Ebony Eutsey’s high school track and field resume was sparkling.
“Every year was a process,” Eutsey said. “In 10th grade, I won state in both the 200 and the 400. In 11th grade, I won Nike Outdoor Nationals and made the world team to go compete in Italy.”
But she got off track near the finish line, suffering an injury away from the field.
“My senior year wasn’t the best, though,” Eutsey said. “I got hurt in P.E. trying to run a 40 against a couple of guys.”
After suffering the injury, Eutsey struggled to recover.
“From there, it was a downfall.” Eutsey said. “I had gained weight. It was really hard for me.”
Despite her injury, UF coach Mike Holloway offered Eutsey a track scholarship.
But the decision was not an easy one. Eutsey spent many tear-filled nights contemplating which school to attend.
“It was intense,” Eutsey said. “I didn’t know where I was going. I ended up battling between Florida and Texas. It was just so stressful. I would cry to my mom. She’d say, ‘Ebony, I’m not telling you where to go. It’s your decision.’”
Despite growing up in Miami, Eutsey never dreamed of competing at UF.
“I never had the ritual or history to become a Gator,” she said. “I never knew what college I wanted to go to. I finally said to myself that I was just going to Florida. I didn’t need to leave the state to be successful.”
Since arriving in Gainesville, Eutsey has shown significant progress.
In her freshman and sophomore seasons, she was impatient and failed to stay at the weight she wanted to maintain.
“My freshman year, I was hard on myself,” Eutsey said. “I wasn’t patient at all. Coach Holloway would always talk to me about patience. I also put on a lot of weight. Part of it was muscle, part of it was fat. I just was too heavy. Sophomore year, I worked on losing weight. I lost some but I still wasn’t where I wanted to be.”
Eutsey has cut weight since her freshman year and worked on her speed by competing in the 200m sprints. She plans to compete in the 200 at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic this weekend in Gainesville.
“I’m running a 200,” she said. “I opened up with 23.5 and I’m expecting to run a 23.3 or a 23.4. Something faster. It doesn’t have to be off the charts. Just something to show that I’ve been improving.”
Holloway added: “She didn’t like to sprint when she got here. It’s hard to be a great quarter-miler if you don’t want to sprint and get faster. She’s totally bought into the program now. She understands what the thought process is to become a great quarter-miler. She’s on the right path right now. We’re pleased with her development.”
Eutsey’s “buying-in” has launched her to new heights this season, breaking a UF record in the women’s 4x400m relay — her favorite event.
“Of course, nothing can ever take the place of the 400,” Eutsey said. “That’s my baby. That will always be my favorite event.”
Throwers coach Steve Lemke (left) and coach Mike Holloway walk across the field at Percy Beard Track at Pressly Stadium during the 2012 Florida Relays. Seventeen Gators qualified Sunday for the NCAA Outdoor Championships, which are set to begin June 5.
