ORLANDO - The UCF Track and Field squad will split up this weekend, with distance runners competing at the Visit Gainesville Indoor Classic on Friday, Feb. 6, at Alachua County Sports and Events Center. Meanwhile, sprinters, hurdlers, multi-event athletes, and field competitors will travel to College Station, Texas, for the Charlie Thomas Invitational at the Fasken Indoor Facility starting Friday, as well and wrapping up Saturday.
LAST TIME OUT
The Knights split up, with the long-distance squad at the Alachua County Sports and Event Center Invitational in Gainesville and the rest of the team traveling to Lubbock, Texas, for the Stan Scott Invite. The distance Knights dominated the meet, highlighted by Yvone Sandui making history in the Knights' records, running past the finish line at 2:51.71 in the 1000 meters for a new program best. Alexandra Raquet set a personal record and checked in at No. 2 in all-time program records at 9:29.11 in the 3000m. Furthering her success, she set a PR in the 1000m at 2:51.71, placing third all-time in the records there.
The Black and Gold conquered the 3000m with Paige Jaszczak at 10:06.52, Masha Dorofeev at 10:06.59, Daisy Ross at 10:10.55, Madison Patchan at 10:11.52 and Ava Quattrocchi at 10:15.76, all placing in the top 10. Bailey McLain joined the PR group, running past the finish at 5:04.39 in the mile.
Out in Texas at the Sports Performance Center, Kimberly “Tuti” Smith secured third in the long jump with a leap of 5.97m, earning 10th in all-time UCF records. Aaliyah Gipson was featured in this meet with two PRs in the 60m dash (7.54s) and in the 200m (24.17s). Toni Galloway and Ese Awusa qualified for the 60-meter hurdles finals, taking fifth (8.44s) and seventh (8.61s) respectively. A strong weekend was wrapped with Jazmen Newberry collecting the ninth-fastest time in program history in the 4x400-meter relay team (3:38.26).