Van Daalen Claims NCAA Lead as Gators Conclude Stormy Stay at East Coast Relays

Saturday, May 2

Jacksonville, FL

Florida Gators

East Coast Relays

A female in blue looks up at her discus on a cloudy day

Alida van Daalen is the new NCAA leader in the discus after a strong day in Jacksonville, Fla. // Credit: Khalifa Dieye

Van Daalen Claims NCAA Lead as Gators Conclude Stormy Stay at East Coast Relays

Saturday, May 2, 2026 | Track and Field

Final Results

Alida van Daalen is the new NCAA leader in the discus throw after her 2026 outdoor debut.

By: Andrew Hile

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Thunderstorms rocked Hodges Stadium on Saturday morning causing over a three-hour delay, but that didn't stop Florida track & field from putting together strong performances on the final day of the East Coast Relays, including an NCAA-leading mark in the discus.

Sprints/Hurdles
The relays continued their impressive efforts despite the weather, beginning with the women's 4x100-meter relay squad of Payton Payne, Jade Brown, Gabrielle Matthews and Sydney Sutton who put together the seventh-fastest time in UF outdoor history at 43.12. Their time sits at No. 12 nationally, right behind a previous UF relay of Tyra Cox, Brown, Matthews and Sutton whose time of 43.09 from the Pepsi Florida Relays sits at No. 11.

On the men's side, Justin Braun, Garrett Fox, Trenton Howard and Wanya McCoy ran the 25th-fastest 4x100-meter relay time in the NCAA this season, placing third overall on the Visit Jax Track with a time of 39.14.

It was Aleesa Samuel who got the action started on the track for UF in the women's 100-meter hurdles preliminary after a line of storms moved out of the area. She recorded a new personal-best time of 13.89 (+0.5), placing second in heat two of the event.

Sydney Sutton made her 400-meter dash outdoor debut in Jacksonville, clocking a time of 52.14 to place third overall and earn the 25th-best time in the NCAA East Region. The men's 400-meter featured a duo that both made their outdoor 400-meter debuts, as both Malique Smith-Band and Daneil Wright competed. Smith-Band crossed the finish line in fifth overall and second in heat two with a time of 46.45, while Wright recorded an overall personal best of 47.44 to win heat four.

The East Coast Relays closed with the men's and women's 4x400-meter relays, where the Orange & Blue finished second in both the men's and women's divisions. The women's team composed of Marianna Wright, Malia Campbell, Layla Haynes and Payne clocked a time of 3:42.28, while the men's quartet of Nicholas Spikes, Justin Braun, Smith-Band and Miguel Pantojas ended at 3:05.33.

Jumps
Freshman Temoso Masikane jumped to a victory in his first outdoor appearance in the men's triple jump. Battling fellow Gator Jaden Lippett, Masikane recorded a mark of 15.68m/51-05.50 (+1.5) on his fifth attempt to win the event. In the runner-up position, Lippett ended with a jump of 15.56m/51-00.75 (+1.1). Masikane now holds the No. 16 mark in the East Region.

The Orange & Blue completed their sweep of the triple jump behind a 12.96m/42-06.25 (+1.0) performance from Asia Phillips. Her teammate Gabrielle Pierre used her fifth jump of the contest to record a new overall personal-best leap of 12.71m/41-08.50, good for third and now No. 40 in the East.

Throws
Alida van Daalen wasted no time moving back to the top of the NCAA performance list in her first discus competition of the year. The nine-time All-American won the discus with the top throw in the nation of 63.97m/209-10, which leads the country by six feet. Also earning top 10 finishes in the event were Gracelyn Leiseth and Akari Isaac with marks of 53.77m/176-05 and 52.76m/173-01, respectively.

The Gators saw an impressive performance from Ayden Campbell in the javelin throw, as the freshman unleashed a new personal-best throw of 67.00m/219-09 to place third. His new mark moves him up 10 spots in the East to No. 28.

Early in the afternoon, freshman Jarno van Daalen earned a second-place finish in the men's discus throw, finishing with a toss of 54.21m/177-10.

UP NEXT
Gators track & field will turn their attention to the SEC Outdoor Championships from May 14-16, hosted by Auburn.

GATORS' DAY TWO RESULTS
Men's 100m Dash
8. Trenton Howard – 10.24 (+3.2)

Women's 100m Dash
20. Tyra Cox – 11.79 (+1.2), 100m debut

Women's 100m Hurdles Prelims
16. Aleesa Samuel: 13.89 (+0.5), PR
24. Pauline Bikembo: 14.38 (-0.8)
29. Eden Robinson: 14.75 (-0.8)

Men's 400m Dash
5. Malique Smith-Band – 46.45, Outdoor Season Debut
14. Daneil Wright – 47.44, 400m Outdoor Debut

Women's 400m Dash
3. Sydney Sutton – 52.14, 400m Outdoor Debut, NCAA East Region No. 25
11. Malia Campbell – 54.11

Men's 4x100m Relay
3. Justin Braun, Garrett Fox, Trenton Howard, Wanya McCoy– 39.14, NCAA No. 25

Women's 4x100m Relay
2. Payton Payne, Jade Brown, Gabrielle Matthews, Sydney Sutton – 43.12, No. T-7 Florida History, NCAA No. 12

Men's 4x400m Relay
2. Nicholas Spikes, Justin Braun, Malique Smith-Band, Miguel Pantojas – 3:05.33, NCAA East Region No. 23
8. Ja'Neil Harris, Daneil Wright, Vance Nilsson, Jonah Kirspel – 3:13.47

Women's 4x400m Relay
2. Marianna Wright, Malia Campbell, Layla Haynes, Payton Payne – 3:42.28

Men's Discus Throw
2. Jarno van Daalen – 54.21m / 177-10

Women's Discus Throw
1. Alida van Daalen – 63.97m / 209-10, Outdoor Season Debut, NCAA Leader
5. Gracelyn Leiseth – 53.77m / 176-05
7. Akari Isaac – 52.76m / 173-01

Men's Javelin Throw
3. Ayden Campbell – 67.00 / 219-09, PR, NCAA East Region No. 28

Men's Triple Jump
1. Temoso Masikane – 15.68m / 51-05.50 (+1.5), NCAA East Region No. 16
2. Jaden Lippett – 15.56m / 51-00.75 (+1.1), NCAA East Region No. T-19

Women's Triple Jump
1. Asia Phillips – 12.96m / 42-06.25 (+1.0), NCAA East Region No. 20
3. Gabrielle Pierre – 12.71m / 41-08.50 (+0.9), PR

GATORS' DAY ONE RESULTS
Men's 200m Dash
1. Wanya McCoy – 20.47 (+1.3), NCAA No. T-21
5. Justin Braun – 20.56 (+1.6), Overall PR, NCAA East Region No. 18
9. Nicholas Spikes (+1.6) – 20.72, Overall PR, NCAA East Region No. 41
14. Ja'Neil Harris - 20.88 (+1.4), Collegiate 200m Debut
22. Garrett Fox – 21.11 (+1.3)
28. Jesse Myers – 21.24 (+1.3), Outdoor PR
41. Jordaine Johnson – 21.77 (+0.6)

Women's 200m Dash
1. Sydney Sutton – 22.55 (+1.8), Overall PR, No. 4 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. 10,
3. Quincy Penn – 22.74 (+1.7), Overall PR, No. 4 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. 19
9. Tyra Cox – 23.23 (+1.7), Overall PR, NCAA East Region No. 44
12. Jade Brown – 23.35 (+1.7)

Men's 400m Hurdles
3. Vance Nilsson – 50.54, PR, NCAA East Region No. 16

Women's 400m Hurdles
6. Marianna Wright – 58.87

Men's 1500m
1. Riley Novack – 3:46.65
2. Miguel Pantojas – 3:47.80, Collegiate 1500m Debut
4. Jonah Kirspel – 3:50.60, Collegiate 1500m Debut
8. Josh Ruiz – 3:52.58
13. Alejandro de Bastos – 3:55.18, Collegiate 1500m Debut

Women's 1500m
1. Layla Haynes – 4:16.85, Barbados Women's National Record
15. Ashley Fitzgerald – 4:33.56

Men's Hammer
2. Basel Abosina – 67.50m / 221-05, PR, No. 6 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. T-19

Women's Hammer
3. Imani Washington – 61.00m / 200-1

Men's Long Jump
4. Temoso Masikane – 7.51m / 24-07.75

Women's Long Jump
3. Asia Phillips – 6.23m / 20-05.25 (+2.5)
4. Pauline Bikembo – 6.02m / 19-9 (+2.1)

Men's Shot Put
1. Jarno van Daalen – 19.53m / 64-01, Outdoor PR, No. 5 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. 10

Women's Shot Put
1. Gracelyn Leiseth – 17.56m / 57-07.50, NCAA No. 9
2. Alida van Daalen – 17.16m / 56-03.75, NCAA No. 15
6. Eden Robinson – 12.80m / 42-00