Freedom product Smith helps Gators earn NCAA track crown

Posted Mar 14, 2010 by Bill Ward

Updated Mar 16, 2010 at 07:46 AM

Freedom High product Calvin Smith II (pictured left, third from right in front row) became the University of Florida’s leader in total All-America track and field honors while helping the Gators capture their first ever men’s NCAA indoor championship on Saturday at the Randal Tyson Track Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Smith earned his first all-American title of the meet Friday by finishing sixth in the finals of the 200 in 20.67 seconds. He took his second all-American crown and UF record 15th of his career Saturday when he joined forces with Floridians Preston Wilson and Tony McQuay and Trinidadian Jovon Toppin to take fourth in the 4x400 in 3:05.78.

Smith was also eighth in the 400 on Saturday in 46.60.

With the two All-America honors from the weekend, Smith surpassed former Gators star Mike Morrison (14) for the all-time lead in all-American honors, indoor and outdoor campaigns combined.

The Gator men scored 57 total team points to beat out both Oregon and Texas A&M by 13 points. Florida’s women placed fourth in their meet with 33 points.

During the meet, UF athletes took national titles in the women’s mile (Charlotte Browning), men’s 60 (Jeff Demps), women’s shot put (Mariam Kevkhishvili) and the men’s triple jump (Christian Taylor).

Demps, a prep state champion just two years ago from South Lake High in Groveland and a Gators running back, became the first person in UF history to win the NCAA men’s 60-meter dash championship with his time of 6.57—just .01 off the school-record-setting time of 6.56 that he ran in the prelims on Friday.