ANOTHER NATTY!!!

Mighty Mouse Holloway Does It Again!

Gators dance around the track to overtake the Razorbacks

The Gators needed all 21 events to find the 57 points that would deliver them their second NCAAOutdoor national title in as many years, scoring solid performances in the seven events in which they had competitors.

Heading into the last event of the night, Gators needed to win the event that they had dominated all year including setting the collegiate record. The team they were chasing, the Arkansas Razorbacks had dominated the field and multi events to begin the 4x400m Relay with 52 points and the national title within their grasp. Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, the 4x400 meter relay is in the Gators wheelhouse and the team of Emmanuel Bamidele, Jacory Patterson, Jevaughn Powell, and Ryan Willie polished of the championship with the flair of another collegiate record with a time of 2:57.54. The time, which is one of the fastest times ever ran by a group anywhere in the world in the history of the sport and testament to Florida coach Mike Mouse Holloway and his ability to have his team prepared when it matters most.

Coach Holloway who captured his sixth outdoor championship was asked why winning never gets old. “I get asked a lot what’s your favorite championship?” “The next one,” Holloway stated. “It’s always a different experience you know, I’m almost speechless.” After a disappointing finish to the indoor season Coach Holloway started to remind his team what was expected of them in the championship meets and with a limited outdoor season the Gators as is Coach Holloway’s calling card showed up when it mattered most.

What may be most impressive is that the Gators had only won one event heading into their victory in the 4x400 Relay. In one of the best races of the night Emmanuel Bamidele bested teammate Ryan Willie one hundredth of a second to win the 400-meter dash. While Willie was the favorite in that race the Gators were able to take a major share of the points as Jevaughn Powell would also place seventh, giving the Gators a crucial 20 points to get back in the hunt.

Sprinter Robert Gregory would follow their efforts with a fourth place finish in the 200-meter dash to add five crucial points to his teams total. The Gators also received All-American performances from PJ Austin, who finished fifth in the 100-meter dash, Sean Dixon-Bodie who would finish fourth in the triple jump, and a fourth place finish from Malcolm Clemons in the long lump.

Eight points would come to the Gators albeit with a little bit of controversy in the 4x100 meter relay. The Gators finished the race in third place behind Texas Tech and LSU. However it was later ruled that Texas Tech had committed an exchange zone infraction and the Gators were awarded second place as a result of the ruling. Had the initial result stood the Gators would have won the championship still but by a narrow margin of only two points.

Coach Holloway credited veterans such as Willie and Jacory Patterson for his team renewed focus during the outdoor season. “As soon as we walked off the track in Albequerque our charge was to be in the infield here with a better showing,” he said. “Preparation creates opportunity”. “I’m proud of everyone involved”.

This is the fourth men’s outdoor championship for Coach Holloway in the last seven years with a possible title for the Gator women pending for Saturday. If that were to happen, it would be 14 total championships for the Gators under his leadership.