Category: Track & Field

Zimmerman breaks the school record in weight throw

The Nebraska track and field team opened its 2024 season by making school history.

The Nebraska track and field team opened its 2024 season by making school history. Henry Zimmerman began his season by breaking the school record in the men’s weight throw.

Zimmerman broke the record with a toss of 73 feet, 6 inches (22.40 meters), surpassing Alex Talley’s throw of 73 feet, 3 1/2 inches (22.34 meters), which he set back in December 2021. Zimmerman took it further by topping his record-setting throw with a launch of 73 feet and 6 3/4 inches (22.42 meters).

Zimmerman’s throw also places him first in the nation in the event this season. The second-best throw as of Jan. 12 is by Alabama’s Ruben Banks, with a heave of 73 feet, 2 1/2 inches (22.31 meters). After spending his freshman year at Penn State, Zimmerman is in his second season at Nebraska.

Last year, as a sophomore, Zimmerman sat third in school history for the weight throw with a toss of 71 feet and 3 1/4 inches (21.72 meters). Zimmerman’s throw placed him third in the Big Ten Indoor Championship last season.

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Florida’s cross-country standout receives Honda Sport Award

After leading her team to the most successful season in program history, Parker Valby is earning some well-deserved hardware.

Florida’s star runner star [autotag]Parker Valby[/autotag] was named the Honda Sport Award winner for cross country by Chris Voelz, executive director of the Collegiate Women’s Sports Awards, after leading her team to the most successful season in program history.

Valby equaled her accolades from last year, having earned back-to-back SEC Cross Country Individual Champion, SEC Women’s Runner of the Year, NCAA Division I South Region Individual Champion, South Region Women’s Athlete of the Year and USTFCCCA NCAA Division I All-American.

“It is an honor to win this year’s Honda Sport Award and represent the sport of Cross Country and the University of Florida,” the redshirt junior said. “I am grateful for coaches and family who have supported me along the way!”

The Honda Sport Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 48 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”.

The winner of the sport’s award becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the prestigious 2024 Honda Cup, which will be presented on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 24, 2024, at 7 p.m. ET, from its new home in New York City.

Take a look below at every Gator who has earned the honor over the history of the award.

Gator Honda Sports Award Recipients
Name Sport Year
Parker Valby Cross Country
2023
Jasmine Moore Track & Field
2023
Trinity Thomas Gymnastics
2023
Trinity Thomas Gymnastics
2022
Yanis David Track & Field
2019
Rhamat Alhassan Volleyball
2018
Belinda Woolcock Tennis
2017
Alex McMurtry Gymnastics
2017
Kelly Barnhill Softball
2017
Bridget Sloan Gymnastics
2016
Lauren Haeger Softball
2015
Kytra Hunter Gymnastics
2015
Kelsey Bruder Softball
2011
Caroline Burckle Swimming
2008
Danielle Fotopoulos Soccer
1998
Jill Craybas Tennis
1996
Nicole Haislett Swimming
1994
Lisa Raymond Tennis
1993
Lisa Raymond Tennis
1992
Shaun Stafford Tennis
1988
Page Dunlap Golf
1986
Deb Richard Golf
1985
Tracy Caulkins Swimming
1984^
Tracy Caulkins Swimming
1983
Tracy Caulkins Swimming
1982^
Ann Woods Gymnastics
1982
Renee Laravie Swimming
1978
^Recipient of Broderick Award (previous name of Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Award

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Florida women’s cross country starts at top of SEC, men at No. 8

The women have high aspirations in 2023 while the men are looking to emerge from mediocrity.

Florida Gators women’s cross country team was voted for the top spot in the Southeastern Conference 2023 Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll’s predictions for this season’s finish, the SEC announced on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the men were voted to finish at No. 8 in the 13-school league.

The first-place projection represents the fourth time the Lady Gators have earned that honor, having also been selected in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The poll was first introduced ahead of the 2007 season.

This year’s No. 1 vote is also the first time the program earned a unanimous selection since 2010, garnering all 13 available votes; the conference’s coaches clearly recognize the talent level the women bring to the table this fall. They finished fifth at the SEC Championships in 2022 and have a significant amount of contributors returning this season.

On the other hand, the men are projected to finish in the bottom half of the SEC after recording a disappointing tenth-place finish at 2022 SEC Championships. However, the incoming roster does have some experience on its side, returning 12 runners with SEC Championships experience in either 2021 or 2022. The program adds an equally large freshman class to hopefully bolster its roster.

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Otabor wins javelin at NACAC U23 Championships

A successful weekend for the Nebraska Track and Field team continued with another individual championship.

A successful weekend for the Nebraska Track and Field team continued with another individual championship over the weekend. Rhema Otabor won the javelin at the NACAC U23 Championships with a throw of 57.48 meters.

That distance was also a new meet record. Earlier in the month, Otabor won the BAAA Bahamas National Championship in the javelin with a throw of 59.75 meters. Last month, she set a personal best (at the time) and won the NCAA title with a throw of 59.49 meters.

The NACAC U23 Championships is a three-day and 88-event track and field meet between North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletic Associations for athletes under the age of twenty-three.

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Otterdahl wins event at 2023 NACAC U23 Championship

A Nebraska Track and Field athlete won his event at the 2023 NACAC U23 Championships.

A Nebraska Track and Field athlete won his event at the 2023 NACAC U23 Championships. Maxwell Otterdahl won the shot-put on his final throw of 19.41m.

Otterdahl has had a successful 2023 season. The Rosemount, Minnesota native won the Big Ten discus title and finished second in the shot-put.

He was also a first-team All-American for the 2023 campaign. The athlete would finish fourth in the shot-put at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field and 13th in the discus.

The Cornhusker was one of several Nebraska Track and Field athletes to participate in the NACAC U23 Championships.

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Nebraska athlete wins triple jump at NACAC U23 Championship

A Nebraska Track and Field athlete won the triple jump at the NACAC U23 Championships over the weekend.

A Nebraska Track and Field athlete won the triple jump at the NACAC U23 Championships over the weekend. Rhianna Phipps won with a jump of 13.61 meters, a new personal record.

Just last month, Phipps earned her spot as a second-team All-American at the NCAA Championships. She finished 13th with a jump of 13.35 meters.

Phipps competed at Kansas State for one season before coming to Nebraska for the 2023 season. The NACAC U23 Championships is a three-day and 88-event track and field meet between North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletic Associations for athletes under the age of twenty-three.

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Dooley’s Dozen: 12 best Florida sports moments this past academic year

There were so many highlights in 2022-23 that it’s difficult to limit them to a dozen. But here’s Pat Dooley’s crack at the top highlights from this past year.

To say this academic year of Florida athletics was a mixed bag would be an understatement.

That bag had some razor blades in it right next to the cashmere. Some seasons were ones to remember, some you want to forget.

Let’s stay positive.

There were so many highlights in 2022-23 that it’s difficult to limit them to a Dooley’s Dozen. Heck, I could probably do one on baseball alone.

Florida finished fifth in the Learfield Cup, which was impressive considering the poor showings of sports you usually count on for big points. Stanford, with its national titles in women’s rowing, men’s gymnastics and women’s water polo, won the award again.

Here we go with the 12 best moments of the past academic year.

2023 Bowerman women’s finalists announced, including this Gator

The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced on Monday its women’s finalists for The Bowerman award.

The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced on Monday its women’s finalists for The Bowerman — collegiate track and field’s highest individual honor.

Julien Alfred (Texas Longhorns), Jasmine Moore (Florida Gators) and Britton Wilson (Arkansas Razorbacks) were the three chosen by The Bowerman Advisory Board as the most outstanding athletes in collegiate women’s track and field during the 2023 indoor and outdoor seasons. The trio combined for 10 NCAA titles — eight individual, two relay — plus a share of 12 collegiate records and 33 all-time top-10 performances in the collegiate record books.

Take a look below at what College Sports Wire’s Alex Sinatra had to say about Florida’s finalist.

This season, Moore swept the indoor long jump and triple jump titles at SEC and NCAA championships and set the indoor collegiate records in the long jump and triple jump at NCAA championships.

Moore also swept the SEC outdoor long jump and triple jump during the spring season. Moore won the outdoor triple jump and set an NCAA record. If Moore wins the award, she will be the first woman to win in Florida history.

According to the award’s website, the Bowerman Advisory Board is a panel of track and field experts from around the nation who select finalists based on performances recorded during the 2023 indoor and outdoor track and field seasons. Only performances from December 1, 2022, through the conclusion of the 2023 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Austin, Texas, were eligible for consideration. Voting for The Bowerman closes July 14.

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Florida finishes fifth in 2022-23 Learfield Directors’ Cup

Two national championships over the last calendar year led Florida to a fifth place finish in the 2022-23 Learfield Directors’ Cup.

The Florida Gators finished in fifth place for the 2022-23 Learfield Directors’ Cup, according to a press release published on Wednesday by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

Florida finished behind Stanford, Texas, Ohio State and Virginia, in that order. The Gators’ national championships in men’s golf and men’s outdoor track and field. Florida’s recent runner-up finish at the Men’s College World Series also added to a total of 1,091.5 points. Virginia finished with just 14 more points than UF, while Stanford’s 1,412-point showing paced the all athletic programs.

The Southeastern Conference features the most programs in this year’s top 25. Florida leads all schools at No. 5 but is followed closely by No. 6 Tennessee, No. 7 Georgia, No. 9 LSU, No. 12 Alabama, No. 13 Arkansas, No. 18 Kentucky and No. 24 Texas A&M.

Nineteen sports are counted in the final D1 standings, with women’s volleyball and basketball and men’s basketball baseball serving as four constants. The remaining fifteen sports are the highest score for each institution, regardless of gender.

“The LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in NCAA Championships.”

This is Florida’s 14th season in a row finishing in the top five. Despite several second-place finishes, the Gators have never ended the season at No 1 overall.

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PHOTOS: Highlights from Florida track and field’s 6th outdoor national title

Take a look at a few highlights from Florida’s sixth NCAA Outdoor Championship coming in 2023. 

The Florida Gators men’s track and field team won the NCAA Outdoor Championship for the sixth time in program history, notching the 11th national title for the men’s team — all of which have come under Head Coach Mike Holloway — and the 14th overall for the Florida Gators track and field programs on Friday.

The 4×100 relay team of Ryan Willie, Jacory Patterson, Pjai Austin, and Robert Gregory led off the day winning silver, followed by Emmanuel Bamidele, who won the 400m title with a time of 44.24, the fastest time in the country this year — second fastest in school history and fourth fastest in the world this year. Ryan Willie also secured silver (44.25) with the second-fastest time in the country this year and fifth-fastest in the world this year.

Down by five points to the Arkansas Razorbacks entering the final event — the 4x400m — the team of Bamidele, Patterson, Jevaughn Powell and Willie won the gold by setting a collegiate record time of 2:57.74 to win the relay title and secure the title for the Gators.

Take a look below at a few highlights from Florida’s sixth NCAA Outdoor Championship coming in 2023.