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B I O G R A P H I E S
HUGO "HUGEAUX" R. MILLER
(born. Jacksonville, Florida 1961)
University of Florida Track 1979 - 1981
Coaches: John Randolph & Tommie Turner
SEC Champion 1981
2011
I attended Sandalwood High school in Jacksonville, Florida. I graduated in 1979. I won the boys 100m at the Florida Relays in Gainesville, Florida. I became an athletic scholar and was recruited by The University of Florida (Gainesville, Florida) and Murray State (Paducah, Kentucky). I placed 2nd and 3rd in the 1979 State Championship (100 and 200). I enrolled in the University of Florida in 1979. I was recruited by Coach Creer and Mike Johnston, but when I arrived at UF, John Randolph had been named new head coach. I ran for the University of Florida Track team for 2 year. I was a member of the 4x400m relay team which consisted of: Floyd “Bunny” Brown, Creighton Blahak, Ric “Stick” Green and myself. We won the 1981 mile relay SEC Championship, which was hosted by the University of Florida. I thusly separated myself from the sport. I moved to Philadelphia, Bruxelle - Belgium, Paris - France, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Indianapolis before returning back to my home town of Jacksonville, Florida. Currently I am an artist, photo-documentarian and traveler. My professional name is Hugeaux. I have found a new breath for the sport: Track & Field.
A independent traveler and documentarian, Hugeaux has photographed, investigated and noted ; Port au Prince, Haiti (before the earthquake), Lima - El Carmen and Chincha Alta, Peru, Prague, Czech Republic, Cancun -Guadaloupana and Isla Mujeres, Mexico, New Orleans (after Hurricane Katrina)and Honolulu, Hawaii to name a few, with visual testaments connected to architecture and archeology . I prefer photographing early in the morning when the natural light is more directional and the region is awaking from sleep, with emphasis on the citizens personal architect.
Hugeaux has exhibited his art and photography from 1985 to current in Czech Republic, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Chicago, Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania.
In the 1990’s Hugeaux wrote about his art creation called Arte Mecco. Arte Mecco is the pollination of Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Abstract art on paper. In 2009 he self published the book “ The History of Arte Mecco” with co-editor Catalina Jose Rodriguez of Mexico City, Mexico. Hugeaux has self published many photography and art books on Haiti, Czech Republic, Peru, Mexico, Las Vegas, The Grand Canyon, Honolulu Hawaii, The Bahamas, North-eastern Florida and Conceptual Digital Photography.
In 2006 began focusing most of his energy in collaborating with international artists via Internet by curating and producing On-Line Exhibitions. He has successfully orchestrated and digitally catalogued over fifteen On-Line Exhibitions consisting of artists and writers living in the USA, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, New Zealand, Sweden, Mali, Ethiopia, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Ghana and The Congo, with many international viewers.
Hugeaux has lectured at conferences about the Importance of Documentation for artists including; Hawaii International Conference on Art and Humanities (Honolulu, Hawaii 2008 & 2009), The South Carolina Council for African American Conference (Columbia, South Carolina 2008), Florida Conference of Historians (Jacksonville Beach, Florida 2008) and The African Art Conference (Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 2007) to name a few.
In 2009 Hugeaux experimented and discovered through his photography the term “Conceptual Digital Photography (CDP) and Op-Conceptual Digital Photography (CDP-Video Art) which caught the attention of the Instant, Video, Numerique et Poetique (Marsaille, France 2010) and The Anemic Film Festival (Prague, Czech Republic 2010) and was presented at the 1st Anemic Film Festival in Prague, Czech Republic.
Hugeaux has acted as liaison between Humanitas Afrika (www.humanitasafrika.cz :Director: Kofi Afrikatu Nkrumah. Prague, Czech, Republic), a Ghana / Czech cultural outreach organization and The African American Diversity Cultural Center Hawaii, a outreach cultural exchange on the history of African Americans in Hawaii History (www.aadcch.org : Director: Deloris Guttman. Honolulu, Hawaii)
Hugeaux’s works are registered with the Library of Congress, Washington DC..
He currently lives and travels from Jacksonville, Florida.
JAMES PRINGLE jr.
University of Florida Track 1976-1980
Coach: Roy Benson
SEC Champion 1979, 1980
North Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1980
University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994
Home improvement business
Website http://www.wix.com/pring_99/james-pringle
James Pringle was born in Mt. Erie Hospital in Philadelphia Pa. on October 3th 1958. I lived in Philadelphia untill the age of 8 before moving to New Jersey with my Parents, Brother and Sister. My Father was a Doctor and Mother a Teacher. While in New Jersey I attended Number 5
School, Lenola School, Morrestown Middle School and Moorestown High School. I was active in many sports, Football, Baseball, Basketball and Track. I was ALL Burlington County in Football and Track. I was also a member of our State High School Championship Football team
in 1975.
My hobbies as a child was RC model Airplanes and Electronics. I excelled in Football and Track in High school and was offered a number of scholarships to college. I chose the University Of Florida and a Track Scholarship. While at Florida I ran the 110 High Hurdles,
Long Jump, Triple jump and High Jump. Coaches soon noticed I had great talent in High Jumping so they let me focus on just that event.
As a freshman at the University I placed 3rd in the High Jump at the SEC meet. In the following years I earned 7 All American awards, Broke the NCAA Indoor HJ mark at 7'5 3/8ths.in 1979. Also while at Florida I studied Advertising, Art and History. In the year 1980 I
was inducted into the North Florida Athletic Hall Of Fame. In 1992 I was honored to be inducted into the University Of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as well. Just after the 1980 Oylmpics that the USA Boycotted in Moscow Russia I competed in Europe. I continued to High
Jump thru the 1984 USA Olympic trails in Los Angeles. I coached the High Jumpers at Georgia Tech while training to have a facility to train at up untill 1987 while living in Atlanta Ga. I ended my jumping career in 1987.
Member of the 1975 New Jersey Group 3 State HS Football Champions. I made all County in Footbal as a Defensive Back in 1975. I received a schorship to the University of Florida in 1976 for Track and field. While at Florida I earned 7 All American awards. I won the NCAA HJ Title in Detroit 1979. I broke NCAA HJ record in Johnson City Tenn. 1979. Part of USA Track team to compete in Cuba 1980 with Jimmy Carnes as the Coach. I ran for the Athletic Attic Track team in 1979, 1980. I also was employed at the Athletic attic National Head Quaters in Gainesville Florida durning my College years. Competed on European tour in 1980 with meets in London, Budapest, Pisa, Nice France.
I got married in 1986 in WPB Florida. I have two beautifull Daughters Tiffany and Jamey Pringle. Both my Daughters grauduated from Florida State University. Tiffany earned her Graduate Degree in Marketing from Clark University in Atlanta. Jamey will have her Masters
by the Fall of 2011 from Keller Institute in Information Business Science. Tiffany lives and works in Atlanta while Jamey Lives and works in Orlando Fl.
In my professional career I worked for Budget Car rental in WPB Fl., Miami and Los Angles Ca. I also worked as an Independent Contractor for Vance International out of Oakton Va. Documenting Labor Disputes. I also run my own Home Improvement Business since 1978.I am a
member and Officer of the University of Florida Track and Field Alumni Assoc. as well as co founder of the group. My hobbies are Travel, Architecture, Bike riding and Electronics.
CURT CURTIS
University of Florida Track 1978-1982
Coach (s) name Coach Roy Benson
email curtgvl@gmail.com
I started in track in middle school at Webb junior high with our medley team winning 1st in Hillsborough county. As my love for and passion grew for the sport I found myself running all the time ..running to through the shallow waters in Tampa Bay with my doberman named Ruby. I was later bused to Jefferson High School and found my home as the only white quarter miler on the team. My friendship with all the fantastic friends in school helped me achieve higher goals in multiple sports and as the class president. The far journey and passion led me to run for the Gators and was my main reason for pursing that goal thanks to Upward Bound who provided a weekend paid trip to stay at the college to experience the college dream. I ran the quarter mile in 1978 for the Gators and met my life long friend Tim Talbert and running partner and room mate who we are in contact weekly with the ups and downs of the Gators and our fast paced lives. Another room mate was Bob Brahman who is the top Seminole cross country coach in the nation. Bob developed my summer college running program to such a three page detail..that I told him that he should consider coaching.
After being married to my wonderful wife Sheri of 25 years and both of us as UF alumni and my daughter Amber at UF law school, my sister Candi the chearleading coach, my other daughter Megan in pre vet transferring from Clemson to UF... What if I wasn't motivated by great high school coaches like Tony Belanca and didn't have the opportunity provided by such a great program would the family have feel into place like it did? The moral of the story is run while you can! Push yourself harder than you think you can and thank all those who got you there and pass on the dream!
RICKY A. MCINTOSH
University of Florida Track 1975, 1976, graduated 1977
A 1977 graduate of the University of Florida , Ricky went to college on an athletic scholarship and held two track and field school records at the University of Florida in the javelin and shot put. Sports and teamwork were excellent training for the career he would choose later with the Department of Justice working in Federal Penitentiaries around the US .
Ricky was raised in the town of Cocoa Beach, Florida and from the age of four, sports and the ocean were the cornerstones of his development. In high school, Ricky was the Captain of the football team and was awarded the Outstanding Athlete of the football team, an honor not normally given to a center and defensive tackle.
As early as 10th grade he was a member of the Junior Varsity Basketball team, then transferred to the wrestling team for the next two years and went undefeated during the regular season his senior year. He won the state championship and held the state record for the shot put which won him a scholarship to Manatee Junior College in Bradenton, Florida. It was at Manatee that he took up the javelin and soon after recorded All American Honors with a 3rd place finish at the NCAAJC National Championship with a throw of 238’ 9” after only competing in the event for three months.
In 1975 Ricky transferred to the University of Florida, under the urging and guidance of Coach Jimmy Carnes, where he competed in three track and field events with personal bests in the shot put at 59’0” (a UF school record), javelin 250’ 9” (another UF school record) and the discus 164’ 4”. Ricky graduated in 1977 and then stayed in Gainesville to compete for the Florida Track Club. In 1979 Ricky finished 8th at the AAU National and during that time he started his career with the Department of Justice.
Ricky started his career as the Athletic Director at Georgia State Penitentiary in May of 1979 and four years later in 1983 transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a Recreation Specialist stationed at Petersburg , Virginia . From there he was promoted to Recreation Supervisor at El Reno , Oklahoma . During his time at El Reno , he became the Vice President of the National Correctional Recreation Association (NCRA), and his department was highlighted in the October 1988 issue of Sports Illustrated as having the outstanding correctional recreation department in the country. He went on to be promoted to USP Marion in Illinois and FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey . He finished out his career at the United States Penitentiary, Beaumont , Texas .
After a 25 year career in corrections where he worked at facilities in 6 states and experienced every aspect of corrections from negotiating hostage situations, to day-to-day management of a large staff and hosting two national industry conferences, he opened his own company, Correctional Programs LLC, which today serves correctional facilities across two continents. He lives in Longwood , Florida and continues to volunteer his coaching skills to up and coming athletes.
Ricky McIntosh http://correctionalprograms.com/shop/cart.php
BEAUFORT "BODACIOUS" BROWN
(born: Tampa, Florida USA 1953)
University of Florida 1971 – 1975 “The Genesis of Champions Era”
Coaches: Jimmy Carnes, Head; Roy Benson, Asst; Dave Atkins,
440 and Relays
2011
I was recruited to the University of Florida's Track Program in 1971, by Head Coach Jimmy Carnes. While in Tampa Florida’s Middleton High School, I played football; was track team captain; and had won Championship titles at the Conference, District, Regional, and State levels. When I was competing in the State of Florida’s Championship meet, Coach Carnes came to watch me run the 440 and the sprint medley relay—both of which I was favored to win. I anchored and won the relay; but when I made the mistake of looking back near the finish line, I lost the 440! As a result, Coach put me on the Gators’ team—but he wouldn’t give me a scholarship until I proved myself. From that point on, I never looked back—either literally or figuratively. My time as a Trackman at the University of Florida was The Best Time of My Life! I made some life-long friends with some great guys. Together, we put UF on the National Track and Field “map”, and we were among UF Track’s pioneers in “The Genesis of Champions” era. Florida’s jumpers, vaulters, and fielders were already soaring, so we runners began the tradition of the “Flat Out Flyin’ Florida Gators!” I loved impressing the fans with my trademark ‘flying’ leap across the finish line. The UF Track Team, several individuals and I became SEC Champions; my mile-relay teammates and I became National Champions; and I enjoyed earning a long list of honors and awards—including being elected team captain for an unprecedented three years! Coach Carnes encouraged me to be a versatile runner by challenging me to run everything from sprints to middle distances (100 – 880 yds)! I clocked some of the fastest times in the world for several events; ran in prestigious invitational meets; qualified for the Olympic Trials; and beat the Russians in the Jr. Olympics, while setting and shattering UF records all along the way! I even managed to make the Dean’s List! One newspaper article proclaimed, “Brown Is Beautiful!” and another nicknamed me, “Bodacious!”
When I arrived at UF, I met my friend and college sweetheart, Barbara Lee, who graduated from UF cum laude. Three years later, we were married; and we now have three adult children—all of whom are honor students and musicians. Older son, Beaufort III—aka “Robb”—has graduated from USF; son Brandon has graduated cum laude from UF; and daughter Briahna is currently a student at UF (Class of 2012).
Four years after arriving at UF, I graduated as an Outstanding Senior. Then, I earned my state insurance license and worked in that area for a few years. Since that time, I have been blessed to work as an educator in the field I love—health, fitness, and physical education. In addition to working in the Florida school system, I have coached track at the high school and college levels; managed swimming programs; and worked with Migrant and Special Olympics. I have been honored by induction into three Halls of Fame. I learned to water-ski—even barefoot! I am an avid student of religious studies and a spiritual teacher. My wife and I recently had a great visit to Mayan lands; so I hope to do more traveling. I enjoy grilling, cooking—and eating—but I still do a little running to stay in shape. *lol*
CULLEN MATTOX
University of Florida Track 1980-1981
I attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, Virginia and graduated in 1980 as state champion in the 800 and 1,500 meters. Later, I went on to secure All-America Status before accepting a full scholarship to the University of Florida in 1980. I was recruited by John Randolph, the then head coach of the Gator track program, and became part of what was deemed one of the most promising classes in the program's history. My career would prove to be a shortened and unfulfilled one at the University of Florida, with my only competing in 11/4 seasons. I have intentionally blocked all of my on the track memories at UF, but not my connections to my former team mates. During my shortened stay at UF, I'm proud to say I competed fiercely and was affectionately received throughout by my band of brothers. Ultimately I look forward to us reigniting the connections we all once shared.
Though I never returned to the track program, I graduated with a B.S. in Advertising, from U.F. and ultimately ended up working in Manhattan, where I have been a creative professional since 1997. Currently, I am happily married with a family and still living in the Big Apple.
RANDY REAGOR
University of Florida Track 1978 - 1980
2 ¼ (got there as a JUCO transfer)
Junior year: head coach Roy Benson, my coach was Dave Johnson
Senior year: head coach John Randolph, my coach was Mike Bozeman.
Graduated from Englewood High School in Jacksonville, FL in 1976…Was third-string on the football team and was cut from the baseball team senior year…Walked on the Florida Junior College (now known as Florida State Community College) cross country team as a freshman and made the team, but threw the javelin during track season and set the FCCJ record..Fall of 1978 went to the University of Florida on a book scholarship as a juco transfer and was all-SEC team in 1979 as a junior and recorded the 5th best toss in UF history at 223-11…Scored 6713 in the decathlon after college and competed in Europe...In 1988 ran 56.9 in the 400 hurdles and 1:59.9 in the 800 in Masters track & field..Married with one son…Employed by several magazines as an independent advertising rep and coaches the jumping events at Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville.
RICHARD GROBMAN
University of Florida 1979 - 1983
Event: Javelin
I attended Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania and graduated in 1979.
This is where I became interested in track and field. I had the good fortune of being coached and encouraged by a gentleman by the name of John Kambic. This adventure led me to the University of Florida where I was recruited by Coach John Creer, however Coach Creer was subsequently replaced by John Randolph prior to my attending U.F. Throughout my track and field career at U.F., I trained and competed with great intensity, however, I was never able to obtain any of the athletic accolades my teammates did. Regardless, I persevered (while Neil Serafenis beat the “sh#%” out of me) and had the honor of being voted by my teammates as co-captain with Kenny Gray of the 1983 squad. This was quite an honor of which I am still thankful for to this day. Upon graduating from U.F., I attended Drexel University where I became an assistant track coach (1983-1987), and also obtained my Masters of Business Administration in 1985. After graduate school I got a job with a Philadelphia investment firm, W. H. Newbold’s Son & Co. which subsequently turned into Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. Today I am a Senior Managing Director at Oppenheimer. I am married to my wife Patty for 18 years and have three children Benjamin, Rachael and Daniel (hopefully at least one of them will attend U.F.)
RICKY "STICK" GREEN
University of Florida Track 1980 - 1981
Born December 13, 1962 in Mandeville Jamaica. Moved to Newark, NJ in 1969 and attended Our Lady of Good Council Grammar School. Also lived in Irvington, NJ and South Orange, NJ. Attended St. Leo’s Grammar School, Irvington 1972-1976 and Seton Hall Preparatory High School, South Orange from 1976-1980. While at Seton Hall was a member of the Varsity track team for eight seasons and cross-country team for three seasons. Team captain as a Junior and Senior. Conference Champion in 400m, 600m, and triple jump (undefeated for 3 years). State Champion in 400m and 800m. All-State 800m. Nationally ranked in 800m, 1000 yd., 1000m, 1500m and mile 1979-80. 2nd place at National Junior Olympics 800m- 1:53.14. Eastern State Championships 2nd place 1000 yd. run 2:13.6 (third fastest High school all-time), Millrose Games Mile 4th place 1980.
Attended University of Florida from 1980-1984 and studied Journalism. Participated on the Gator track program from fall 1980 to winter of 1981 under head coach John Randolph. Participated on both cross-country and track and field teams. Achieved All-SEC awards in 1000 yd. indoors , 800m and Mile Relay outdoors. All-American Two Mile Relay 1981(Ric Green, Cullen Mattox, Dave Strahl and Todd Sinclair). SEC Mile Relay Champion (Creighton Blaha, Hugo Miller, Ric Green and Floyd Brown). Indiana Relays Two Mile Relay Champions and seventh fastest time in the world indoors and sixth fastest nationally (Ric Green, Cullen Mattox, Dave Strahl and Chuck Broughton). School record and 2nd place in the Distant Medley Relay at Florida Relays 1981
(Ric Green, Floyd Brown, Cullen Mattox and Chuck Broughton). 2nd fastest 800m in the nation 1981 1:49.2 (Junior disvion-19 and under).
Moved to Atlanta, GA in 1986. Competed in track and road races nationally while working as a chef at several local restaurants including the London Brasserie, which was partly owned by Ringo Starr and Bill Wyman of The Beatles and Rolling Stones, respectively. Also worked at two of Atlanta’s most popular night clubs as a doorman at night and did promotional work during the day.
Post college running: Competed in collegiate invitational track meets in the 800m, mile run and 1500m as well as 5k, 10k and Half-Marathon road races until 1997. Was a top finisher annually at Florida Relays, Florida State Invitational, Georgia Relays, North Carolina State Invitational, Clemson Invitational, North Carolina Invitational, Auburn Invitational and Alabama Relays.
Was a 1992 finalist at the Jamaican Olympic trials 800m (6th place). 1993 and 1994 3rd place at Jamaica National Championships 1500m.
Was a guide and training partner to blind Paralympic gold medallist and former world record holder Tim Willis for six years. Helped Tim win one gold, one silver, two bronze medals and two national records at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. Retired from competition in 1999.
Presently working for corporate meeting and event planners. Lives in Atlanta, GA where I’ve lived for 25 years and currently single. Was married for 17 years to my friend Ellen Green who I met in Gainesville.
DR. LISTON D. BOCHETTE III
University of Florida Track 1975 - 1980
Liston (Lin) Bochette is a native of Florida where he grew up in sport and the arts. In High School he was an All American in the Decathlon whereby he attended the University of Florida on a Track and Field Scholarship offered to him by the legendary coach Jimmy Carnes. While at UF he set a school record last three decades, was a captain of the team and graduated with a BFA in Fine Art. Liston also studied at Florida State, the University of Puerto Rico, Inter American University, Pacific University and accepted at Stanford University. He collected a Masters in Humanities, a Ph.D. and an ED ABD in Education. Liston Served on the President of the United States panel on Olympic affairs, the International Olympic Committee Athletes Commission, and many international sports federation bodies. Between 1980 to 2004 Liston participated in five Olympic Games as an athlete both in Summer and Winter sports, (Track & Bobsleigh). in 1992 he was awarded a Gold Medal in the Arts during the Barcelona Olympic Games. He was elected to consecutive terms as the Secretary General of the World Olympians Association whereby he led a highly successful global a campaign to unite active and alumni athletes under the Olympic banner. He has served on many academic and civic boards as well as being the Chief Executive officer for the Art of the Olympians and Al Oerter Center for Excellence.
BOB BRAMAN
(transferred from Tennessee)
University of Florida Track January 1977 to December 1980
Bob Braman, age 53, UF from January 1977 to December 1980. XC Captain 78, 79, 80. All SEC in XC 79, 80. All SEC indoor 3-Mile (5th) 1979. Almost always injures in Track--sorry guys.
Coaches: Benson, Creer and Randolph
Married for 28 years (Debbie Turner) Two sons: Steven (22) and Tyler (20)
Occupation--Track and Cross Country Coach
USF: 1983 to 2000
FSu: 2000 to present
JOHN ROGERS
University of Florida Track 1976 - 1981
Roy Benson, John Randolph
I attended Roseburg High School in Roseburg, OR, and graduated in 1976. I was the state runner up in the mile in 1975 (.05 behind Kelly Britz) and finished 3rd in the 2-mile at Golden West in 1976. I was recruited by Roy Benson and Jimmy Carnes during the 1976 Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR. During my tenure at UF I was coached by Roy Benson, John Greer and John Randolph. I was all SEC in XC, Indoor and Outdoor Track. Was Co-captain of UF XC team with Bob Braman in 1978, 79 and 81 (red shirt in 1980). After graduating with a B.S. in Advertising, moved to Raleigh, NC and worked in Advertising Sales, before changing over to join the sporting goods industry in 1982. Post College I competed 2:18:01 Marathon, finishing 18th in 1984 Trials and qualifying for the 1988 Trials.
After a 5 year stint in Retail, ending as a Merchandiser & Footwear Buyer for Sporting Goods Chain in Raleigh-Durham, I was hired by Reebok International as a tech rep in 1987. In 1988 I was promoted to Reebok’s Corporate office, moving to Boston, MA, and held various positions in Sales Operations, Marketing, Product Marketing and Product Development. I worked as a Global Product Manager in Running & T&F from 1989-1993 and got to work on the infamous “Dan & Dave” campaign in 1992 crapping my pants when Dan O’brien no heighted in the PV and the campaign went down the drain.
In 1993 I became Director of Walking and Outdoor and in 1995 was awarded Reebok’s “Global Product Launch of The Year” Award for leading and directing the successful launch of Reebok’s DMX technology. In 1997 I moved to Atlanta to work for Mizuno USA, directing the overhaul of their running division and, the launch of their Wave Technology in 1998. From 1999-2004 I worked for Nautica, Sebago Footwear and a 2nd Stint at Reebok as a VP in Product Marketing.
In 2005, I decided to open my own business and decided to follow my passion. I opened Maine Running Company in 2005 and now have two locations. Maine Running has been named of the top 50 running stores in America since. I also am a founding member and initial Executive Director of the Independent Running Retailers Association (120 retail members and 30 Vendors). I still serve on the Board as past Exec. Dir. and work with the IRRA to endorse and provide educational content for the Running Event in Austin, TX, the biggest Running Specialty Convention and Trade show in the world.
I have been married to my wife Cheryl for 17 years and we have two children, Kenzie (14) and Jake (10) and live in Yarmouth, ME. I still attend at least one Gator Football game a year with Ken Prevatt, Bob Braman, Tim Sagul, Jeff Beane and Steve Frazier and stay in touch with all of them. Go Gators!
TOM DOERR
Tom Doerr began his college athletic career at Miami University in Oxford , Ohio . While at Miami , Tom broke the school record for the 440 hurdles with a time of 52.1. His freshman year he placed 5th in the 440 hurdles at the 1972 Mid American Track & Field Championships. Tom won the 440 hurdles title at the 1973 MAC Championships his sophomore year. In the fall of 1973, Doerr transferred to the University of Florida . Because of NCAA transfer rules, Tom had to red shirt the 1973-74 season, so he competed for the Florida Track Club. During that time, most people remember Tom running with a cast on his right arm. Tom had to wear a cast for 9 months after breaking his wrist. The break was so bad he had to have bone-graft surgery in which a surgeon took bone from his hip to repair his wrist.
Tom was eligible to compete for Florida during the 1975 indoor and outdoor season. During the 1975 indoor season, Tom ran 1:52.3 in the 880 and 1:11.1 in the 600. At the 1975 SEC Indoor Championships, Florida won its first ever indoor team title. In the 1975 outdoor season, Tom ran a best of 51.6 in the 440 hurdles and had a 46.78 lead off split in the 4X400 at Penn Relays. He finished 4th in the 1975 SEC Outdoor Championships in Baton Rouge . During the 1976 indoor season, Tom ran the lead off leg of the 4X800 relay in 1:52.0 to hand off in first place. Florida won the relay along with its second SEC Indoor Team Championship. The 1976 Outdoor season saw Tom run 400 meter hurdles in 50.8 at the Tom Black Track Classic in Knoxville which tied the school record. Florida ’s 4X110 shuttle relay ran 57.3 to record the third fastest time in the nation and earning AAU All America honors for the team. That year he also had personal bests outdoors of 14.2 in the 110 meter hurdles and 1:51.1 in the 800 meters. He finished 4th in the SEC Championship 400 meter final.
Tom competed for the Florida Track from 1976 to 1980, improving his 400 meter hurdles time to 50.4 and his 800 meters best of 1:50.1.
Tom earned his Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees in Journalism at the University of Florida . Today, he is Vice President of News for Fox Television in Houston , Texas .
DOCK LUCKIE
Track / Football
6-2.261DT (Defense Tackle)
FT. PTERCE (CENTRAL HS)
SENIOR: There are few equals in collegiate ranks as a physical specimen. Runs 40 in 4.6,bench press over 500 pounds is an agile ex-wrestling champion. Has won two shot put and one discus title in two years of SEC competition. Made 5 9 tackles last season. Had an excellent spring, the best since he came to Florida.
JUNIOR: Potential for greatness is there in this superior athlete. Made72 tackles last season as a starter at tackle, and had three sacks. Had a good spring after being switched to nose guard, and should be an all star candidate this season.
SOPHOMORE: Prep All-American with unlimited potential in both football and track. All-SEC rookie team in football, SEC indoor shot put king, outdoor discus champ as a freshman. Made 31 tackles ( 18 primary,13 assists) had six "Big Plays."
FRESHMAN: Quick, tough and can run like a halfback. Should rapidly enter the picture for playing time if not starting time.
PREP:I n 1976 his senior year of high school Dock was the national prep discus record holder(205-8), state shot put record-holder (6 5-4), state heavyweight wrestling champion and prep All-America in football. He was named the nations high school athlete of the year by Prep Sports Magazine.
PERSONAL: Son of Mary Luckie. Born May 24,1959. Likes to draw and play guitar.
MAJOR: Music/Recreation
STATS
YEAR SOLO AT TT SACKS FR
('77) Freshman 18 13 3I
('78) Sophomore 72 3 -
('79) Junior 34 25 59 3 -
('80) Senior 30 18 48 7 2
KEITH BRANTLY
Keith Brantly's competitive running career has spanned nearly three decades. With 15 years experience as a professional runner, Keith is considered by many experts to be one of the United States' most successful distance runners of the1980's and 1990's. At distances from the mile to the marathon, Keith has enjoyed success in both national and international competitions. Today, Keith enjoys the privilege of coaching runners and triathletes of all ages and abilities.
Keith conducts motivational and informational seminars for corporations and special interest groups on topics related to physical fitness and success modeling. He especially enjoys speaking to children and young adults, encouraging their involvement in sports and recreational activities. In 2001, Keith raised nearly $20,000 for charities devoted to the research of Attention Deficit Disorder. He appeared on the Oprah Show, June 2000, and is featured in National Geographic Magazine's September 2000 issue.
Twice he has appeared on the cover of Runner’s World magazine. He is also a member of United States Olympic Team Mentoring program. Keith is also a proud board member of the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer, 26.2 with Donna. Athletes for Hope, founded by tennis great, Andre Agassi and other mega-sports stars, utilize Keith for charitable functions throughout Florida and Georgia.
In 2005, Keith was inducted in the Road Runners Club of America, Hall of Fame; in 2004 he was inducted in the University of Florida Athletics Hall of Fame. Along with a successful career in medical equipment sales and management, Keith manages his online personal coaching program, BrantlyRunning.Com and Personal Running Solutions. He is a proud parent of his son, Thor and daughter, Ace.
1996 United States Olympic Team Member, Marathon. 2000, 1996, 1992, 1988, 1984, U.S. Olympic Trials participating in the 5k, 10k and Marathon. 12-Time member of United States National Track, Road Racing and Cross-Country Team. 7-Times United States National Road Racing Champion.
Website:
TIM TALBERT
University of Florida Track 1978 - 1978, Football 1980
I was born in Winter Park Florida, as most Florida Track Athletes know Showalter Field is where many state meets have been held and is located in Winter Park, Fl.
In 1977 I graduated from Bishop Moore HS located in Orlando, Fl. I participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track.
The 1976 football team was the conference champion and finished the season ranked 8 in Class 3A
During the 1977 Track season I was the conference champion in the 100 yd dash (9.8), runner up in the 220 yd dash, 3rd Place in the 440 yd dash, in the state meet our sprint medley relay team placed 5th.
Member of 1978 - 4x100 meter relay team that set the school record, which I know was broken years later. Atended UF from 1977 to 1982, graduated earning a bachelor's degree in Building Construction from the nation's number one construction program.
Member of the Track Team from 1978 to 1980(Sprinter), during the 1979 Outdoor Season earned Unsung Hero accolade(article printed in the school's newspaper the Alligator)
Member of the 1981 Football Team ( Defensive Back/Running Back)
During the Fall of 1981 my father Dr. James Talbert earned his PH.D in education from UF
My Daughter (Paige Talbert) currently a junior at UF majoring in Political Science
As mentioned previously I'm a minority partner in a mid-size commercial construction company, majority partner is Dwight Stephenson(NFL Hall of Famer) recognized as the best center to play the game of professional football. Our firm is the largest African-American construction general contractor in the state of Florida
KEN PREVATT
University of Florida Track 1974-1978
JACK E. KILGORE II
University of Florida Track & Field 1978 - 1981
High and Intermediate Hurdler
University of Florida Rugby Football Club 1982 – 1983
Winger
Track Coaches: Creer, Benson, Randolph, Johnston and Turner
I came to the University of Florida in 1978 on a track scholarship after attending Fort Hunt High School in Alexandria, Virginia with a fellow FHHS triple jumper Byron Burt. In 1978, Fort Hunt High School was the Virginia AAA State Champions and I placed 5th in the indoor 60 yard HH, 6th in the 120 yard HH and 4th in the intermediate hurdles.
At Florida, I ran both the high and intermediate hurdles for three years, lettering my freshman year. I roomed in Yon Hall on the 4th floor with all the other track & field guys. Witnessed the building of the O’Connell Center…we even did some moon walking on the roof at night! We parked our cars on south side of the football stadium before they enclosed it and hung out on the astro turf field between classes catching rays. The hurdlers and sprinters were a tightknit group and I really cherished my relationships, but also wondered where they all ended up in life?
I graduated in 1983 with a BS Degree in Agriculture and presently am self-employed as an independent sales representative selling crop protection chemicals and nutritionals with Gulfcoast Agriculture, Turf & Ornamental Representation Service, Inc. (GATOR Service) in Ft. Myers to the citrus, vegetable and golf course markets throughout Florida and Puerto Rico. I have been married for 18 years and have two sons that enjoy all UF sports.
ROY H. THORNE
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ANDREW M. WALKER
University of Florida Track 1977 - 1981
BERNARD SCOTT
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TIM SAGUL
University of Florida Track 1975 - 1980
CURT LUSTER
University of Florida Track 1977 - 1982
TODD SINCLAIR
University of Florida Track 1980 - 1985
CREIGHTON BLAHAK
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NEAL SERAFENAS
UF Track: 1980-1982
· Married for 25 years; wife – Ann, Children; Thor (19) & Taylor (15)
· Occupation: Teacher – Special Education (Math & Science)
· Residence: Olney, Maryland
William Penn High School (Delaware): Coach – Phil Hershey
· Graduated in 1977
· Delaware State Champion – Discus
· 2nd Place Shot Put
· Not recruited out of high school. The great University of Pennsylvania & USTFCCCA Hall of Fame coach, Irv Mondschein, said that I was “too small” to throw in college.
University of Delaware: 1978-79: Coaches - Jimmy Flynn, Larry Pratt
· Freshman record (current) holder in the discus throw – 178’7”. (At a bodyweight of 205 lbs.)
· School record (current) holder in the discus throw – 179’8” (threw 182’1”, but for some reason they never got the results of that meet)
· Member of the 1978 Junior National Track & Field Team (discus) – competed in the U.S.S.R. and W. Germany.
· 2 time East Coast Conference Champion in the discus throw.
· All ECC in the discus (1st), shot put (2nd), & hammer throw (3rd) in 1978 & 1979.
· ECC record holder in the discus.
· All IC4A – discus 1978-1979
· Beat every one of coach Mondschein’s throwers from UPenn by 20 feet.
University of Florida: 1980-1982 Coaches – John Randolph, Mike Bozeman
· All SEC – discus 1981 & 1982 & shot put: indoor – 1981-1982; outdoor - 1981
· All-time top ten list – discus & shot put
· Team Captain - 1982
· NCAA qualifier: Discus 1981-1982. Shot Put 1982 (indoor)
· NCAA All American – discus 1982
· Sold more orange juice than Rich Grobman at a UF Football Game (track fundraiser)
After UF: Inducted into the State of Delaware Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2006
CHUCK BROUGHTON
ERIC JOSEPH
MARK SHEEHAN
KEVIN "CAPTAIN D"
GLENN McISAAC
SETH BROWN
BRAIN MUIR
DAVID STRAHL
University of Florida Track and Cross Country 1980 – 1985
All American, All SEC in Track and Cross Country
85 Track and 84 Cross Country Team Captain
Born in 1962 in Bloomington IN
6’6’ 180 lbs. in 1980
Coach – Head Coach and Distance Coach - John Randolph
(Asst. Coaches - Mike Bozeman, Tommie Turner)
David Strahl attended Tucker High School from 1977 to 1980 in Atlanta Georgia. David was a letterman for four years in Track and Field, four years in Cross Country, three years in Basketball, and 2 years in Swimming. David was a State Champion in the Mile Run, 880, Cross Country Runner–Up in 1980. David was All-State in Cross Country, Track, Basketball, and Swimming. David won the 1979 National AAU Mile Run in Lincoln Nebraska his junior season.
David finished his Tucker High School Track career as the Tucker’s all-time fastest Miler, 880, 2-Miler, 2-Mile Relay, Dist. Medley Relay, Sprint Medley Relay, 4-Mile Relay. David finished the fastest cross country 3 - miler ever in Tucker’s history. David ended his high school career as one of Georgia’s all-time top 5 fastest cross country, miler, and half-mile runners in 1980. David became Tucker’s Basketball all-time scorer with a career average of 25.0 points a game for three seasons, and had the most games over 30 points in a career. He also had the highest field goal percentage all time with 63.3% of his shots made from the field, and had the 4th most rebounds with a 9.2 average a game. David was a summer swimming state champion and made the High School state swim meets until he gave up the sport to concentrate on Track, Cross Country, and Basketball. David had Division 1 offers from over 40 top schools in Track, Cross Country, 20 top D-1 basketball schools which included Kentucky, LSU, and Georgia, and had a few swimming offers too.
David attended the University of Florida from 1980 to 1985. David was awarded All-American and All-SEC in Track and Cross Country. He had a medical redshirt year in the 1981-1982 cross country and track seasons after having three right leg surgeries.
David finished his Florida career in 1985 as the 2nd fastest 1500 meter runner outdoors and indoors, second fastest 1000 meter and 3rd fastest 1000 yard runner indoors, Top 2 in the indoor and outdoor Distance Medley Relay and outdoor 4-Mile relay, Top 4 2-Mile relay indoor and outdoor.
David was a SEC Track Champion, 3 x SEC Runner-Up, 1 x SEC 3rd place finisher. In Cross Country, he finished in SEC Championship in the top 6 in 1983 with an 8K time of 24:35, and ran Florida’s 3rd fastest Cross Country 10K time at the 1983 NCAA Regional X-C Championships with a time of 29:44. David was in the top 10 all-time best 5-Mile times on the Florida Cross Country Course.
David was inspired in business career by Dr. Cade who invented Gatorade. Dr. Cade used David and the other Gator Cross Country and Track team members to do testing and research. David has spent 25 business years in consumer product marketing, product development and innovation, and sales. David has been team leader on teams that developed consumer products such as Dentyne Ice Gum, Trident White Gum, Listerine Pocket Paks, Halls Vitamin C Defense Drops, Kids Naturally Sweetened Spray Candy, Dixie Grab’N Go Coffee Cups, Humminbird Smartcast Fish Finders. David is currently employed with Royal Cup Coffee in Birmingham AL where David developed in 2008 a premium artisan micro-roasting coffee company called the H.C. Valentine Coffee Company. David has developed all the coffee products for H.C. Valentine Coffee Company. David has sold and marketed the H.C. Valentine coffees to many 5-Star Resorts and James Beard award winning chefs in the USA and Caribbean. H.C. Valentine Coffee Company has just been awarded 2012 Gold Medals by American Masters of Taste (A Chefs of America Organization) for its organic coffees and espresso at this year’s taste contest.
David has been married to his wife Kris for 23 years and has three children. Many of David’s Florida track and field teammates attended his wedding in Atlanta 23 years ago.
JACK BURTON
TONY LASZEWSKI
CHUCK JASZOWACK
WESLEY MAIYO
HORACE TUITT
JOHN ROBERTS
MIKE LINDSAY
CHRIS LIKES
MARTY BEAUCHAMP
GREGG GIACOBB
MARK BRADLEY
TODD POSTLMAYR
STEVE DAVIS
JERRY SMITH
SAM DOHERTY
KIP DRINGLER
CHRIS JACKSON
STEVE LUSNIA
WOODY RICE
KELLY BRITZ
KENNETH GRAY
Years at UF: 1979-1983
Coach: John Randolph. Tommy Turner, Mike Bozeman
Event: 110M & 400IM Hurdles
Degree: Business Administration (Management)
BACKGROUND: Born in Kingston, Jamaica December 9, 1960 where I started competitive track at age 11. After watching my older brothers Noel and Ronald perform on the track representing Kingston College High School win the Jamaica national high school track & field championship 14 consecutive years, I had no choice but to attend Kingston College High to continue the tradition. After a successful 1979 season I was recruited by several major universities in the US, but selected the University of Florida based on Noel’s recommendation. I obviously trusted Noel’s recommendation as he was recruited by Coach Jimmy Carnes and attended the University of Florida on a track scholarship as well. Coach John Randolph and the Florida coaching staff made out easy as they did not have to come to Jamaica to recruit me. They relied solely on Noel to do so. In fact, I did not meet the Florida coaching staff until I arrived on campus the first day of classes August 20th, 1979. I am happy that I made the choice to become a Gator!
PREP: Jamaica National High School Champion 1975 (100M Hurdles), 1977 (110M Hurdles, 1979 (110M, 400IM Hurdles); Jamaica National High School Record Holder 110M & 400IM Hurdles (13.7/52.1); Team Captain Kingston College High School & Jamaica Junior National Team to CARIFTA (1979)
FRESHMAN: SEC Champion 400IM Hurdles; Jamaica National Champion 110M & 400IM Hurdles
SOPHOMORE: SEC Champion 400IM Hurdles; Jamaica National Champion 400IM Hurdles; Jamaica Junior National Record Holder 400IM Hurdles 50.46 (1981-2006)
JUNIOR: 2nd Place SEC Championship 400IM Hurdles; 9th place 400IM Hurdles NCAA Championship (won heats and consolation final, but placement in main final was determined based on top 8 times from heats); All-American Honors; U of F Most Outstanding Junior Track Athlete (Coaches Award); Team Captain; Jamaica National Champion 400IM Hurdles
SENIOR: SEC Champion 400IM Hurdles; 5th place 400IM NCAA Championship; All American Honors; School Record Holder 400IM (1983); School Record Holder 500M Indoor (1983); School Record Holder 55M Hurdles (1983); Team Captain; U of F Most Outstanding Senior Track Athlete; Jamaica National Champion 400IM Hurdles; 1984 Olympian for Jamaica 400IM Hurdles; Silver Medalist 400IM Hurdles at Barrientos Games in Cuba representing the US
PROFESSIONAL: Currently is Director of Sales for Thermo Fisher Scientific Air Quality Instruments business based in Franklin, Massachusetts. I am based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida (Sarasota-Bradenton) area. Before joining Thermo Fisher Scientific I worked at GE for 6 years in various roles. Prior to GE I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 16 years with my last role as Regional VP for the Southeast Region.
PERSONAL: Married for 26 years to Paulette who I met at the University of Florida in my sophomore year. We have four children (Amanda, Jeremy, Kayla, Jared) and enjoying being back in Florida!
CHUCK GRANT
Dr. NOEL GRAY SR.
Noel C. Gray, Ed.D (ncgray@dadeschools.net)
Noel is a veteran educator with over 26 years experience teaching mathematics. Married for over 31 years to his wife Annette (who is also a Gator), with two children, daughter Christina (who is also a Gator) and son Noel Jr., he is currently the department chairperson of mathematics at American Senior High School in Miami-Dade County School system, Florida. Dr. Gray holds a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership, a Master and Bachelor Science degrees both in Mathematics Education. Serving as an adjunct professor with Nova Southeastern University, he is a dissertation chair for students pursuing their doctorial degree.
Born December 29, 1954 in Kingston, Jamaica, Noel is the second of 10 siblings (including Gator great Kenneth Gray whom he had the pleasure of signing to the university in 1989). As an outstanding sprinter-quarter miler in high school, Dr. Gray held numerous records for Caribbean athletes, which included the 400m record of 46.8 that stood for more than a decade. For most his high school and collegiate years, he was a regular member of the Jamaican national team. As a result, in 1974 he was the recipient of an athletic scholarship for track to the university, instrumented by the legendary coach, James Carnes.
From 1974-1978, Noel was a mainstay on the track team where he was a member of several SEC and national champion teams that earned him all collegiate athlete status. These teams included the 1975 and 1976 Sec Indoor; 1975 NCAA indoor mile relay (Noel Gray, Horace Tuitt, Winfred Alexander, and Beaufort Brown); 1976 record breaking collegiate Sprint Medley team (Noel Gray, Michael Sharpe, Stanley Harris, and Horace Tuitt) at the Penn Relays, and numerous other teams.
COSWELL DEPIEZA
CLYDE BARIFFE
ROBERT L. PEACOCK SR
(deceased)
SPRINTER
UF Track 1971 - 1975
ADRIAN T. ALLEN
JACOB A JONES
I am a native of Ocala, Florida and a graduate of North Marion High School. A four year letterman in Track, who ran Cross County and played Football, I was co-captain of the NMHS Track Team and enjoyed considerable success at the county, conference, district, regional and state level. I was invited by Coach Jimmy Carnes to walk onto the UF Track Team in the fall of 1975. Coach Carnes’ enthusiastic encouragement afforded me the opportunity to pursue a life-long dream of representing the Gator Nation as a student athlete.
While at UF I was a member of the sprint corps and competed in the 100, 200 and 4 X 100 relay. The ability to train and compete with some of the finest athletes in the world was a privilege.
After graduating with a B.S. in Advertising from the College of Journalism and Communications in 1979 I moved to Miami and embarked upon a career in Financial Services which led to stops in Orlando, Atlanta and then to the Midwest and Chicago.
I am a consulting executive who specializes in systems integration & technology initiatives in the Financial Services industry. My emphasis is in application and platform design, operations and administration. I have a Big 4 consulting project leadership background, process and system assessment expertise and program management experience. My professional expertise includes authoring claim practices and procedures, leading and managing Claim organizations, claim processing design, project leadership, and training and education.
As an enterprise project manager and as engagement leader of redesign / business renewal projects I spend the bulk of my work life identifying best practices and presenting enablers that produce better business results. My career headlines include Consulting Manager at Accenture, Vice President of Business Services at ACCESS Group International, and Assistant Vice President of Claims Consulting Services for CNA Financial.
My wife Deborah and I reside in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL. We enjoy travel (to warm climates and beaches) a good game of golf and the company of good friends and family.
Go Gators!!!
Netta Young (Women)
Lorraine Ray (Women)
Lori Lewis (Women)
Eunice Ashford (Women)
Donna Campbell (Women)
MIKE SISKIN
JACQUE LeBLANC
MIKE SHARP
RON COLEMAN
In the summer of 1968, Ron Coleman became the first black student-athlete to be awarded an athletic scholarship at the University of Florida. A little known part of that story is another student-athlete from West Palm Beach named Johnnie Brown. Johnnie was not only enrolled at UF and staying in the same dormitory as Ron, they were roommates during their first two years at UF. Although Johnnie was not on scholarship, as a cross-country runner, he was the first black student-athlete to ever compete for UF, two months before Ron competed on the track.
43 years ago, American history will tell you that our nation was experiencing a tumultuous tidal wave of social change that swept across all of America. It was a period in America that is commonly referred to as the Civil Rights movement. While it was a movement that influenced politics and socio-economics on a large scale, the individual stories were many and varied. Ron Coleman’s story parallels the stories of many others, not only at UF, but on campuses large and small throughout the expanse of this great nation. It begins with a boy or girl longing to attend college after graduating from high school in June of 1968, but not having the wherewithal to do so. It didn’t matter very much to that boy or girl whether they were the first, second, third, or 1000th black student-athlete to receive a scholarship. What did matter however, in every one of these stories, was that he or she would be going to college. In Ron’s case, along came Coach Jimmy Carnes and Athletic Director Ray Graves to make that college dream come true.
The sad part of the story is that it obviously also mattered very much to those who spewed hatred and bigotry. One of Ron’s letters of congratulations would say: “Dear Nigger, Prepare to die. You will never make it to Gainesville.” That was one of the many hate-filled diatribes suffered by a young man who simply wanted to go to college. Needless to say, those days were very challenging.
Coach Jimmy Carnes proved to be true to his word. In a very unique way, he too was a pioneer in the civil rights movement. He dared to defy the critics and naysayers, including the Florida legislature, by signing a black athlete to compete for the Gators. Courageous, defiant, carefree, and nurturing…academics always before athletics – that was always his mantra. Although there were still those among the various athletic squads who would rather not see Blacks lined up beside them on the same field of play, there were many unlikely allies among the white student-athletes who held no prejudice and who also helped to smooth the way for future athletes to come. Jack Youngblood stands out among them in Ron’s memory as one of those allies, because it seems he saved Ron from a terrible predicament, simply by being himself. As a scholarship athlete Ron would eat at the athletic training table and would often be left to eat all alone. Jack single-handedly changed that by simply inviting him over to his table or by sitting with him.
In 1969, Willie Jackson and Leonard George were the first Black student-athletes to set foot on the gridiron. They too were courageous, because not only were they potentially human tackling dummies, they invaded the last vestige of that “good old boy” spirit…Gator Football. Nat Moore came along shortly afterwards, and was the first true black gridiron superstar.
Pioneering is not all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you’re staring down the barrel of a rifle in a small restaurant outside of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As relived by Ron Coleman, “The man told me ‘we don’t serve nigras in this here restrant,’ and I said to him while walking backwards and praying at the same time, ‘that’s okay, I don’t like nigras that much anyway.’ My teammates and I quickly left, fearing for our lives, well, mine for sure.”
Of course it was not all bad. As a matter of fact, the positives far outnumbered the negatives. But in the long run, all of those kinds of experiences, positive and negative, served to help in laying the framework for what this campus has come to represent: a proud Association of Black Alumni and a conglomerate of humanity representing unprecedented diversity and accomplishments in the academic and athletic arenas. Since retiring from a 23-year career as a Navy Pilot, Ron enjoys giving back to the institution that played such a pivotal role in his life by serving on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Gator Boosters Board of Directors, and the F Club Committee (Letterwinners organization). He said “The Gator Nation… I am proud as ever to be a part of the legacy. God Bless the USA and GO GATORS!!”
Shonel Ferguson (Women)
Coach Jimmy Carnes (HONORARY)
Sport Track and field
Date of birth 1935
Birthplace Eatonton, Georgia
Dateofdeath March 5, 2011
Overallrecord 161–11 (.936)
Championships Southern Conference Indoor (1962, 1963)Southern Conference Outdoor (1963, 1963)Southeastern Conference Indoor (1975, 1976)
Awards Georgia Coach of the Year (1957–1962)Florida Sports Hall of Fame (1980)Georgia Sports Hall of Fame (1984)USTFCCCA Hall of Fame (1998)USA Track & Field Hall of Fame (2008)
Player Yes
Years 1952–1956
Team Mercer University
Position BasketballMiddle Distance Runner
Coach Yes
Coachyears 1956–19621962–19641965–1976197619801980–1984
Coachteams Druid Hills High SchoolFurman UniversityUniversity of FloridaU.S. Olympic Team (Asst)U.S. Olympic TeamU.S. Track & Field Fed'n (Pres)
Jimmy Carnes (1935 – March 5, 2011) is a former American track and field athlete, coach and administrator. A successful coach at the high school, college and international levels, Carnes compiled a 161–11 career dual meet record, highlighted by four college conference championships and six state high school championships. Carnes was the head coach of the U.S. Olympic track & field team and the Florida Gators track and field team, the founder of the Florida Track Club, and a member of the U.S. Track & Field Hall of Fame.
Early years
Jimmy Carnes was born in Eatonton, Georgia. He attended Mercer University in Macon, Georgia from 1952 to 1956, where he was a basketball player and middle distance runner for the Mercer Bears track and field team. Carnes dated his future wife, Nanette, a Mercer education major whom he knew from Eatonton while they were undergraduates.
College
In 1962, Carnes became the head cross country and track and field coach at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Among his many Gators track and field athletes were sixty-five SEC individual champions, four NCAA individual champions and twenty-four All-Americans. including Jack Bacheler, Jeff Galloway, Marty Liquori and Frank Shorter. Carnes recruited fifty-five graduate student-athletes for the Florida Track Club by offering several of them assistant coaching positions and helping many of them obtain graduate assistantships within the university to help continue their graduate studies. At the peak of the running craze, Athletic Attic had over 165 stores in the United States, Canada, Japan and New Zealand with over $40 million in annual revenue. Carnes resigned as the Gators track coach in September 1976 to focus on his Athletic Attic business interests and his Olympic coaching. the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1984, and the USA Track & Field
Hall of Fame in 2008.
Personal
Carnes was married to Nanette Carnes, and they were the parents of three sons and a daughter.
Vincent Cartier
Years at UF 1972-1977
Coach (s) name Coach Jimmy Carnes & Coach Roy Benson
All American indoor 1975 mile 5th place
1975 Indoor SEC 3rd 2-Mile; 2nd Mile
1974-1976 NCAA XC championships
1975 Florida Relays 4 x Mile 1st Place; 4 x 800 2nd place; DMR 4th place
PR’s 4:04.9 indoor mile, 8:48.8 Indoor 2-Mile; 13:48.8 3 Mile Run Outdoors
I graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS in 1972. I was a 10-time NJ State Champion. My HS PR’s were 50.5 Quarter Mile; 1:53.1 Half Mile; 4:06.6 Mile; 9:05:1 Two Mile. I was also on the 1971 Distance Medley Relay Team that won the Penn Relays Championship of America. I was lucky to be part of some great teams at Florida. I was named Captain of the XC and Track Teams in 1975 & 76, a position I respected and cherished. I was on the First SEC winning teams in 1975 & 76. I am now self-employed doing marketing/advertising/public relations/special events. I am living in NJ and have been married to Marie Lupo-Cartier for 17 years.
William Freeman
Class of 1976
I was recruited by Jimmy Carnes in the spring of 1972. While I was at Lexington, KY Lafayette HS, I had won the state title in the pole vault with a state record, and Jimmy called. He offered little money, but a chance to train with Mike Cotton, Scott Hurley, and Dave Roberts. It sounds pretty good, especially since there were beaches nearby!
It was a great time to be a Gator! Coach Carnes, Coach Walter Welsch, and Mike and Dave made it a very special time to be a vaulter in Gainesville. By the end of my first year, it began to pay off. I had placed 2nd at the SEC meet behind senior Cotton, and then won the National Juniors (and a trip to Germany, Poland and the then USSR). It was heady stuff for a naïve kid from Kentucky.
While I was lucky enough to go on to win 5 SEC titles in the vault, the highlight for me was the 1975 indoor conference meet at LSU. I won that meet on a last attempt at a PR height, and the team then won its first-ever title. What a team effort that was! I didn't know that Jimmy could smile so much!
Fortunate to win the Florida and Penn Relays vaults, I was also able to compete at two U.S. Trials in 1976 and 1980, being a finalist in 1976. Then it was time to move on beyond the vault. Freshly married to my wife Evelyn (then the top-ranked Canadian high jumper) and with a Masters in Biomechanics from Indiana University, we took a joint position at Grinnell College, in Iowa, as the track and cross country coaches. That was in August of 1980. We are still there 31 years later! We have had just one job!!
The coaching has been a special thing to me. I also thoroughly enjoy teaching in the classroom (Sport Psychology and Sport Sociology). I can still live through coaching the excitement and enjoyment of what we all felt while at Florida. Of course, I now have a better grip on it, and see the bigger picture of the sport experience.
I have three children, all have gone to thee University of Iowa. Cameron (25) studying Psychology, Deidre (21) studying Religious Studies, and Nicolette beginning at Iowa this fall. None of them ran track! Thew two girls are both springboard divers. Deidre is one of the top divers in the country, and a Big Ten champion, she has qualified for the U.S. Trials for 2012. Nikki is following her steps at Iowa and will dive there as well.
On a personal level, I love to write, bicycle, and shoot photography (with what little time is left after teaching and coaching). I've been blessed, for sure…and it all really started with a phone call from Jimmy Carnes. I miss Jimmy Carnes..but he lives on in all of us Gators!
GEORGE BRIDGES
Attended Florida from 1970 - 1974. I was recruited by Coach Carnes to attend Flordia after graduating from High School in Columbus, Ga in 1970. As a high school state champion in Ga for the Mile(4:17) and half mile it was an honor to be a part of the UF Track Team. The four years on the team was truly an experience, not to be forgotten.
During the four years at Flordia, the coaches had me running Outdoor, Indoor and Cross Country every season, so in essence they awarded me 12 letters (Orange Blazier included), over the four year period.
My exeriences include training and running with one of the greatest teams ever, Benny Vaughn, Coswell Diepisa, Bufford Brown, Frank Betts, Billy Hicks, just to name a few. We all worked hard, played hard, ran hard under the leadership of Coach Jimmy Carnes and Coach Roy Benson.
Best times include personal best in the mile of 4 minutes and 3 seconds and held the marthon record of 2hours 40 minutes for many years.
After 40 years, the mile time is still in the top 10 all time for the University of Florida Track Team. The marthon record was set at a summer event while on vacation from the school.
Graduated 1970 - Bachelor's in Mathematics and 1976 with Masters in Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Currently living in Michigan with wife (Carolyn) of 21 years. We are both devoted Christians who are active in the local church. We have three children, the youngest is 18 years old.
God Bless, the Florida Gator Track Alumni and Families,
DONNE HALE
I graduated in '68. Do you need my Bio or just those years specified? 63-70 were great Gator years when I was a young man with Coaches Beard, Welch, Carnes,Hester, Meier Beiber(which I received the first Go Gator trophy for leadership,sportsmanship, outstanding half miler) 66-68.
Graduated in 1968-BSPE
Track-Indoor & outdoor; Cross Country (2nd on frosh team '63)
1964-1966-Transferred to Miami-Dade JC
- Team Capt-2yrs
-Set state records in mile,half mile,mile relay, 2-mile relay, 2-mile,
-National JC Campionships; 3rd place 2 yrs back to back
-MVP Awards and others
- Offered 21 full scholarships at SEC,ACC,Big Ten, SW Conf.& others.
-My love to return to UF took Jimmy Carnes & Ray Graves to offer a full-scholarship along with
Frank Saier & John Morton.
- Returned to UF in fall of '64 under the direction ofCoach Jimmy Carnes and Walter Welch.
1966-1968- University of Florida
-All-SEC both years in cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track
- Oualified NCAA X-C Championships @ Univ. of Kansas-with Lagotic and Atkinson-1966
- 880yd-1:50.8; Mile- 4:15.3; 440 yd dash-48.7 (1967). 3rd place SEC;
- Set school record in 880 yd. -'67 until Bob Lang (freshman) broke all records later.
-Records in the 2-mile relay-7:28.3 ( ranked 3rd. nationally and 6th. world in Track and field news.
NOTE: I noticed our 7:28.3 isn't in any record books for top 5 or even top 10 since it's not in met
At one time Coach Doug Brown said if converted to meters it would be like 7:25.8. Could you
check on that?
- Tri-Captain with Frank Saier and Frank Lagotic-1967-1968
-Competed in '67 NCAA Outdoors -13th overall-BYU, Utah.
-Competed in '67 National AAU Championships-Bakersfield, Calif
-1967 ranking NCAA Championships 10th
-Meier Bieber Go Gator Trophy receppient-sportsmanship, leadership, enthusiasm,
-Outstanding 880 Yd recepient-1967
-Letters 1966-1968 in XC, Track( bad year in 68 due to illness in cross country(placed 13th in
SEC championships- 2nd on team after a bout with gastro-dentritis and viral pneumonia)
-67-68 in and out of infirmary indoor and out door season did not qualify for finals in 880yd. Lead
off leg of 4X440 ran my 48.7 leg) Only ran a 1;51.1 in 880yd against Kansas, So. Ilinois &
Kansas-we won the meet.
After leaving UF-married -2 children -5 grand -grandson in Army special forces-
1968-1970- Bell High School, Fla.- Moved to Atlanta, Ga. Coached H.S.
1970-1980- Coached in Atlanta then went into construction.
- Created The Atanta Track Club All Comers track and field meets to help fund
the competitive team that ran nationally.Still in operation today
-President of the Atlanta Track Club 1976-1978
-Also competed after college but stopped in 1984 due to back and knee problems.
1980-1996-
- Official for many local, nationally track and field meets.
-1990-1996-Master Certified USATF Official
-Selected for USATF Olympic Trails-1992 in New Orleans
-Selected for ;World Univ. Games, NCCA Meets,SEC Meets, ACC Meets, Goodwill
Games in NY,
-1996 Atlanta Olympic Games as Clerk
- 1996 Paralmpic Games as Chief Clerk
-Asst mgr. for ACOG kiosk merchandising 1996 Olympic Merchandise
-Secretary of USATF Georgia Assoc. 4yrs.
1996-2009-
-Retail business-construction mgr.-
-Continue officiating locally,regionally
-Moved to Ky 2004-concrete construction at Fort Cambell 101 Airborne-new
housing, Then to Fort Knox near Louisville and then Camp Lejeune,NC.
-Retired in 2010 due to lay-offs
2010-11 -Still officiating as a KY USATF Certified Official. Mostly high school
-Live in Louisville Ky. Go CARDS -Charlie Strong.
Coach Brooks Johnson (Honorary)
UF Coach 1975 - 1977
Brooks Johnson COACH florida 1975-1977
The Track and Field Hall of Famer has been coaching at the Olympic level for nearly a half-century. He worked with his first Olympian in 1960, 110-meter hurdles silver medalist Willie May, and has coached an athlete at every Olympics since 1968. They include stars such as Evelyn Ashford and Chandra Cheesborough as coach of the women's team for the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
These days, Johnson, 73, is hard at work with his wise, low-key style at Disney, trying to help the Olympic dreams of some of America’s speediest runners come true. He has made Wide World of Sports his base for most of the past 12 years — other than two years spent opening up the OlympicTraining Center in 2003-04. Not surprisingly, he is regarded as a guru of the national track and field scene — and those who have trained with him count themselves lucky. Johnson was a standout high school track man in Plymouth, Mass., but described his competitive career at Division III Tufts University in Boston as having more "lowlights than highlights." After graduating, he earned a law degree from the University of Chicago but didn’t practice.
Instead he joined the State Department, working for the Governmental Affairs Institute.
All the while, he found time to coach — from top-tier national athletes to high school competitors at St. Alban’s in Washington, including an impressive young discus thrower named Al Gore.
Eamonn O'Keefe
Don Ussery
David "DJ" F. Johnston
Assistant Coach
GRADUATE DEGREE: University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR - 1978
Masters of Science and Education – Physical Education
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE: University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR – 1969
Bachelor of Science and Education – Art and Physical Education.
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS: *Collegiate NAIA All-American in Track and Field.
*National NAIA Indoor Long Jump Champion 1969
*University of Central Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
*Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame
Coach of several Olympic and World-Class Track and Field athletes, including the 1984 Silver Medalist in the Pole Vault (Mike Tully 19’2”), the Canadian Olympian and National record holder in the Pole Vault, NCAA All-American’s in the men’s and women’s Javelin (Raul Bradstock – 299’-11” British Olympian), Decathlon, Triple Jump (NCAA fourth and sixth @54’), Long Jump and Pole Vault.
Guest Speaker at numerous State, National & International Track and Field Clinics and Seminars; Hurdles, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Pole Vault and relays, plus National and International publications of Track and Field articles.
EXPERIENCE: 2008-2009 Athletics Coach (Track and Field) Coach/Consultant
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Consultant to Prince Nawaf Mohammad Al Saud and the Saudi Athletic Federation
Personally coached 10 athletes, one a Saudi Decathlete (October 2009) that scored 7641 points for his first ever complete senior level (age 20 and over) Decathlon.
2006-2008 sTs Athletic Club
Private Coaching, Clinics/Seminars. Newberry High School, Newberry, FL
Instructor ESE/English
Head Track Coach – Assistant Football
World Class Track and Field Consultant
2002-2006 sTs Athletic Club
Track and Field Consultant
Private Coaching, Clinics/Seminars.
January 2002 United States Track Coaches Association,
Gainesville, Florida.
Assisted in the organization, editing, and production of tutorial Track and Field CD’S.
1990 – 2001 Magnolia High School, Anaheim, CA
Instructor Visual Arts, Drawing and Painting
AP Studio Art, Computer Graphics and Multimedia Production.
Assistant Football and Head Track Coach.
Created all technical graphics for all events for the Southern California Track Coaches Association Manual.
1986 – 1989 Springco Athletic Equipment Company
Torrance, CA General Manager and National Sales and Marketing Director.
Coached several Southern California based Olympic and World-Class athletes.
1985 – 1986 Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Assistant Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coach. Coached Jumps, Throws, Heptathlon and Decathlon.
1984 – 1985 Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Assistant Track and Field coach.
Coached Jumps and Decathlon
1982 – 1984 California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA
Assistant Men’s Track and Field Coach
Coached Sprints, Relays, Hurdles and Jumps
1979 – 1982 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh SA
Coached the Jumps and help Developed and Directed the National Track and Field Program from the International Junior level to International Olympic level.
1975 – 1979 University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Assistant Track and Field Coach
Coached the Jumps, Relays, Hurdles, Decathlon/Heptathlon and assisted in Strength Development, Meet Organization and Recruiting. Coached numerous Conference Champions and two Olympians.
Spring 1975 University of Central Arkansas, Conway,AR
Interim Track and Field Coach, Graduate Assistant teaching recreational sports; Swimming, Handball and Badminton
National Champion in the 4 x 400 relay
Fall 1974 Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR
Assistant Track and Field Coach
Assisted in coaching two future Olympians and one world record holder.
1972 – 1974 W.R. Boone High School/Blankner Elementary School, Orlando, FL
Taught Art and P.E.
Head Cross Country and Head Track and Field Coach
Harry Winkler
Florida Track and Field Bio of Harry Winkler
Florida Track Team 1963 thru 1967
Florida Track Club 1968 thru 1970
Harry Winkler lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track his sophomore year, 1961, at Forest Hill High School in West Palm Beach, Florida. His final two years he concentrated on basketball, all-state in 1963, single game scoring record of 55 pts at his alma mater. His junior year he won the state decathlon. He would have contended his senior year except an injury kept him from competing. At the 1963 Florida state meet he set the state shot-put record of 60’1”, got second in the discus to another Florida track alum, John Morton, and was 3rd in the long jump.
Harry’s best friend and teammate was Frank Saier, another Florida track alum who became the first 7’ high jumper in the southeast. Frank accepted a scholarship offer from Jimmy Carnes, the track coach at Furman University at the time. Harry accepted a basketball scholarship offer to the University of Florida. Harry made the all SEC freshmen team and started his sophomore year for Norm Sloan averaging 8.5 pts per game and was named to the all SEC sophomore team for the 1965-66 season. Meanwhile Jimmy Carnes accepted the head track coach job at Florida and brought Frank Saier, with him. Harry was permitted to compete in track while on basketball scholarship and competed during his entire stay at the University of Florida. In 1965 Harry was 9th in the nation in the decathlon. In 1966 Harry was second in the USTFF decathlon scoring 6783 points. Harry’s main events were the shot put, 53’6”, discus. 170’, and javelin, 222’. Harry was high point man in the 1966 SEC meet: 1st in shot put 53’3,” 3rd in discus 163’9,” 4th in the javelin 201’8.” Harry attributes much of his track success at the University of Florida to Coach Jimmy Carnes who supported Harry in his endeavors.
Upon graduation with a master’s degree in Physical Education Harry received a US Army ROTC commission and was assigned to Ft Campbell, KY. He was invited, because of his varied athletic background, to attend a tryout camp for a new Olympic sport called team handball. Harry was invited to join the national team and, 6 months later, was named a member of the US Olympic Men’s Handball team that competed in the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Harry left the military service and returned to West Palm Beach, Florida and accepted a teaching position at his old alma mater of Forest Hill High School. Harry balanced teaching and continued participation on the US National Men’s Handball team competing in many countries in Europe and throughout the world. In 1976 Harry participated in his second Olympic Games and represented the United States as a member of the US Men’s Handball Team in Montreal, Canada. 1977 was Harry’s last year of handball participation as a competitor.. In 1974 Harry was asked to help develop a US Women’s Handball program. Harry, when he wasn’t involved in men’s competition, was the assistant coach of the women’s National Handball Team and was Chairman of the Women’s Committee of the United States Team Handball Federation. He served as Women’s Chairman and assistant coach of the team thru the 1980 Olympics. Harry and the team were in a tournament in the Congo in Africa to try and qualify for the Moscow Olympics when President Carter decided that the US would boycott the games for political reasons.
Harry’s last involvement with handball was when he was asked to be the assistant competition director for handball at the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles. In 1981 Harry was named to the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.
All thru the years, after Harry’s release from active duty from the military in 1972, Harry taught at his alma mater of Forest Hill High School. He taught health/ life management for a majority of the 38 years of his teaching career. He coached track for a number of years and girl’s cross country. Harry has written curriculum for the States health education curriculum entitled “Adolescent Health Problems.” In recent years Harry has been very vocal and an avid letter writer regarding educational issues. In 2009 Harry was named the Palm Beach Post letter to the editor Letter Writer of the Year.
Harry stays active now in his second year of retirement by volunteering at the local Veterans Administration hospital, working in the Florida agriculture extension service as a Master Gardener, and as a docent in the Palm Beach History Museum. Harry lives with his wife Renee on an acre of land with native plants and a large garden.
James (Jim) "Doc" Richeson
I was recruited by Coach Percy Beard in 1961...came to UF in the Fall of '61, but had to leave in Januray of 1962. Returned to UF in August of 1964 where Coach Hester, our high jump coach, noticed me in the cafeteria and we shared lunch. At that encounter, he informed me that a new, dynamic, enthusiatic head track coach by the name of Jimmy Carnes had been hired from Furman. Coach Hester asked if I'd be interested in meeting him and perhaps rejoining the Gator's NEW Track Team. Soon thereafter, I met with THE COACH and, as fate would have it, I was once again a GATOR. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.
The friends I made, the experiences, the successes...all are a major part of my life. Went on to win the SEC High Jump in 1965 and, in 1966, at Auburn, broke J. Pappa Hall's long standing high jump record. In 1966, was on the SEC winning 440-yd. relay team with Bill Roberts, Jim Brown, and John Anderson. From UF, I graduated from Emory University School of Dentistry in 1975, was in private practice for three years, then taught at UF Dental School for eight years. Eventually, ended up at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville (FL) where I taught Health Related studies including Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry for almost twenty years.
In the summer of 1992, I attended the SFCC Institute of Public Safety Police Academy and have worked at the Alachua County Sheriff's Office as a Patrol Deputy, and now at our Training Bureau, for the past eighteen years. I am married to Emily McDonell Richeson of Gainesville, FL and we have three Shelties, Scout (11 years), Lilli (2 years), and Luci (1 year). I have one son, Robert Scott Weideman and one grand-daughter, Emily, 10 years old. I am the luckiest man in the world.
John Creer (coach)
John Creer is entering his 21st year at Lindenwood and his 11th year as the Athletics Director. Before becoming the athletic director at Lindenwood, Creer served as the Dean of Students from 1991 until 1999.
Creer is currently leading Lindenwood’s move to the NCAA Division II level. He has helped the program enter the candidacy stage in the NCAA process. Creer oversees 27 sports that is looking to gain membership into the NCAA.
Prior to Lindenwood’s move to the NCAA, Creer oversaw an athletic department that included 21 NAIA sports programs and 25 other varsity programs that competed in other national organizations. While he was athletics director, those programs captured 40 national championships and 134 conference championships. In the NAIA, the athletics department finished in the top five in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup in every season but one since he became Athletics Director. In 2001-02 and 2002-03, Lindenwood won the Directors’ Cup standings for being the top overall athletics department in the NAIA.
During Creer’s tenure, the athletics department has grown in the number athletic programs and in the quality of facilities. Creer has been part of the construction of the Lou Brock Sports Complex, the Lindenwood Track, the purchase of Lindenwood Ice Arena, and the major renovations of Harlen C. Hunter Stadium.
Before moving in the administrative side of athletics, Creer was one of the most successful track and field coaches in the country. Creer began his head coaching career in 1970 at Winter Haven High School (Fla.) where he coached the cross country teams and assisting with the track and field teams. In 1973, Creer accepted a teaching position at Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Fla. and was head coach for the cross country and track and field teams.
In 1975, he moved onto the collegiate level when he became the head cross country coach and assistant head coach of the track and field team at Troy State University. After the 1977 season Creer moved onto the Division I level at the University of Florida. At Florida he was the associate head coach from 1977-1978 and in 1978-79 became the interim head coach of the Gators.
Next up for Creer was the international level. In 1979, he was the assistant national coach for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Olympic team. In 1983, he would become a head coach at Wayland Baptist University. After a five-year stint at Wayland, Creer was hired to be the head cross country and track and field coach at Missouri Baptist. In 1991, Creer would move to Lindenwood but it wasn’t until 1996 when he became the head coach of the cross country and track and field teams.
During Creer’s coaching career he coached three national championship teams in women’s track and field, seven men’s track and field team championships, two world champions in track and field, three Olympic silver medalists, one Olympic bronze medalists, 15 Olympic games participants, 125 individual national champions and 512 All-Americans.
Not only has Creer coached national championship teams and national champions, he has been awarded many individual accolades. He has been the NAIA National Coach of the Year eight times, the NCCAA National Coach of the Year, the West Texas Hall of Fame Coach of the year three times, and has been named the NAIA region and conference coach of the year numerous times.
To go along with all of the coach of the year awards Creer has been inducted into four Hall of Fames. In 2001, he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, the Missouri Baptist Hall of Fame in 2006, the Lindenwood University Hall of Fame in 2007, and in 2009 he was inducted into the Wayland Baptist Hall of Fame.
Along with his numerous duties at Lindenwood, Creer is the chair of the Lindenwood Athletics Hall of Fame committee and is on the Board of Directors for the Saint Charles YMCA.
Creer received his bachelor’s degree in English from Western Michigan University in 1970 and earned his master’s degree from Troy State in Educational Administration and Supervision in 1976.
Creer is married to his wife Liz and has three daughters (Kimberly, Jennifer, Ashley), three grandsons, and one granddaughter.
ROGER JOHNSON
I was a walk on and lettered one year, my junior year (Spring 1966). I was
a sophomore the year Jimmy came, so I had only one year prior experience
with Coach Beard, and those were the years when freshman had their own team and didn't compete with the varsity. There were always a lot of guys like myself who were the body of the team but were not the winners. We were always a bit marginalized. Jimmy didn't treat us that way, however, and I've always appreciated him for that.
Running has always been a big part of my life and who I am but not as a star athlete. I'm proud to have earned an "F" and still treasure that sweater in my closet. Every year, except my last I dropped 2 seconds off my time in the 440 yard dash, but I peaked out my junior year and quit after that to pursue academics. I went from UF to earn a PhD in biochemistry at Univ of Illinois in Chicago.
I could help identify some of the people from that earlier time (pre 65).
One was Charlie Goodyear, a miler, and captain of the team his senior year
in 1964.
ALLAN HOFFMAN
I was an assistant track coach under Coach Carnes (1968-1969). I ran for UF in 1963 and 1964. my father was a sargeant in the US Air Force. We moved every three years to a new town and a new school. the air force was integrated from its inception in 1948. IF we lived in
the south, the schools were segregated in town, but not on the base. I never gave it a second thought as I was growing up. I graduated from high school in Salina Kansas and
went to Kansas State for my freshman and sophomore years. my father retired to his family's home town of Panama City, Florida and I be came an out of state student in Kansas. My scholarship would not pay the out of state tuition so I came to UF. I sent a letter to Florida A&M to see if I could go to school there, (I was unaware it was an all black school). Along the way I had to get a junior college degree to keep my eligibility so I did that at Gulf Coast Junior College.
BRENDAN McGARRY
SEKOU CLARKE
2002-2006
10 time all american
2*National champ
MICHAEL LEHNING
2000 - 2004
ERIN TUCKER
B.A., Bachelors Degree in History, University of Florida, May 1998
M. Ed., Master of Education, University of Florida, August 2000
USATF Certified Level I Track and Field Coach, University of Florida, December 1998
Assistant Track and Field Coach, University of Florida, 7/11-present
Assistant Track and Field Coach, University of Kentucky, 6/03-7/11
2006 Mid-East Regional Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year (Sprints & Hurdles)
2006 Venezuelan Coach for Central American and Caribbean Championships
2008 Venezuelan Olympic Coach
2012 Venezuelan Olympic Coach
4 Olympians
7 Venezuelan National Record Holders
1 Canadian Junior National Record
1 NCAA Champion
6 SEC Champions
2 SEC 4x400m Titles
3 NCAA Runner-ups
34 School Records
27 All-Americans
15 All-Regional Selections
26 All-SEC Selections
Assistant Track and Field Coach, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 8/00-6/03
1 Big Ten Record
1 Big Ten Champion
3 School Records
1 All-American
6 All Big-Ten Selections
Volunteer Assistant Track and Field Coach, University of Florida, 8/99-8/00
Honors & Achievements
University of Florida Team Captain, 8/97-6/99
Six time All-American Selection
Four time SEC Champion
Six time All-SEC Selection
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., December 1995 (President 11/95-5/2000)
Florida Blue Key Leadership Honorary, November 1997
CARLOS L PHILLIPS
Florida Track & Field 2005-2010. 800m / 400m / 4x400. Graduate of the College of Journalism spring 2010, and now a Freelance graphic artist. Visit my site for inquiries or just to check it out, at www.greenlabelgraphics.com.
Coached by Ethan Tussin, Coach Holloway, and Coach Morgan. Incoming squad-mates, Dennis Martin, Kallinka Pitt, Ethan Philpot, Chris Thomas, Gene Martin, Afolabi Aromire, Nene Kemate; Career 800 squad-mates Lamarr Davis, Eric Alberter, Willie Calloway, Sean Obinwa, John Mitchell, Derek Whehunt, Ethan Philpot, Chris Thomas, Allen Jackson; Number 4 indoor and outdoor on all-time 800m list, right next to the Great Moise Joseph (as of 2011).
Coached in High School by Rene Plesencia (Colonial HS, Orlando), Mike Hill (Winter Park HS, Winter Park) and my uncle Lamar Fowler from Winter Park (Florida Track & Field '92 - '95).
Thank You Florida Track & Field, and Cross Country for all the fun times.
HAZEL CLARK
4 time NCAA Champ
Undefeated in SEC competition
2005 2007 World champ finalist
2000 Olympic finalist
7x national US Champ
2x Olympic trials champ
ranked top 10 in the work 5 times
Hazel Clark was born on October 3rd in Livingston,NJ. Hazel is named after her grandmother and mother and adopted the nickname Peachy as a newborn. To this day, family, friends and fans affectionately refer to her by the aforementioned moniker. Hazel is a seven time National champion, three time Olympian and World and Olympic finalist.
Hazel is the daughter of Joe Clark who inspired the Warner Brothers Movie Lean On Me and appeared on the cover of Time magazine. She is featured in his book Laying Down the Law and has appeared in numerous television features with her famous father.
Hazel is the sister of four time Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs. Her sister in law Jearl Miles Clark is a five time Olympian and american record holder. Her brother JJ is a world renowned coach. Hazel’s personal coach and served as the 2008 Olympic coach.
The Clark sisters made history when they swept the 800 meter event at 2000 Olympic trials. The Clark family is known as the first family of track and field. A member of the Clark family has been on the last seven Olympic teams.
Hazel attended Kent Place School and Columbia High school. She began her high school career reluctantly and did not join the track team until her junior year. As a senior she was the top high school 800 meter runner in the country capturing the prestigious Golden West Invitational and National Junior Championships.
Hazel received a scholarship from University of Florida where she was coached by her brother JJ. While at Florida, Hazel was undefeated in SEC competition and won sic NCAA titles. She captured the NCAA meet record and won the 1998 800 meter NCAA title by the biggest winning margin in history.
After college Hazel signed a multi year deal with Nike and immediately joined the world class ranks, qualifying for her first Olympic team, advancing to the finals and winning the 2000 Olympic trials title. At the 2004 Olympics, Clark was eliminated from the first round heat after she was burned severely in a freak accident. Hazel rebounded from the disappointment with one of the best seasons of her life setting a new personal record of 1:57.9.
Hazel has appeared in three global campaigns for Nike. Her likeness was displayed on billboards,store fronts, shopping bags and store fronts. She also appeared in print ads featured in Glamour, Vogue and numerous publications. In addition to her work as a spokesmodel Hazel has appeared in instructional videos, commercials and advertisements for Hershey and Home Depot. Throughout her career Hazel has hosted various events, radio and television shows. Hazel speaks, entertains and motivates audiences world wide by speaking about her life experiences and the story of her career.
Hazel is considered a favorite of the media due to her engaging personality. This quality has given her a platform to represent charities and causes she is passionate about.
KELLY CARVALLIS
I'm currently living and working from home in Gainesville, FL. I am a medical illustrator for a Naples based company, Arthrex, marketing their orthopedic and arthroscopic surgical devices and instruments.
KURT DECA
Competed as a Decathlete and pole vaulter from 2003-2008. Now I work in Orthopaedic surgery as a PA.
SEAN BELGRADE
My family and I currently live in Daytona Beach, Florida. My wife lovely wife Kelly and I have been married for 17 years and we have two beautiful children, Ryan (16) and Courtney (15). I work for the Daytona International Speedway, where I am currently the VP of Marketing.
DOUG NELSON
Doug is a former javelin thrower for the University and Field Track Team, he now resides in New York where he works at Roomorama formerly Lofty. Doug is our resident athlete. He’s a marketing nerd trapped in the body of a track & field jock, and is fueled almost exclusively by protein shakes. Doug’s background in advertising, sharp eye for clean design, and uncanny knowledge of all things digital, help him sift through all of our crazy ideas to nurture the ones that are truly great.
Doug also consults other start-ups in their online, B2B and B2C marketing and design efforts internationally and domestically. This includes web design, event/convention marketing materials and strategy, social media efforts and overall brand images. He is currently working with Adore Me, a French membership lingerie service and KoossPad, a new innovative automotive product to help prevent oil leaking onto driveways, garages and streets keeping our water supply clean and free of oil and other petroleum based liquids. He is also now part owner in the KoossPad as well.
Doug is always open to helping fellow Gators through career advice, networking, and any marketing needs on a consulting basis. You can reach him through his LinkedIn profile or through email.
DEREK TRAFAS
UF T&F member 92-95, javelin thrower, 3x SEC Champion, 2x NCAA runner up, 1 x NCAA 3rd place, PR 285 feet, Polish National T&F member 1992-2006, Sydney Olympics finalist , 2002 European Chamiponships 6th, Polish NR holder, 9 time Polish champion, Gator's fanDoug is a former javelin thrower for the University and F
STEVE LUSNIA
I attended Largo High school from 1975-79 and it’s where I became interested in track and cross country. This high school team had a long history of excellent distance runners coached by Brent Haley. My 4:42 mile time placed me 13th on a very fast team, so I switched events and become the team high jumper.
Next I was off to U.F. from 1979-83 and with no expectations of competing in college sports. To my surprise, I was able to walk-on the track team as a high jumper my Sophomore-Senior years jumping 6’8½”. College sports help me get through rigorous college life and engineering school. I have many memories and lifelong friends from the track team, but I was never able to obtain the athletic accolades like many teammates. My track participation extended after college for 7 more years into the corporate world as a high jumper for G.E. Corporate track team.
I graduated U.F in 1983 in Electrical Engineering and later completed a Masters Degree in Engineering from U.S.F. For the past 11 years, I’ve worked for NetApp, a fast growing and innovative I.T. Storage Company consistently ranked as one of Fortunes top 100 companies where I am a Technology evangelist and run product management.
I married Beth Farmer in 1996. Trackmen readers will know Beth as an outstanding U.F. distance runner from 1981-85. Beth and I grew up in neighboring towns, competed at rival high schools, then on same college track team. We live in Clearwater and have two kids, Ciara (15) and Conor (13). Our kids share our passion for sports and academics enabling us to spend our free time as volley ball or basket ball moms and dads.
VAN ALAN SMITH
Van Alan Smith
University of Florida 91-96
Coaches: John Webb & Curtis Frye 91-92
John Webb & Ralph Spry 93-95
Doug Brown & Mike Holloway 96
Born May 27, 1973 at Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach Florida. I was always an active child with passions in running and music for as long as I can remember. I attended Mainland Senior High School in Daytona Beach FL. While at Mainland I was an officer in Student Government, Cross Country, both Marching and Concert Band, and Track and Field. I was coached by Earl Jackson in Track and Field. In 1991 I placed 4th in the 110H and 6th in the 300H at the Florida State 4A Track and Field Championships. I won Bronze at the 1991 USA Jr. Olympics and Silver at the AAU Junior Olympics in the 110HH. I graduated with honors in 1991 and was named to Mainland's Principal Sports Hall of Fame as well as earning Volusia County's Honors Award. I left Mainland holding the school records in the 100m (10.5), 200m (21.3), 300IH (37.9) and the 110HH (13.9).
I was recruited by Coach Curtis Frye and enrolled at the University of Florida in the Fall of 1991. As a Freshman I placed 6th (7.60) in the 55m Hurdles at the 1992 SEC Indoor Championships held at the O'Connell Center and was a member of the 3rd place NCAA Indoor Track and Field Team. I also ended indoors with a 200m personal best of 21.88. Outdoors I was a member of the Sprint Medley Relay team along with Marcel Carter, Tyrone Kemp and Scott Peters that set at the time a Florida Relay's record of 3:16.23. At SEC Outdoors, running 3rd on the 4x100 relay along with Ed West, Marcel Carter, and Daryl Frazier we placed 2nd. I finished 4th (14.48) that summer at the TAC Jr. Nationals in the 110HH held in Ohio.
I red-shirted indoors 1993 due to injuries sustained during the 1992 TAC Jr. National hurdle final. I suffered 2 stress fractures to the lower lumbar region of my back and was in a brace for 6 months. Because of the injuries my hurdling career ended with bests of 7.60, 14.48HH, and 52.79IH and I focused on sprinting. Coach Ralph Spry replaced Curtis Frye as the sprint coach that same year. In my first outdoor meet of the year I ran the 2nd leg of the 800 meter relay squad with Daryl Frazier, Ubeja Anderson, and Marcel Carter which set a then school record of 1:22.89 at the Florida Relays. I also set personal bests of 10.40 (100m) and 20.74 (200m) at the 93 SEC Outdoor Championships placing 5th in the latter. I was a semi-finalist in the 200m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held in New Orleans. In 1994 I set a personal best of 6.36 in the 55m Indoors. At the Florida Relays outdoors I ran a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 20.90, however my season was cut short and I was granted a medical red-shirt after a terrible fall on the curve in the 200m the following week in Miami at the Gatorade Classic. In 1995 I was the recipient of the William W. "Billy" Richardson Memorial Track Scholarship, given to an outstanding Florida junior student-athlete in memory of Richardson, a track star for the Gators in the 1940s. I also received the Multicultural Student Recognition Award for Academic Achievement and Leadership Ability the same year. I ended 1995 as a 100m finalist at the SEC Outdoors. In 1996 Doug Brown (UT 86-95) and Mike Holloway became the Head and Assistant Coaches of the Gator program. I completed my internship with UF's University Athletic Association Operations Department that spring and graduated in May 1996 with a BS in Exercise and Sports Sciences (Sports Management). I ended my career as a Gator at the time as 8th in the 200m and 9th in the 100m on the all-time lists.
After graduating I began working for the University of Florida's Florida Clinical Practice as a Senior Clerk. In December of 1996 I was asked by Gainesville High School Track and Field Head Coach and former Gator All American Scott Peters to assist with sprints and hurdles and took on the role of Assistant Coach in January of 1997. During the 1997 season I coached the GHS 4x100 relay squad to a 2nd place finish at the Florida State 3A Track and Field Championships in a time of 41.37. I also coached at the time future Gator Mike King, 4 time GHS letter winner, in both high and intermediate hurdles. Michael recorded a PR of 37.60 at the state championships held at Percy Beard placing 2nd and notched a 52.42 in the 400 intermediate at the Golden South Meet, clocking the 3rd fastest time in the nation in 1997. He ended his career as a Gator in 2001 at the time ranking 10th all time in the 400IM.
I moved to Jacksonville in 1997 and became the Assistant Coach at Paxon High School the following year, specializing in sprints and hurdles. Paxon's 4x100 team were finalists at the State Championships.
In 1998 I relocated to Atlanta Georgia where I began working for Nextel Communications as a Marketing Operations Specialist. After 2.5 years at Nextel I began working for Nova Information Systems in 2001 as a Business Review Analyst in the Retention Department. Nova became a subsidiary of US Bank in 2002. I was promoted to Business Review Assistant Manager in 2004, and to Business Review Manager of Pricing and Profitability in 2007. After going global in merchant processing in 2008 Nova changed their name to Elavon, Inc. Due to health reasons I was forced to leave Elavon, Inc in 2009. I spent the next 2 years focusing on my health and in 2011, after being out of the arena of sports and fitness for so long I began working with Detox Group Fitness in Atlanta as a Group Fitness Coordinator and doing part-time personal training. I left Atlanta in May 2012, relocated to Florida and I currently reside in Daytona Beach, FL.
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"You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have." — Oscar Pistorius
DAVID HERMAN
David Herman
Class of 1975
David ran the 400 Intermediate Hurdles from 1971 – 1975 and placed 5th in the SEC Championships in 1972. He had a PR of 52.9 in the hurdles and 48.5 in the 400. He tried to keep up in workouts with Beaufort Brown and the rest of the National Indoor Championship Mile Relay Team and it was a great experience.
David retired from a public education career in 2008 as the Director of Physical Education and Athletics from the North Colonie Central School District (Shaker High School) after 19 years. He supervised a large program consisting of 110 coaches, 29 varsity sports, and 23 physical education teachers in 8 buildings. He attended Shaker High School where he was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1982. Before this, he taught physical education and health and coached football and track at Scotia-Glenville and Fort Edward Schools in the Capital Region in New York.
After graduating from Florida, David attended Ithaca College where he received his master’s degree in physical education and was the head men’s track coach. While teaching, he obtained his New York State School District Administrators Certificate in 1986.
In 2005, he obtained his CMAA – Certified Master Athletic Administrator – from the National Interscholastic Athletic Association. In retirement, he works part-time as a supervisor of physical education student teachers for SUNY Cortland.
David married his wife Denise in 1978 and they had their daughter Brianna in 1990. They still live in Saratoga Springs, NY, across the street from the famous race track, where they moved to in 1980.
1986 UF Track Mens Rooster
GERALD "JERRY" FANNIN
Based on the fact that a top five finish in an SEC meet qualifies as "All SEC", I have 12 "All SEC" performances- 7 indoor and 5 outdoor. The events included indoor 440, indoor mile relay, outdoor 440 hurdles and outdoor mile relay.
I was an SEC Champion in the 440 hurdles in 1969 and set an SEC record that stood until 1973.
When I graduated from UF in 1971, I held 6 school records:
outdoor 440, outdoor mile relay, outdoor distance medley relay, indoor 440, indoor mile relay and indoor 500.
I was co-captain of the 1971 team.
During my career I had numerous first place and top five finishes in the indoor and outdoor 440 and mile relay and the outdoor 440 hurdles each season.
JAMES E. DeWITT