern Methodist, 42
4. FLORIDA, 32
4. Clemson, 32
6. South Carolina, 30
7. Arkansas, 28
8. Stanford, 26
9. Colorado, 23
9. Texas, 23
FINAL Women's Top 10 Team Scoring
1. South Carolina, 82
2. UCLA, 72
3. Southern California, 57
4. LSU, 43
5. Kansas State, 30
6. FLORIDA, 29
7. Stanford, 25
8. North Carolina, 22
9. Nebraska, 21
10. Illinois, 19
10. Texas, 19
10. Brigham Young, 19
End of Report
