Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p class="p1">Taylor Tubbs races in the Southeastern Conference Championships on Nov. 1, 2013, on the Mark Bostick Golf Course.</p>

Taylor Tubbs races in the Southeastern Conference Championships on Nov. 1, 2013, on the Mark Bostick Golf Course.

The Gators weren’t going to ruin a tradition, especially not at the Western Carolina Invitational where they had swept the team and individual titles the last 3 years. They made sure not to disappoint.

The Florida runners swept the competition, bringing team and individual victories back to Gainesville for the fourth consecutive year.

Redshirt sophomore Mac Reynolds and sophomore Taylor Tubbs claimed individual victories Friday night, the first victories of each runner’s Florida career.

“Taylor had her first collegiate victory, and I thought she did an exceptional job,” coach Paul Spangler said. “Taylor said it was a lot easier this year than it was last year. That tells me she is a lot farther ahead of where she was last year at this time.”

The men’s and women’s teams both saw four of their top-five runners finish within the top five, a first for a Spangler-led squad.

It’s clear that Tubbs has spent the offseason focused and training on her speed. She improved her two-mile career-best mark of 10:59.09 by nearly five seconds.

The win for Reynolds was no surprise. The redshirt sophomore had shown significant improvement last season after sitting out his first year on campus. After running his fastest 10k at the 2013 South Region Championship in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and helping UF qualify for the NCAA Championships in the process, it was clear that Reynolds was clear for a breakout season. It was only a matter of time until he won his first race.

Spangler was also enthused by the support the freshmen Thomas Howell and Lauren Brasure provided for their teams. Both ran their first career race for the Gators, and both finished second.

“Thomas Howell did an exceptional job, finishing second in just his first collegiate race,” Spangler said. “I thought him and Mac Reynolds, who won his first collegiate race today, did a great job for us.”

Reynolds won the 5k in 15:13.75, his fastest 5k to date. Howell finished nearly seven seconds behind him. After Tubbs topped her previous 5k mark, Brasure finished in 10:59.55, a time just .46 seconds off where Tubbs finished at this event last year.

“Lauren Brasure finished second, and I thought Devin McDermott did a really good job today and stepped up in four-spot.”

The Gators have three weeks off before they head home to Gainesville to race in the Mountain Dew Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 20 at UF’s Mark Bostick Golf Course. The men have the earliest start, when their 8k begins at 7:55 a.m., immediately followed by the women’s 5k at 8:30 a.m.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox

Follow Graham Hall on Twitter @Graham311

Taylor Tubbs races in the Southeastern Conference Championships on Nov. 1, 2013, on the Mark Bostick Golf Course.

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.