MileSplit FL Articles and Top Headlines

Florida Track & Field and Cross Country News

JAC Head North To North Carolina For Taste Of Indoor Track AT NCRunners Holiday Invitational Todd Grasley Dec 18, 2015


Sunshine State athletes will have to wait nearly a month and a half before Florida hosts its first indoor and only indoor meet, Jimmy Carnes, at the University of Florida. However, the Jacksonville Athletic Club (JAC) is taking their own initiative and heading north to North Carolina for an early taste at competition on the oval. Coach Eli Sunquist says the following athletes will be competing on Saturday at the  NCRunners Holiday Invitational at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.



NCAA Jump King Marquis Dendy Brings Gators First Bowerman Champion Todd Grasley Dec 17, 2015

The University of Florida is a national powerhouse in track and field and have had unparalleled success in the jumps with the likes of Christian Taylor, Will Claye, Omar Craddock, but never has a Gator won the prestigious Bowerman Trophy in the awards existence. That was until Thursday night when Marquis Dendy (pictured with female winner Jenna Prandini of Oregon) who has swept the long jump and triple jump at the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships this year, took home the sport's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. See what he had to say following the win!


All Signs Point To IMG Academy As 2016 T&F State Championship Host Todd Grasley Dec 17, 2015

The rumor mill has been churning for quite some time that the FHSAA State Track & Field Finals will not return to UNF, it's home for the last four years. Multiple sources have confirmed that IMG Academy in Bradenton, which boasts a 5,000 seat state of the art track and field facility, is where Florida's best will be the first weekend in May. 


Fan Vote: Chiles' Gowan Gets State Title With Timberwolves Girls Isabel Hanewicz Dec 16, 2015

Chiles coach Scott Gowan is one of the winningest coaches XC and track coaches in state history, leading his girls team to the 3A state title in 2015 and his boys team to a runner-up title after the boys won in 2014 and the girls took second. This is his fourth state championship on the girl's side in his tenure at Chiles after leading the team to title wins in 2008-2010.


Fan Vote: Father Lopez's Sue O'Malley Dubbed Boys XC Of The Year Todd Grasley Dec 15, 2015

There aren't many female cross country coaches guiding boys teams around the state. That didn't deter Father Lopez coach Sue O'Malley. O'Malley, a runner in her own right who dove into unchartered waters for the Green Wave as they won their first district, regional, and state titles EVER in 2015 earning her Boys XC Coach of the Year honors as voted by the running community!


2016 Jimmy Carnes Indoor Meet Performance List (As Of 12/15) Todd Grasley Dec 15, 2015

Northeast hurdler Damion Thomas has been coming to the Jimmy Carnes Youth Indoor Meet since 2013 when he was a freshman and hasn't lost a race in the 55m hurdles in three years at the event. Thomas, a two-time state champion in the 110m hurdles and 2015 Brooks PR Invitational champion will be the one to beat again in 2016.See which athletes are signed up for this year's edition of the Jimmy Carnes Youth Indoor meet. The only indoor event in the state of Florida always features can't miss competition!



MASSIVE Foot Locker Photo Coverage Todd Grasley Dec 13, 2015

The 2015 Foot Locker Nationals did not disappoint! The races at Balboa Park capped off a thrilling cross country season. The MileSplit team was on site to bring you thousands of images to capture all the action from this weekend. Check out all the great albums by the MileSplit contributors below!


The Atkinsons: Foot Locker Finalists, Married Couple Isabel Hanewicz Dec 11, 2015

The Atkinson household has a total of four Foot Locker Nationals appearances between Brian and his wife Kayla (Hale). Hale, is the lone Floridian to make it to San Diego three times (2006-2008) while her husband made the trip in 2009. Isabel Hanewicz has the story of The Atkinsons: Foot Locker Finalists and married couple.

Joshua Jacques Adds Name To Lyman History At Foot Locker Nationals Todd Grasley Dec 11, 2015

Lyman High School has produced some of the state's fastest distance runners for over two decades. Names like Teddy Mitchell, Nick Radkewich, Robert Saltman, Rob Evans, and the latest in line Joshua Jacques. Jacques added himself to the state championship list after winning the 4A Cross Country Finals in 2014 and qualifying as a 2015 Foot Locker Finalist.


Cross Can't Wait For Second Trip To Foot Locker Nationals, Sunny San Diego Todd Grasley Dec 11, 2015

Merritt Island senior Steven Cross is one of six Florida boys to make the Foot Locker National Finals more than once in the meet's 37 year history. After finishing 29th in 16:12.00, Cross knows what the meet entails, the style of competition he will face, and what it will take to earn All-American honors. We caught up with him to talk about the last cross country meet of his high school career and his training leading up.




Florida History At Foot Locker Nationals Ricky Quintana Dec 11, 2015

Holy Trinity's Kayla Hale is the only Floridian to run at Foot Locker Nationals three times. Lyman athletes have made six trips between Teddy Mitchell, Nick Radkewich, and 2015 finalist Joshua Jacques. We breakdown all the Sunshine State history at this storied meet!

Florida's Fastest Girls At Kinney/Foot Locker National Championships: Nobody Better Than Brasovan Todd Grasley Dec 10, 2015

Not only does Ashley Brasovan own the fastest time of any Floridian at Foot Locker Nationals running 17:20, but she is the only athlete from the Sunshine State to win the prestigious event, taking home the title in 2007 over 2006 champion Kathy Kroeger. In 2008, Brasovan finished second behind Jordan Hasay who also won in 2005. See the fastest times ever by Floridians at both the Kinney Cross Country Championships and Foot Locker Nationals.


Florida's Fastest Boys At Kinney/Foot Locker National Championships Todd Grasley Dec 10, 2015

Former John I. Leonard standout and University of Oregon runner Ryan Pickering (pictured above( was 9th at the 2010 Foot Locker National Championship, two spots behind fellow Floridian Jimmy Clark (Creekside, University of Florida). Their times of 15:24 and 15:25 rank 7th and 9th all-time by Sunshine State athletes. We rank every Kinney Cross Country Championships and Foot Locker National finalist from Florida.


Bradtmueller Joins Best Friend Summerall At ETSU Todd Grasley Dec 09, 2015

4A Cross Country Finals state champion and 4:17 1,600m runner Adam Bradtmueller recently announced he will be joining his former Sarasota teammate Zack Summerall at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. We caught up with Bradtmueller to talk about the recruiting process, his decision and future plans.


Senior Boys Team Scores: LaBelle Second Best Team, Loses Five Of Top Seven Todd Grasley Dec 09, 2015

We've seen the depth of Belen Jesuit in our team scores by grade feature all week long, but how about LaBelle. The boys rank second behind Belen and finished 4th at the 2A Cross Country Finals with the help of four seniors including Omar Figueroa who finished 11th and Enrique Jimenez who was right behind in 12th. Who had the best teams based on the class of 2016? We rank them all! 


Alumni Report: Indoor Season Is Here! Todd Grasley Dec 09, 2015

South Florida friends Krysten Golden (St. Thomas Aquinas, USF) and Denise Spann (Boyd Anderson, Michigan State) reunite at the Grand Valley State University Holiday Invite in Michigan. See how Golden, Spann and the rest of our Florida alumni did in the opening week of the indoor season.