UCF’s best season comes to an end

The UCF Track and Field program has come a long way, to say the least.

This past weekend, the Knights sent five of their best athletes to John McDonnell Field at the University of Arkansas, home of the NCAA Championships.

This is a vast improvement from seasons past, seeing as the Knights only had one other NCAA Qualifier in the program's history, LesSundra Ford, who participated in the high jump in 2004.

Indoor track and field All Americans Dione Thomas (triple jump) and Tiki James (60-meter hurdles) led the Knights into competition on Friday.

Thomas finished 24th in her triple jump preliminaries, and James ran in the semifinal heats finishing 6th place in her heat (12th overall), with a 13.45-second finish.

Also competing on Friday was sophomore Lizzie Harris, who placed 15th in the finals of the high jump.

Thursday was the field portion of the NCAA Championship, where juniors Kelsey Poljansek and LeKendra Thames placed 19th and 27th respectively.

Despite not winning a national title, this year was a success for this young, talented UCF squad.

"It was nice to finish this season with five qualifiers for the NCAAs," UCF head coach Caryl Smith Gilbert said in a UCF release. "This has been a great experience to share with the team, and we hope to be back here at some point to challenge for the team championship.

"In the future, we will be able to come to nationals with higher goals. I am very proud of everybody this year."

Smith Gilbert also made headlines herself this past week, when the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced that she had been named the South Region Coach of the Year.

"I am blessed to have the opportunity to coach such a driven, dedicated group of young women," Smith Gilbert said the release. "Our athletes have worked extremely hard this season, and I am proud of their accomplishments athletically as well as away from the track."

Three returning juniors (James, Poljansek and Thomas), and one sophomore (Harris), who are all NCAA qualifiers, along with 24 returning lettermen, the Knights' foundation for next year couldn't be stronger.