Florida Gators track and field

The Florida Gators men's track and field team was organized in 1923; the Gators women's team was formed in 1973. The University of Florida joined the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in December 1932, and the Gators track team began to compete in the SEC in the spring of 1933.{{Cite web |url=http://web.gatorzone.com/trackfield/ |title=History of the program |access-date=2009-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204065736/http://web.gatorzone.com/trackfield/ |archive-date=2009-02-04 |url-status=dead }}

Historically, the Gators have been a force in the SEC, and have won a total of 21 conference team championships. The Gators men have won four SEC outdoor championships (1953, 1956, 1987, 2010), and six indoor championships (1975, 1976, 1987, 2010). The Gators women have won five SEC outdoor championships (1992, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2009), and six indoor championships (1990, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2012). Head coach Percy Beard, a former elite hurdler and silver medalist at the 1932 Summer Olympics, led the Gators to their first national prominence in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s, including their first two SEC outdoor championships. Beard's successor, Jimmy Carnes, coached the Gators from the early 1960s until 1976, and accounted for the Gators' first two SEC indoor team championships. Carnes was chosen to be the head coach of the U.S. Olympic track and field team in 1980, and later served as the head of the U.S. Track & Field Association.

In 2009, the women's team won the SEC outdoor championship."[http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=15984 Florida Women Claim 2009 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Title]," GatorZone.com (May 18, 2009). Retrieved May 18, 2010.

In 2010, the men's teams won both the NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship and the SEC men's outdoor championship."[http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20100516/ARTICLES/100519494/1136?Title=UF-men-s-track-and-field-wins-first-SEC-outdoor-title-since-1987 UF men's track and field wins first SEC outdoor title since 1987]," Gainesville Sun (May 16, 2010). Retrieved May 18, 2010. The 2010 women's team placed second in the SEC outdoor meet.

The Gators men's team won their second consecutive NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship in 2011, following their sixth SEC indoor championship. At the 2011 SEC outdoor track tournament, the Gators men and women's teams both placed second of twelve SEC teams in the 2011 conference track meet held in Athens, Georgia."[http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20110515/ARTICLES/110519674/1136?Title=UF-track-teams-take-second-at-SECs&tc=ar UF track teams take second at SECs]," The Gainesville Sun (May 15, 2011). Retrieved May 17, 2011. In the remarkably close final standings at the 2011 NCAA outdoor track and field championships in Des Moines, Iowa, the Texas A&M Aggies men finished first with fifty-five points, the Florida State Seminoles men were second with fifty-four points, and the Gators men were third with fifty-three points."[http://www.gainesville.com/article/20110611/ARTICLES/110619921/0/NEWS Men's track finishes 3rd at NCAAs]," The Gainesville Sun (June 11, 2011). Retrieved June 12,

The Gators men's team won their third straight NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship in March 2012, and following a string of four NCAA outdoor second-place finishes since 2004, won their first NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship in June 2012. They proceeded to win their second, third, and fourth outdoor championships in 2013, 2016, and 2017.

In 2015, Marquis Dendy was named winner of The Bowerman,{{Cite web|url=http://www.ustfccca.org/2015/12/featured/dendy-prandini-win-2015-bowerman-awards|title=Dendy, Prandini Win 2015 Bowerman Awards ::: The Bowerman: The Nation's Top Award for Collegiate Track & Field Athletes|website=The Bowerman|access-date=2018-12-31}} the first in Gator history to win the award.

The Gators' current head coach for both the men's and women's track and field teams is Mike Holloway.GatorZone.com, Track & Field, Coaching & Support Staff, [http://web.gatorzone.com/trackfield/staff/holloway Mike Holloway] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402034807/http://web.gatorzone.com/trackfield/staff/holloway |date=2012-04-02 }}. Retrieved May 15, 2011. Following the Gators' 2010 NCAA indoor track and field championship, Holloway was named the 2010 indoor track and field coach of the year."[http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20100319/ARTICLES/100319381/1136?Title=UF-track-and-field-coach-wins-national-honor UF track and field coach wins national honor] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711075759/http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20100319/ARTICLES/100319381/1136?Title=UF-track-and-field-coach-wins-national-honor |date=2011-07-11 }}," Gainesville Sun (March 19, 2010). Retrieved March 20, 2010.

The associate head coach and assistant coach for throwing is Steve Lemke.GatorZone.com, Track & Field, Coaching & Support Staff, [http://web.gatorzone.com/trackfield/staff/lemke Steve Lemke] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402034811/http://web.gatorzone.com/trackfield/staff/lemke |date=2012-04-02 }}. Retrieved May 15, 2011. The assistant coach for cross country and distance running is Chris Solinsky. FloridaGators.com, American Distance Great Chris Solinsky Joins Gators’ Coaching Staff, [http://floridagators.com/news/2017/7/13/track-and-field-american-distance-great-chris-solinsky-joins-gators-coaching-staff.aspx]. Retrieved July 26, 2017. The assistant coach for hurdles and sprints is Adrain Mann.GatorZone.com, Track & Field, Coaching & Support Staff, [http://www.gatorzone.com/trackfield/staff/tucker]. Retrieved May 15, 2011. The assistant coach for horizontal jumps and pole vault is Nic Petersen .GatorZone.com, Track & Field, Coaching & Support Staff, [http://www.gatorzone.com/trackfield/staff/petersen]. Retrieved May 15, 2011. The assistant coach for high jump, sprints, recruiting is Mellanee Welty

The following Florida Gators athletes have earned medals in one or more track and field events at the Summer Olympics:

• Will Claye, American silver and bronze medalist at 2012 London Olympics, and silver medalist at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics
• Kerron Clement, American gold and silver medalist at 2008 Beijing, and gold medalist at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics
• Jeff Demps, American silver medalist at 2012 London Olympics
• Grant Holloway, American silver medalist at 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• Michelle Freeman, Jamaican bronze medalist at 1996 Atlanta Olympics
• Tony McQuay, American silver medalist at 2012 London Olympics, and gold medalist at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics
• Dennis Mitchell, American gold medalist and bronze medalist at 1992 Barcelona Olympics, silver medalist at 1996 Atlanta Olympics
• Christian Taylor, American gold medalist at 2012 London Olympics, and gold medalist at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics
• Bernard Williams, American gold medalist at 2000 Sydney Olympics, and silver medalist at 2004 Athens Olympics
• Novlene Williams, Jamaican bronze medalist at 2004 Athens Olympics, silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, silver medalist at the 2012 London Olympics, and silver medalist at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics

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Category:1923 establishments in Florida

Category:College track and field teams in the United States