Noles earn 10 wins to start indoor track season

By Kelsey Wicinski

Seminoles.com

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Florida State track and field team opened its indoor season at the Gamecock Opener last Saturday at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. The Noles earned 10 first place finishes and posted several national marks throughout the day.

“I thought we did a great job today particularly for an opening meet,” said Florida State head coach Bob Braman. “I was really pleased with some of the high-level performances. To get five national qualifiers in the first meet in over 300 days is really impressive. Overall, I thought from top to bottom the team competed. We’ve got to get some people healthy and we need a little bit more of the rust knocked off. But really pleased overall with the way the kids competed this weekend.”

The jumps squad was the first group to start making some noise in South Carolina with two jumpers posting national qualifying marks on their first jumps of the season. Senior Isaac Grimes posted an 8.00m mark to win the long jump event, while sophomore Jeremiah Davis followed suit with a mark of 7.86m. The Seminoles once again took the top two spots in the triple jump with Grimes posting a 15.65m and senior Jacore Irving with a mark of 15.39m.

On the women’s side, both senior Alonie Sutton and freshman Ruta Lasmane made a splash in their Florida State debuts.  Sutton won the long jump event with the mark of 5.98m.  Lasmane found her first win as a Seminole in her first collegiate meet in the triple jump with an incredible mark of 13.56m, putting her at No. 2 on the FSU Top-10 list. Sutton finished in second behind Lasmane on the triple jump posting an impressive mark of her own, 13.07m.

Senior Jazmyn Dennis continued the success on the field for the women as she picked up the win in the pole vault on her first jump of 3.82m.

“I was really proud of the long and triple jump men, they dominated both events going 1-2,” said Braman. “Just an incredible Seminoles debut for Ruta. Her 13.56 triple jump is a national leader and the second best ever in FSU history. Alonie did a nice job to come back from her long jump win and get a strong second in the triple jump.”

Seminoles hurdlers also made their mark on the Gamecock Opener. Continuing his previous year’s success, senior Trey Cunningham quickly punched his ticket for Nationals in the 60-meter hurdles with an easy 7.64 win to lead the nation as well.  Freshman Tyson Williams finished third in his first action in the Garnet and Gold with a time of 8.07.

Back on the field junior Milton Ingraham started his 2021 season with a personal record of 18.18m to take the shot put win. Redshirt sophomore Amani Heaven also tossed out a new lifetime best of 15.58m with her third-place finish in the shot put.

Florida State picked up wins in the men’s and women’s 200-eter races, with Edidiong “Blessing” Odiong (23.86) picking up a PR in her win and Cameron Leiba (21.67) finishing first in his first race in two years.

Among the short sprinters, Kasaun James opened with a huge performance recording his second fasted time of his career 6.57.  Other notable finishes among the 60-meter squad were sophomore Taylor Banks taking second (6.77) and Darryl Gay finishing fourth (6.83).

Florida State competes in its next meet on Jan. 29 when at Clemson, S.C. for the Bob Pollock Meet.