University of Florida Track & Field: Still Great

This week, the world of collegiate track & field heads to the historic Hayward Field out in Eugene, Oregon for their last event of the season. Our No. 1 ranked Florida Gators are looking to reestablish their title as the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Champions after losing to Oregon last year. Just before heading to Eugene, the Gators made a quick stop in Jacksonville, Florida for the NCAA East Preliminary rounds. To call the weekend a success is an understatement, with a total of 23 athletes, both men and women, qualifying for the outdoor championships. 

There is a tremendous amount of talent within the Southeastern Conference, but Florida has consistently proven to be a track and field powerhouse thanks to Coach Mike Holloway and his staff. Most notable of his team are senior sprinter Dedric Dukes and senior jumper Marquis Dendy. Both athletes have built an impressive resume on the track over the past four years. You can expect that they end their final season with the Gators with some of their best performances yet! Before the meet ended, I got a chance to talk with both athletes about their performances and what we should expect to see out at Hayward Field. “It’s exciting to have the team heading back to Oregon. We are really looking to bring home the championship, it would be a great way to end my last season,” said Dendy. Keep in mind, Dendy had a record-breaking 8.05 meter leap in the long jump. Sprinter Dedric Dukes is looking forward to the same season ending, with hopes of taking his career to the next level. His feelings on the moment were summed up in four simple words, “Last one, best one.” With a winning time of 20.14, Dukes is looking to hold on to his title in the 200 meter dash. Do not be surprised if we see a sub-20 performance this weekend, as he told us he has been working really hard for this moment, especially after overcoming an ankle injury just before the start of the indoor season.

While these two Gators shine in the spotlight, there’s still much more to expect from the team. Including runners Najee Glass and Antwan Wright who are a part of the 4x100 relay. You should also look out for senior Mark Parrish, who is looking to take his final wins in the steeplechase and the distance duo consisting of Andres Arroyo and Ryan Schnulle dominating the 800 meter race. Of course, we can’t forget about our Lady Gators! They are heading into the competition ranked No. 6. If regionals were any indication of what to expect of the Florida women this weekend, we are in for a treat! Sprinter Kyra Jefferson broke a University of Florida record with her 22.49 finish in the 200 meter dash. Senior hurdler Bridgette Owens also had a great performance in the 100 meter hurdle alongside fellow senior Cierra Brewer, who is best known for her success as Florida’s leading triple jumper. The women’s 4x100 team also took a huge lead in the last leg of the relay, confirming their spots in Eugene with a 42.93 finish.

You can catch the NCAA Championships starting June 10^th, hosted by the University of Oregon. We wish our men’s and women’s teams the best of luck as they make their way to Oregon this week. As always, it’s great to be a Florida Gator!

--solementality

The Billy Donovan Era

            Scott Brooks was fired by the Oklahoma City Thunder after 7 years and Billy Donovan’s name soon came up as the potential coach to replace him. After a couple days of rumors & speculation, Donovan signed on to be the new head coach for the Thunder for about $30 million over 5 years.

            It’s tough that Billy Donovan is leaving UF but it was expected as he had multiple opportunities over the years to jump to the NBA and he & the Gators just came off a down year in which they missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1997. Donovan will go down as a legend in Gators sports history for what he has been able to achieve with the basketball program. In a landscape where there are fewer & fewer Coach K’s or Bobby Bowden’s and more college coaches are constantly changing jobs & leaving programs behind for greener grass, Billy Donovan was the man in charge of Gators basketball for almost 20 years. He elevated the program to long-term success in the same way Steve Spurrier did when he took over the football program. 467 wins, 16 20-win seasons, 6 SEC championships, 4 SEC tournament championships, 4 Final Four appearances & 2 national titles. Gators basketball started with Billy.

            The opportunity to coach OKC along with 2 of the best players in the NBA is once in a lifetime and anybody would jump on that. Although the Gators will have to rebuild & find new talent along with a new coach after losing McDonald’s All-American Chris Walker & 3-point specialist Michael Frazier, it will be exciting to see Billy Donovan face off against his old players in the NBA. Older guys from the early 2000’s such as Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Matt Bonner & David Lee. Also, the younger guys from the back-to-back national championship teams & on such as 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah (one of my favorite players in the league), Corey Brewer (1^st triple-double in Gators history), 2 3^rd overall picks in Al Horford & Bradley Beal, Chandler Parsons, Nick Calathes & Marreese Speights.

            Billy Donovan will be considered as the best coach in Gators sports history and leaves behind almost 20 years of his legacy & fingerprints not only on the basketball program but on the University of Florida. I think we can find a spot in front of the O’Dome in the future for a statue in his honor.