Mouse is crushing it, but sweeping outdoor nationals and having people in seemingly half the events at worlds will do that.
Also coaching the Olympic T&F team can’t hurt. With the transfer portal allowing kids to move without sitting out a year, top programs can cherry pick to supplement team and address depth issues. You are watching Oklahoma do this for softball pitchers each year.
This in incredible. The caliber of athlete transferring into both men's and women's program is ridiculous. Anyone know if anymore upgrades are happening at Pressly?
And the transfers keep rolling in. The new normal given NIL, and no fault, endless # of transfers now permitted. Just read the CBS Sports Matt Norlander 2 part write-up on Todd Golden and how the recruiting focus going forward will be on proven (analytics based) college transfers with only a hand-full of high level HS athletes with an expressed interest in UF.
And finally a summary of the 8 new transfer additions to UF Men's T&F: Florida Men’s Track and Field Rounds Out 2023 Roster with Elite Group of Athletes - Florida Gators
I have no inside information, they both finished 4th at the Worlds Track Championships, but to me the NIL rules seem to be tailor made for track and field athletes. It will be interesting to see how the athletic apparel companies approach it, Oregon and Maryland would seem to have built in advantages, but Oregon apparently is going back to a distance heavy model, and while Maryland has had some excellent individual athletes, they aren’t really a noted track and field power. I do know that if both come back (I believe Allison only has outdoor eligibility) that UF will be extremely difficult to beat at a national level… the same applies for the women with Jasmine Moore, Anna Hall, and Talitha Diggs.
Stricklin has kind of glossed over future track stadium improvements. The track surface is very good but the grand-stands not so much. Probably above average versus most programs - and admittedly not a fair a comparison - nonetheless, it pails in comparison to Oregon's T&F stadium gold standard. Mouse and the program deserve much better especially as it appears an indoor facility is going forward at Celebration Pointe care of Alachua County. I know that there are plans to remodel / upgrade the Lemerand Center now that only track and volleyball will be occupants going forward. However, chair back seating with shade structure should be in the budget at a minimum as well.