GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s Marquis Dendy (Middletown, Del.) has been honored by the Southeastern Conference as the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week, the league offices in Birmingham, Ala. announced Tuesday.
Dendy turned in the nation’s top mark in the men’s long jump on Friday with a season-best leap of 7.99m/26-2.75 to capture the event at the Virginia Tech Elite Meet. On Saturday, Dendy followed Friday’s performance with a personal-best leap in the triple jump, jumping 16.10m/52-10 for the sixth-best mark in Florida school history. Dendy’s jump puts him at seventh in the NCAA standings and he is one of only three NCAA athletes (Mamadou Gueye-Monroe College, Janis Leitis-Nebraska) ranked in the top-10 in both the men’s long jump and triple jump.
The Gators have had five SEC honors this indoor season, as Dedric Dukes (Miami, Fla.) and Arman Hall (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) were recognized last week for their performances at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational. Dukes and Hall were also members of the world-leading men’s 4x400-meter relay who were named SEC Men’s Runner of the Week after the Razorback Invitational (3:05.93). Junior Cory McGee (Pass Christian, Miss.) was named the SEC Co-Women’s Runner of the Week for her performance at the Crimson Tide Indoor Opener earlier in the season and just recently ran the top collegiate mile at the Husky Classic this past weekend.
The Gators are off this weekend as they prepare for the 2013 SEC Indoor Track & Field Championships, February 22-24. Randal Tyson Indoor Track at the University of Arkansas will serve as the host for both the conference meet and the NCAA Indoor Championships.
