GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, April 12–13 —Florida Gator coach Mike Holloway did little recruiting to assemble the star-studded field for the 2-day Tom Jones Memorial, but couldn’t have dreamed of a more competitive field than the one that turned up.
“There were some teams I did not expect to come, but they called and we accepted them,” said the veteran coach, who wielded a baseball bat all meet long as a joking incentive for his team. “It’s the best field we have ever had.”
The women’s performance of the meet was Jacious Sears’ searing 10.77 to win the Open 100 over Georgia’s Kaila Jackson. Tennessee senior Sears, who prepped at Palm Beach Gardens HS, used a quick powerful start and accelerated away from the field to win by 0.33 raising audible awe from the crowd. The time was the No. 2 all-time collegiate mark, behind only Sha’Carri Richardson’s 10.75 to win at the ’19 NCAA.
“I never imagined that for my opener. All glory to God,” said a stunned and nearly speechless Sears moments afterwards. Her previous wind-legal best was 10.96 last year.
Sears’ race exceeded even the caree- best wind-legal opener for World Champs 9th-placer Tamari Davis, who out-dipped Melissa Jefferson with a 10.94 in the Invitational century, as both sprinters were given the same time.
“I ran a great opener, so I am sure it is going to go well,” said the 21-year-old Gainesville native Davis. “My start and my drive phase were pretty good, but once I stood up and got into my transition I kind of started reaching a little bit. I have a week off so I’m going to go back to training and fix that.”
Friday night’s 200s had been greeted with strong crosswinds that led to a mix of windy and wind-legal times.
Ole Miss senior McKenzie Long got things started with a convincing win over NCAA Indoor champion and collegiate leader JaMeesia Ford, 22.18–22.41, pushed by a 4.1mps wind.
“The main portion of my race is coming off the turn,” assessed Long. “That’s where I am really dominant and I used that to my advantage. I forgot how bad the 200m hurts towards the end, but I kept swinging my arms and keeping my legs going and that is how I finished.”
Teen Ford additionally churned 50.81 for 5th in a loaded 400 won by Arkansas frosh Kaylyn Brown in 49.95. The 19-year-old Brown’s time lifted her to No. 7 all-time collegian and turned back a field of super quartermilers.
Florida senior Grace Stark won the 100H in 12.56, for an 0.02 strengthening of her position as No. 9 all-time American collegian. Stark set her previous PR in this meet two years ago. Thirty-five-year-old vet Nia Ali captured the close Invitational race in 12.44, her equal-7th-fastest career time.
Defending 400H NCAA champion Savannah Sutherland opened with a collegiate leader. Sutherland made up a 1-second deficit to Arkansas’ Rachel Glenn at hurdle 8 to win 54.86–54.91.
“It wasn’t my smoothest race ever, said Sutherland said, who sported heavy tape on her right ankle which was the result of a fall down stairs a couple of weeks ago. “There is definitely a lot of improvement to come. I definitely have some things to smooth out as the season progresses, but I have only had two or three hurdle practices this year because of the weather. There is definitely a lot of improvement to come.”
The time from NCAA indoor high jump titlist/CR holder Glenn was a remarkable 1.52 improvement on her previous long hurdles best from 2022.
In the high jump, Texas A&M’s Lamara Distin and Georgia’s Elena Kulichenko both tried new techniques with Kulichenko winning out on fewer misses for her first victory over Distin in two years. Both cleared 6-3½ (1.92).
“I added a second bounce to my runup to give me better rhythm and better position when I start my curve,” said Kulichenko. “That was the difference.”
For Distin, she lengthened her approach and started on the grass. The results were not what she expected.
“I’ll give it a 3 out of 10 for the competition,” Distin said. “The plan after indoors was to go to a longer approach because I had done that in the past. However, it didn’t work so we’ll go back to the drawing board.”
Abby Steiner, the 200’s NCAA champion and a WC finalist in ’22, appeared in her second meet back from last summer’s heel surgery. Having run 51.58 for 400 at the Gamecock Invitational a week earlier, she dashed 11.05 to win her 100 section here and relayed as second leg on a 41.94 USA Red squad. Mikiah Brisco, Jenna Prandini and Aleia Hobbs worked the other three legs as a USA White quartet followed in 41.99.
JONES MEMORIAL WOMEN’S RESULTS
100: I(1.6)–1. Jacious Sears (Tn) 10.77 (7, x A; 2, 2 C);
2. **Kaila Jackson (Ga) 11.10; 3. Rosemary Chukwuma’ (TxT-Ngr) 11.12.
II(-0.2)–1. Jahniya Bowers (Ms) 11.15.
Inv100: I(1.2)– 1. Tamari Davis (adidas) 10.94; 2. Melissa Jefferson (Nike) 10.94; 3. Talitha Diggs (adidas) 11.01;
4. Alana Reid’ (Jam) 11.09; 5. Kemba Nelson’ (Jam) 11.15.
II(1.1)–1. Abby Steiner (Puma) 11.05; 2. Kiara Parker (Asics) 11.13.
200(4.1): 1. McKenzie Long (Ms) 22.18w; 2. ***JaMeesia Ford (SC) 22.41w; 3. **Kaila Jackson (Ga) 22.51w; 4. Amber Anning’ (Ar-GB) 22.65w; 5. Thelma Davies (LSU) 22.76w.
II(-1.8)–1. Dennisha Page (Tn) 22.70; 2. **Dajaz Defrand (FlSt) 22.77; 3. ***Kaylyn Brown (Ar) 22.77; 4. *Iyana Gray (TCU) 22.95; 5. **Autumn Wilson (Ga) 22.98.
III(3.1)–1. **Brianna Lyston’ (LSU-Jam) 22.46w; 2. *Aalliyah Francis’ (SC-Jam) 22.82w.
IV(3.5)–1. ***Brianna White (Tn) 22.91w.
Inv200: I(1.4)–1. Favour Ofili’ (Ngr) 22.33; 2. Anavia Battle (adidas) 22.56; 3. Ida Karstoft’ (Den) 22.60.
400: 1. ***Kaylyn Brown (Ar) 49.95 (7, x C); 2. **Aaliyah Butler (Ga) 50.05 (10, x C);
3. Amber Anning’ (Ar-GB) 50.08; 4. Nickisha Pryce’ (Ar-Jam) 50.13;
5. ***JaMeesia Ford (SC) 50.81 (9, x AJ);
6. Jermaisha Arnold (TxAM) 50.86.
II–1. **Javonya Valcourt’ (Tn-Bah) 51.15.
III–1. Isabella Whittaker (Penn) 51.14; 2. **Ella Onojuvwevwo’ (LSU-Ngr) 51.32.
Inv400: I–1. Alexis Holmes (Nike) 50.65; 2. Stacey Ann Williams’ (Jam) 50.71; 3. Quanera Hayes (Nike) 51.17.
II–1. Britton Wilson (unat) 50.74; 2. Gabby Scott’ (PR) 51.00.
III–1. Shamier Little (unat) 51.54.
800: I–1. Shafiqua Maloney’ (StV) 1:59.97; 2. ***Gladys Chepngetich’ (Clem-Ken) 2:00.53; 3. Kelly-Ann Beckford’ (Hous-Jam) 2:00.70; 4. *Bailey Goggans (TxAM) 2:02.86.
1500: 1. Maloney’ 4:15.30; 2. **Mia Cochran (Ar) 4:15.59; 3. ***Gladys Chepngetich’ (Clem-Ken) 4:15.67; 4. *Tiana LoStracco’ (Ar-Can) 4:16.35.
100H(1.1): 1. Grace Stark (Fl) 12.56 (9, x AmC);
2. Aasia Laurencin (Mi) 12.72; 3. Alexandra Webster (FlSt) 12.77; 4. Rayniah Jones (UCF) 12.87; 5. Leah Phillips (LSU) 12.92; 6. *Danae Nembhard’ (Aub-Jam) 12.96.
Inv100H(-0.8): 1. Nia Ali (Nike) 12.44; 2. Tonea Marshall (Nike) 12.45; 3. Christina Clemons (TBBTC) 12.51; 4. Ackera Nugent’ (Jam) 12.52; 5. Danielle Williams’ (Jam) 12.57; 6. Cindy Sember’ (GB) 12.57; 7. Amber Hughes (unat) 12.61; 8. Cyrena Samba-Mayela’ (Fra) 12.65.
(best-ever-mark-for-place: 8)
Inv400H: I–1. *Savannah Sutherland’ (Mi-Can) 54.86; 2. **Rachel Glenn (Ar) 54.91; 3. Shani’a Bellamy (LSU) 56.23.
III–1. Kyla Robinson-Hubbard (Tn) 55.98.
4 x 100: : I–1. LSU 43.05; 2. South Carolina 43.25; 3. Georgia 43.26; 4. Florida State 43.33; 5. Texas Tech 43.35;… dnf—Tennessee.
II–1. Arkansas 43.13; 2. Mississippi 43.31; 3. UCF 43.92.
Inv 4 x 100: 1. USA Red 41.94 (WL) (Brisco, Steiner, Prandini, Hobbs);
2. USA White 41.99 (T. Davis, Battle, Parker, Jefferson).
4 x 400: 1. Arkansas 3:26.10 (Glenn 50.87, Pyatt 51.99); 2. Houston 3:28.36 (Mouton 51.10); 3. Texas A&M 3:29.03 (Arnold 50.84); 4. Georgia 3:30.23 (Harris 51.76); 5. LSU 3:30.39; 6. South Carolina 3:32.69.
II–1. Clemson 3:32.08.
Inv 4 x 400: 1. Empire Athletics 3:23.83 (WL) (Marsh’, Dunmore, Miller-Uibo’ 49.59, Gbai’ 51.19);
2. USA Red 3:24.09 (Steiner 50.69, Lear 50.85); 3. CAP Athletics 3:25.14.
Field Events
HJ: 1. *Elena Kulichenko’ (Ga-Cyp) 6-3½ (1.92); 2. Lamara Distin’ (TxAM-Jam) 6-3½; 3. Amaya Ugarte (OhSt) 6-½ (1.84).
PV: 1. ***Molly Haywood (Bay) 14-4¾ (4.39); 2. Sophie Gutermuth (unat) 14-¾ (4.29); 3. ***Alencia Lentz (Bay) 14-¾.
LJ: 1. **Caelyn Harris (Al) 20-6½ (6.26); 2. Morgan Smalls (LSU) 20-5¾ (6.24); 3. **Eve Divinity (SJSt) 20-4¼ (6.20).
Inv LJ: 1. Quanesha Burks (unat) 22-¼ (6.71); 2. Claire Bryant (Fl) 21-10w (6.65) (20-9¾/6.34); 3. Jasmine Moore (Puma) 21-8¾ (6.62).
TJ: 1. Amy Warren (Aub) 42-9w (13.03).
InvTJ: 1. Charisma Taylor’ (Bah) 45-4¼ (13.82); 2. Natricia Hooper’ (Guy) 44-8¼ (13.62); 3. Anne-Suzanna Fosther-Katta’ (TxT-Fra) 44-7w (13.59) (44-2/13.46).
SP: 1. *Lacey Stringer (OhSt) 56-5¾ (17.21).
InvSP: 1. Jalani Davis (Ms) 60-7¾ (18.48); 2. Daniel Thomas-Dodd’ (Jam) 59-1¼ (18.01); 3. **Alida Van Daalen’ (Fl-Neth) 58-7¼ (17.86); 4. Lloydricia Cameron’ (Jam) 58-2 (17.73).
DT: 1. **Alida Van Daalen’ (Fl-Neth) 205-4 (62.58); 2. *Marie Forbes’ (Clem-Jam) 191-3 (58.31); 3. *Faith Bender (OhSt) 186-8 (56.91); 4. Corinne Jemison (Mi) 185-6 (56.54).
HT: 1. *Guðrún Hallgrímsdóttir’ (VaC-Ice) 223-4 (68.08); 2. **Elísabet Rut Rúnarsdóttir’ (TxSt-Ice) 222-6 (67.82); 3. Jasmine Mitchell (Ms) 215-9 (65.77).
InvHT: 1. *Stephanie Ratcliffe’ (Ga-Aus) 218-8 (66.64).
JT: 1. *Lianna Davidson’ (TxAM-Aus) 187-10 (57.26); 2. ***Trinity Spooner (LSU) 168-11 (51.48); 3. *Maria Bienvenu (TCU) 168-2 (51.27).