University of Florida Track and Field - Class of 2024
The fifteen-time NCAA Champion Florida Track & Field program announced the addition of a star-studded recruiting class, compiled over the course of the most recent recruiting season.
This year's crop of new Gators features a highly experienced core, including an elite cohort of transfers spanning all disciplines, as well as many newcomers with resumes featuring high-level international competition.
"I am very excited about this year's recruiting class," Head Coach Mike Holloway said. "Our staff did a wonderful job during this process and their efforts have produced a well-balanced and very talented group of athletes. We look forward to working with this group and watching them grow in to champions."
The men of the 2024 recruiting class join a program fresh off its third-straight NCAA Outdoor Championship, just the seventh program in history to accomplish such a feat. On the women's side, the incoming class adds to a program that finished runner-up at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor National Championship meets in 2024.
Below is a summary of each incoming athlete's achievements prior to their arrival in Gainesville
The 2024-2025 Class:
Men:
Aidan Broussard (Fr.): Niceville, Fla. (Niceville HS) | Throws – Javelin 2-time FHSAA Class 4A Track and Field State Javelin Throw Champion (62.37m) Finished 2nd at the 2024 Pepsi Florida Relays High School Competition Led Niceville to back-to-back FHSAA Class 4A state championships in 2023 and 2024, winning the varsity Javelin Throw at both meets. Javelin PR: 62.37m (204'7")
*Leikel Cabrera Gay (Soph.): Havana, Cuba (Manuel Piti Fajardo school) | Throws – Javelin Previous College: Umpqua Community College (Ore.) 2024 NWAC Javelin champion (70.44m, 231'1") 2023 AAU Junior Olympic Games Javelin Champion Javelin PR: 73.58m (241'5")
Ayden Campbell (Fr.): Niceville, Fla. (Niceville HS) | Throws – Javelin Took 9th at 2024 FHSAA State Track and Field Championships (49.97m) Finished 3rd at 2024 Pepsi Florida Relays, setting a PR Javelin PR: 58.13m (190'8")
Nicolas Crosswhite (Fr.): Douglasville, Ga. (New Manchester HS) | Jumps 2024 GHSA 6A State champion in the triple jump 2024 GHSA 6 A State Bronze Medalist in the high jump High Jump PR: 7'0" Long Jump PR: 25'2" Triple Jump PR: 49'10"
Evan Fleming (Fr.): Gainesville, Fla. (Buchholz HS) | Distance 2x FHSAA 4A 2024 State Champion (800m, 1600m) Member of Buchholz's 2024 Nike Indoor Nationals Championship 4xMile relay team (17:25.44) 800m PR: 1:51.70 1600m PR: 4:07.21
Garrett Fox (Jr.): Clovis, Calif. (Buchanan HS) | Sprints Previous College: Fresno Pacific University 100m PR: 10.54 200m PR: 21.07
Trent Howard (Fr.): Frisco Texas (Frisco Lone Star HS) | Sprints 100m PR: 10.50 200m PR: 21.33
*Markevus Jackson (Sr.): Kissimmee, Fla. (Kissimmee-Osceola HS) | Sprints Previous College: Kentucky, North Carolina A&T 400m PR: 46.58
Jonah Kirspel (Fr.): Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. (South Walton HS) | Mid-distance Back-to-back FHSAA Class 2A Track and Field State Champion in 2022 and 2023 in the 800m. 800m PR: 1:49.76
*Jacob Lemmon (Sr.): Sanibel, Fla. (Fort Myers HS) | Throws Previous College: Virginia Three-time NCAA Outdoor All American in Discus Discus PR: 60.50m (198'6") Hammer Throw PR: (66.15m (217'0") Weight Throw PR: 22.18m (72'9.25")
Jonathan Leon (Fr.): Oviedo, Fla. (Hagerty HS) | Distance 3x FHSAA 4A Silver Medalist (3200m '24, XC '23, 3200m '23) 17th Place at Footlocker South XC Championship 2023 1600m PR: 4:11.92 3200m PR: 8:47.86
Jaden Lippett (Fr.): Winter Haven, Fla. (Winter Haven HS) | Jumps 2024 Pepsi Florida Relays Triple Jump Champion 2x FHSAA State Champion in the Triple Jump (2022, 2023) Triple Jump PR: 15.70m (51'6.25") Long Jump PR: 7.15m (23'5.5")
*Toby Makoyawo (Sr.): South Ruislip, England (St. Joan of Arc HS)| Sprints Previous College: Boston University 60m PR: 6.64 100m PR: 10.12 200m PR: 20.73
Graham Myers (Fr.): Fleming Island, Fla. (Fleming Island HS) | Distance 12th Place at Footlocker South XC Championship 2023 5x FHSAA Top-3 Finisher Member of Fleming Island's FHSAA 2024 3A State Championship 4x800m relay team (7:43.03) 1600 PR: 4:09.29 3200 PR: 8:57.91
Vance Nilsson (Fr.): Gilbert, Az. (Gilbert HS) | 400mH World U20 Champion in the 400m Hurdles (Lima, Peru, 2024) Advanced to semifinal at 2024 US Olympic Trials in 400H 2024 Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year for Track and Field Holds high school national record in the 300 hurdles, running 34.83 400mH PR: 49.26 (U20 2024 Season Lead) 110H PR (39"): 13.39
Joshua Ruiz (Fr.): Miami, Fla. (Belen Jesuit) | Distance 32nd at NXN National Championship 2023 to lead Belen Jesuit to a 4th Place Team Finish 1st Place Southern Showcase XC 2023 4x FHSAA Top-3 Finisher 1600m PR: 4:16.43 3200m PR: 8:59.99
Riley Smith (Fr.): Gainesville, Fla. (Buchholz HS) | Distance 2024 Millrose Mile Champion FHSAA 4A XC Champion 2023 3rd Place FHSAA 4A 1600m 2023 Member of Buchholz's 2024 Nike Indoor Nationals Championship 4xMile relay team (17:25.44) 800m PR: 1:50.96 Mile PR: 4:04.65 3200m PR: 8:39.71
Nicholas Spikes (Fr.): Burtonsville, Md. (Paint Branch HS) | Sprints 100m PR: 10.48 200m PR: 20.74 300m PR: 33.22 400m PR: 46.05
*Demaris Waters (Jr.): Harisburg, Penn. (Harrisburg HS) | Sprints/Hurdles Previous College: San Jose State 60mH PR: 7.71 110mH PR: 13.44
Jaden Wiley (Fr.): Duluth, Ga. (Duluth HS) | Sprints 2024 U.S. U20 Champion in 100m and 200m 100m PR: 10.21 200m PR: 20.67
*Johnathan Witte (Jr.): Gainesville, Fla. (IMG Academy) | Throws Previous College: LSU 2024 USTFCCCA Indoor All-American (Weight Throw) Weight Throw PR: 22.30m Hammer Throw PR: 61.23 Meters
Women
Alyssa Banales (Fr.): McKinney, Texas (McKinney North) | Jumps Made Team USA U20 roster in the Long Jump for the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia Triple Jump PR: 11.94m (39'2") Long Jump PR: 6.35m (20'10")
Christiana Coleman (Fr.): Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Dillard HS) | Distance 2023 FHSAA 3A State XC Champion 2x 2024 FHSAA 3A State Champion (1600m, 3200m) 800m PR: 2:12.45 1600m PR: 4:53.58 3200m PR: 10:50.88
Abigail Elmore (Fr.): Gunter, Texas (Gunter HS) | Heptathlon Finished 13th in the Heptathlon at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships Took 2nd in the 2024 U.S. U20 Championships 100mH PR: 14.03 High Jump PR: 1.78m (6'0") Long Jump PR: 5.57m (19'0") 200m PR: 26.04 800m PR: 2:23.45 Shot Put PR: 12.69m (42'4") Javelin PR: 35.85m (124'1") Heptathlon 5376
Ashley Fitzgerald (Fr.): Plantation, Fla. (American Heritage) | Distance 3x FHSAA 3A State Cross Country Silver Medalist (2021, 2022, 2023) 2x FHSAA 3A State Track & Field Bronze Medalist (1600m 2021, 3200m 2022) 1500m PR: 4:37.26 3000m PR: 9:52.32
Avery Fronrath (Fr.): West Palm Beach, Fla. (King's Academy) | Distance 1600m PR: 5:07.05 3200m PR: 10:58.19
Reagan Gilmore (Fr.): Louisville, Ky. (Assumption HS) | Distance Broke a Kentucky state High School record in the 4x800m relay with Assumption that had stood for twelve years 30th NXN National Cross Country Championships 2023 3rd NXR South Regional Cross Country Championships 2023 2024 KHSAA 3A State Champion (3200m) 2x 3rd Place Finisher at KHSAA 3A State Championships (XC, 3200m) 800m PR: 2:12.46 Mile PR: 4:45.29 3200 PR: 10:05.69
Habiba Harris (Fr.): Santa Cruz, Jamaica | Sprints/Hurdles enrolling January 2025 2024 Jamaican U20 Champion (100mH) 100mH PR: 12.95 100m PR: 11.71
Lindsey Kiehl (Fr.): Vail, Colo. (Summit HS) | Distance 800m PR: 2:13.47 Mile PR: 4:58.19
Skyye Lee (Fr.): St. Louis, Mo. (Parkway Central HS) | Sprints/Hurdles Dominated High School competition in Missouri, Taking the 2024 MSHSAA Class 4 State Championship in both the 200m, 100mH and finishing second in the 100m. 200m PR: 23.93 100mH PR: 13.34
*Gabrielle Matthews (Jr.): Portmore, Jamaica (The Queens School) | Sprints/Hurdles Previous College: Ole Miss Ran the third leg of Ole Miss's 2024 NCAA Outdoor Champion 4x100m Relay team Placed 7th in the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championship 400mH (55.33) 2024 SEC Outdoor 400mH Champion 400mH PR: 55.12 200m PR: 22.98
Bethan Morley (Jr.): West Yorkshire, England | Distance Previous College: Loughborough University BUCS Indoor Track & Field Champion 2023 (1500m) BUCS Outdoor Track & Field Runner-Up (1500m, 800m) 1st Place 2023 BUCS XC Championships Short Course 6km 5th Place 2024 BUCS XC Championships Long Course 8km Anchored Great Britain & NI to 2024 World Cross Country Bronze in the Mixed Relay Bronze Medalist 2024 FISU World University XC 3km 800m PR: 2:02.76 1500m PR: 4:11.84 3000m PR: 9:13.99
Hilda Olemomoi (Jr.): Trans-Mara, Kenya | Distance Previous College: Alabama 4x Top-3 Finisher at NCAA Track & Field Championships 9x NCAA 1st Team All-American 2x Top-10 NCAA XC Finisher (6th 2022, 4th 2023) 2x SEC Champion (10,000m, DMR) 3,000m PR: 8:45.50 5,000m PR: 15:06.42 10,000m PR: 31:51.89
Quincy Penn (So.): Abaco, Bahamas | Sprints Previous College: Alabama State University 2024 SWAC Outdoor Champions in 200m and 400m 100m PR: 11.51 200m PR: 23.08 400m PR: 51.91
Elaina Perkins (Fr.): Niceville, FL (Niceville High School) | Throws 2024 FHSAA 4A State Champion (Javelin) Javelin Throw PR: 44.57m.
Asia Phillips (Fr.): Ontario, Canada | Jumps Placed fourth in the triple jump (13.31m) at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championship. Canadian U20 Champion in the triple jump Long Jump PR: 5.94m Triple Jump PR: 13.55m U20 and U18 Canadian Record Holder NACAC U18 Champion Pan Am U20 Champion
Gabrielle Schmidt (Fr.): Brisbane, Australia (St. Peters Lutheran College) | Distance Finished seventh in the Women's 5000m at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championship in 16:10.87 21st at 2024 World XC Championships U20 6km 1500m PR: 4:22.46 3000m PR: 9:23.94 5000m PR: 16:10.87
Shakynah Tresvant (Fr.): Miami, FL (Miami Northwestern Senior High School) | Hurdles 2023 FHSAA 3A State Champion (400H) 100H PR: 14.33 400H PR: 58.71
Evelyn Vanzwieten (Fr.): Merritt Island, FL (Merritt Island Christian High School) | Throws 2024 FHSAA 1A State Championships Silver Medalist (Javelin) Was 1st in the javelin throw at 2024 FHSAA 1A Region 2. Javelin Throw PR: 43.23m
Thalia Waters (Fr.): Delray Beach, FL (Atlantic High School) | Hurdles 2024 FHSAA 3A State Champion (100H) Also competes in the Long Jump, boasting a 6.16m (20'2") PR 100m PR: 11.79 100mH PR: 13.10
Caroline Wells (Jr.): Winter Springs, FL | Distance Previous College: Stanford University 2x FHSAA State Record Holder (3200m, State XC) 6x FHSAA 4A State Champion Mile PR: 4:42.40 3000m PR: 9:27.01c 5000m PR: 16:16.02
Tia Wilson (Jr.): Bedford, England | Distance Previous College: Loughborough University 9th Place 2024 BUCS XC Championships Long Course 8km 6th Place 2024 FISU World University XC 3km 2024 BUCS Outdoor Track & Field Runner-Up (5,000m) 1500m PR: 4:13.66 3000m PR: 8:57.14 5000m PR: 15:39.49
Ava Wyant (Fr.): Oviedo, FL (The Master's Academy) | Distance 5x Top-3 Finisher at FHSAA 1A State Track & Field Championships 2023 FHSAA 1A State Track & Field Champion 800m PR: 2:13.72 1600m PR: 4:53.39