Florida back on top, secures fourth crown

Gators extend streak to nine consecutive podium finishes, hold off Texas A&M by two-point margin for championship in rematch of thrilling indoor final

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Texas A&M enjoyed a storybook ending by winning the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships at home in March, edging Florida by a half-point for the title.

But when it came to their rematch at the outdoor finals at Hayward Field, it was the Gators writing another impressive chapter in their program's storied history.

Despite Texas A&M closing out the meet by winning the 4x400-meter relay, just like it did in College Station, Florida won back-to-back championships for the second time, holding off the Aggies by a 61.5 to 59.5 margin.

The Gators tied for the title with Texas A&M in 2013, but were in no mood to share the spotlight Friday after a three-month wait for their title rematch with the Aggies.

"This feels a lot better than indoors. When you lose by half a point, you would almost rather lose by 50," said Florida coach Mike Holloway, whose team extended its streak of podium finishes to nine consecutive years, including six in a row in the top two.

"When you lose by half a point, you can think of a hundred ways to get half a point. This is just sweet because after indoors, it takes a while to get over a loss like that, and these guys came together when it mattered most."

KeAndre Bates swept the long jump and triple jump, Eric Futch joined former Florida great Kerron Clement (2004-05) by repeating in the 400-meter hurdles and Grant Holloway became the first freshman in NCAA history to win both the indoor 60-meter hurdles and 110 hurdles outdoors for the Gators, who secured back-to-back championships for the first time since 2012-13 with a fourth-place finish in the 4x400 relay in 3:02.16.

Fred Kerley anchored Texas A&M's 2:59.98 performance in 43.99, becoming the first athlete to run sub-44 legs in the semifinals and final since former USC star Quincy Watts in 1992, and Holloway anchored Florida in 43.89. Texas A&M became the first team to run under 3 minutes in both races in meet history.

Kerley also won the 400 in 44.10, finishing with four of the five fastest times in collegiate history, including his record 43.70 at the SEC Championships.

"At the end of the day, we won the 4x400," Kerley said. "At the end of the day, it's track and field and you never know what's going to happen. There are times where we lost a couple points here and there. Florida lost some points here and there. The meet is won once the 4x400 is done."

Texas A&M also received victories from Ioannis Kyriazis in the javelin and Lindon Victor in the decathlon, giving the Aggies and Florida each four event championships, but the Gators' supporting cast wound up being a little stronger Friday, especially in the 800, as Florida's Andres Arroyo placed fifth and Texas A&M's Devin Dixon was seventh.

"Texas A&M is a great program. Their coach (Pat Henry) has done an excellent job with the guys over there. But whatever they had, we had to match it," said Futch, who edged UCLA's Rai Benjamin 48.32 to 48.33 to become the first male athlete to repeat in the 400 hurdles since Washington State's Jeshua Anderson in 2008-09.

"We just came out here (Friday) and I felt the fight. We gave it all we had. On Wednesday, I got beat out and I thought I won. I got beat out by a lean, so (Friday) I knew I had to run through the line and give it all the lean I needed to have. I just fought, and at the end of the race I looked up at the jumbo screen, and it showed me as the winner, and I was so happy."

Bates, who placed second to Arkansas' Jarrion Lawson in the long jump and triple jump last year, joined former Gator Marquis Dendy (2014-15) in sweeping both titles. Bates' wind-aided 55-foot effort (16.76m) gave Florida its seventh triple jump crown in eight years.

Holloway, who took second to Bates in the long jump Wednesday, ran the 110 hurdles into a stiff headwind, but still prevailed in 13.49, becoming the first freshman since Oregon's Devon Allen in 2014 to win the title. He became the second Gator to capture the championship, joining Josh Walker (2004-05).

The weather also affected Tennessee star Christian Coleman and his bid for another run at a college record, but the junior successfully pulled off the sprint sweep in the 100 and 200 by clocking 10.04 and 20.25, both into strong headwinds. Wind corrections approximated Coleman's times to be 9.91 and 20.01 in more favorable conditions.

Coleman followed Lawson and USC's Andre DeGrasse to produce a championship sweep for the third consecutive year. He joined former Tennessee great Justin Gatlin, who won both titles in 2001 and 2002.

Coleman also matched Gatlin's 2002 success by winning the 60 and 200 indoor titles, followed by the 100 and 200 outdoors.

"It means a lot. It's something nobody's ever done before, except for another Tennessee Volunteer, Justin Gatlin, and he's a friend of mine, so it's a special moment for both of us," Coleman said. "They were both equally hard. There were some great guys in both fields, so I was just locked in and focused and ready to execute both of them."

Houston secured its first national title in the 4x100 relay since 1982, breaking the Hayward Field record by running 38.34. John Lewis III, Mario Burke, Jacarias Martin and Cameron Burrell helped the Cougars erase the memories of last year's 38.42 to 38.44 setback to LSU to become the No. 6 program in collegiate history.

Virginia's Filip Mihaljevic won the discus with a sixth-round throw of 209-2 (63.76m), rallying past Kent State's Reginald Jagers, who took the lead in the second round with a 205-1 (62.54m). Mihaljevic became the first male athlete since Arizona State's Ryan Whiting in 2010 to sweep the shot put and discus national titles.

Kansas State junior Christoff Bryan cleared 7-3 (2.21m) on his second attempt in the high jump to edge two-time indoor champion Trey Culver of Texas Tech based on fewer misses.

Bryan, who cleared 7-3.25 (2.22m) last year to place second to USC's Randall Cunningham Jr., secured the sixth high jump title for the Wildcats, including Erik Kynard (2011-12), Scott Sellers (2007 and 2009) and Nathan Leeper (1998).

New Mexico's Josh Kerr won the 1,500 in 3:43.03, becoming the first male athlete to sweep the indoor mile and outdoor 1,500 titles in the same year since Texas' Leo Manzano in 2008.

UTEP's Emmanuel Korir captured the 800 in 1:45.03, becoming the first freshman to win indoor and outdoor national titles in the same year. Iowa State's Edward Kemboi was the last male athlete to sweep both championships in 2015.

Louisville's Edwin Kibichiy prevailed in the 3,000 steeplechase in 8:28.40, capturing the third national title for the Cardinals, joining Matt Hughes in 2010-11.

Grant Fisher secured the 5,000 championship in 14:35.60, capturing the fourth title for Stanford, including the first since Ryan Hall in 2005. Arkansas' Jack Bruce was second in 14:35.88, marking the fourth year in a row the title has been decided by less than a second.