The University of Florida track and field team has qualified 15 slots (13 men, 2 women) for the upcoming NCAA Indoor Championships, the NCAA announced late Monday evening. The NCAA Indoor Championships take place Friday and Saturday at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in College Station, Texas.
Among Florida’s qualifiers are the top three men’s triple jumpers in the nation in Christian Taylor (Fayetteville, Ga.), Will Claye (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Omar Craddock (Killeen, Texas), who posted a 1-2-3 sweep at the 2011 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships. The Gators have the top seed in the men’s 200m dash with Tony McQuay (Riviera Beach, Fla.), who has a career-best time of 20.61. McQuay will double in the 400m as well and runs a leg of the team’s 4x400-meter relay team.
The Gators also feature two defending NCAA Indoor Champions with sophomore sprinter Jeff Demps (Winter Garden, Fla.) in the men’s 60-meter dash and Taylor in the men’s triple jump.
Florida’s complete list of declarations includes:
· Will Claye – Men’s Long Jump (7.95m)
· Will Claye – Men’s Triple Jump (17.17m)
· Omar Craddock – Men’s Triple Jump (16.57m)
· Jeff Demps – Men’s 60m (6.55)
· Dumisani Hlaselo – Men’s Mile (3:56.84)
· Gray Horn – Men’s Heptathlon (5,186)
· Eddie Lovett – Men’s 60m Hurdles (7.73)
· Cory McGee – Women’s Mile (4:36.53)
· Tony McQuay – Men’s 200m (20.61)
· Tony McQuay – Men’s 400m (45.21)
· Kemal Mesic – Men’s Shot Put (19.53m)
· Christian Taylor – Men’s Triple Jump (17.36m)
· Terrell Wilks – Men’s 60m (6.59 )
· Men’s 4x400m Relay (3:05.51)
· Women’s 4x400m Relay (3:34.61)
Florida’s men claimed the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships, while the Gator women placed fourth at last year’s national indoor meet.
