UF Track & Field: Gators Boast 16 NCAA Indoor Championships Entrants
Courtesy of UF Athletic Association
The Gators’ 16 combined entries are tied for the fourth-highest total in the nation.Â
Florida earned 16 NCAA Indoor Championships entries, including 9 on the men’s side (fifth-most in the nation), as announced by the NCAA late Tuesday night.
The Gators’ 16 combined entries are tied with Georgia for the fourth-highest total in the nation, behind LSU (23), and Arkansas and Oregon (19 apiece).
Senior Raymond Ekevwo is the top-seeded runner in the 60 meters. The Nigerian sprinter will head to the NCAA Indoor Championships with a NCAA-leading and personal-best time of 6.53, which ranks third in school history and fifth in the world.
Newcomer Grace Stark will enter the championships as the No. 2 seed in the women’s 60-meter hurdles. The freshman clocked an impressive time of 7.91 seconds in this year’s SEC Indoor Championships, setting a new world under-20 record and taking silver in conference competition. Her time ranks second in school history.
Florida’s men, the defending indoor national champions, are ranked No. 6 nationally. The Gators have finished third or higher at 20 of the last 21 NCAA Championships, including 10 of the last 11 indoors. Florida also boasts nine national titles and top-two finishes at 23 of the 34 NCAA Championships for which Mike Holloway has been head coach.
Florida’s women check in at No. 13 nationally and will head to nationals with seven entrants, including a No. 9-seeded 4×400 meters relay squad and a No.12-seeded DMR quartet. The Gators finished sixth last year.
The 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships, hosted by the University of New Mexico, will take place March 13-14 inside the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
ESPN3 will provide live streaming next Friday, March 13 at 7:15 p.m. ET and Saturday, March 14 at 6 p.m. A replay will re-air Monday, March 16 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern)
* Friday Stream – 7:15 p.m. (ESPN3)
* Saturday Stream – 6 p.m. (ESPN3)
* Television Replays: Monday, March 16 – 9 p.m. (ESPNU)