The UF track and field teams head to Knoxville, Tenn., today to compete in the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships on a mission: bring home championships.
Second isn’t an option.
“We felt like we let ourselves down last year,” UF coach Mike Holloway said. “We were second in everything, with the exception of the regional meet. In every one of those instances, we could have won the meet. This year, we are making sure we’re at our absolute best.”
The men’s team finished the first part of its mission at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championship – now, it looks to do the same in Volunteer country.
Although the men’s team finished second last year, the women’s team is looking to defend its outdoor title from a season ago.
The men’s team is seeking its first SEC Outdoor Championship since the 1987 season, while the women’s team is seeking the prestigious “Triple Crown” after winning the 2009 SEC Cross Country Championship and the 2010 SEC Indoor Championship.
The “Triple Crown” has only been accomplished once in school history when the women’s team did it in the 1996-97 season.
The Gators head to Knoxville as two top-10 programs, ready to face the stiffest competition in the country.
The men’s team is ranked third nationally, the highest-rated SEC men’s team. The women’s team is also in the top 10, coming in 10th nationally, second in the conference behind No. 2 LSU.
The SEC boasts some of the most elite track and field programs in the country, with eight men’s teams ranked in the top 25. The SEC has four programs represented in the women’s top 25.
The Gators come to the Outdoor Championships looking to defend nine individual titles from last year’s outdoor meet.
All-American sprinters Jeff Demps, Tony McQuay and Calvin Smith look to lead the fastest team in America to more records. The Gator men’s team enters the meet with the top-ranked 400-meter runner in the world, Smith, and the top-ranked 4x400 meter relay team in the world.
Demps, the third fastest 100-meter runner in the nation, leads the top 4x100 meter relay team in the nation.
Other Gator All-Americans including thrower Mariam Kevkhishvili and jumper Shara Proctor look to defend their titles and continue their outstanding perfomance this season.
“We’re going to do what we always do,” Holloway said. “We’re going to take care of the Gators.”
