Zuriel Reed, a senior at P.K. Yonge School and the V12 Athletic Club in Gainesville, who ranked 8th in the country last spring in both the 300 meter hurdles (41.60 PR) and 400 meter hurdles (1:00.00 PR), made her college decision on Friday.
Reed had a final top 6 of schools considering Auburn University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, Kansas State University, Mississippi State University, and the University of Texas.
Ultimately, Reed decided to commit and sign with Auburn as renowned and respected coach Leroy Burrell has taken over the program after coming over from the University of Houston building that squad in a NCAA national powerhouse. Burrell obviously had great success and could tap into the in-state Texas talent while recruiting at the University of Houston, but expect him to dip more into the talent pool found in neighboring border state Florida while now located in Alabama at Auburn University.
Reed had already worked her 300 meter hurdles time down to Florida all-time great territory over the last 3 seasons, but will have more opportunities to see what kind of 400 meter hurdler that she can be become and ultimately her event at the next level in college.
Starting in this spring's 2023 outdoor season, the FHSAA has made the 400 meter hurdles as an official event to be contested regularly and in championship season replacing the 300 meter hurdles. Sub 60 seconds in the event is always impressive and next tier at the high school, which can expect Reed to dip under the time in several races this spring with her PR sitting at 60 seconds flat currently from this past summer.
She will have plenty of competition in the 2A state race as the rivalry between herself and Montverde Academy junior Michelle Smith will be renewed as two of the fastest returning hurdlers in the country happen to be in the same classification in Florida. It was a great battle at last year's state meet in the 300 meter hurdles with both runners recording national caliber times in the 41 second range and should be another great show this year now in the 400 meter hurdles.
