Florida Tech Heads To Embry-Riddle For Spikes Classic
By Florida Tech Athletic Communications // April 2, 2015
28 college teams from NCAA I, II, and NAIA levels
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech’s track & field teams are prepared to continue their impressive performances as they head back to Daytona Beach for the Embry-Riddle Spikes Classic on Friday and Saturday.
The Panthers are just off an impressive display at the UCF Invitational on March 27-28. Florida Tech placed sixth in the team results against a field full of Division I competitors.
In the field events, junior Rhoni Gavagni and sophomore Nathan Knox performed brilliantly in the javelin throw competition.
Gavagni had her best effort of the season, placing second overall in the event with a long toss of 32.60 meters. Knox dominated the men’s event with his best showing of the season, finishing first overall with a long toss of 52.32 meters.
The Panthers were also magnificent in the running events. Junior Umut Oztekin tied for fourth place in the men’s 100 meter dash with a time of 11.15.
FIT’s relay team of Terence Brookins, Gary Holmes, Oztekin and Kevin Jackman placed second in the men’s 4×100 meter relay competition with a time of 42.22, just behind the top finisher from Division I Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University.
Redshirt freshman Rachel Tobin had another excellent performance, finishing fifth overall in the women’s 100 meter dash with a time of 12.18, and second overall in the women’s 200 meter dash with a time of 24.27.
Her time was just behind the competitor from host University of Central Florida who had a mark of 24.04.
This year’s Spikes Classic features 28 college teams from the NCAA I, II, and NAIA levels, as well as 38 high school teams from the Central Florida area. In total, there will be over 1,800 athletes competing at Embry-Riddle this weekend.
FIT opens the competition on Friday with the hammer throw at 4:30 p.m. ET.
The Panthers will then lace it up for the running events, beginning with the women’s and men’s 100 meter preliminary races starting at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Florida Tech will start off the Saturday events with the women’s and men’s javelin throw competition at 9 a.m. ET and the high hurdles finals at 10:15 a.m. ET.
Live results for the Embry-Riddle Spikes Classic will be available at FloridaTechSports.com
