Personal-Best Marks Surpassed, 4x400m Relay Program Record Shattered For Track And Field To Open Florida Relays

Friday, April 3

Gainesville, Fla. / James G. Pressly Stadium

University of North Florida

Florida Relays - Day 1

2025-26 North Florida Women's Track and Field - Annika Buser

Personal-Best Marks Surpassed, 4x400m Relay Program Record Shattered For Track And Field To Open Florida Relays

4/3/2026 10:30:00 PM | Men's Track, Women's Track

Results

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – North Florida Track and Field opened action with multiple personal bests and a program-record performance at the Pepsi Florida Relays at Percy Beard Track at James G. Pressly Stadium on Friday.

"The personal bests just kept coming throughout the meet. Our group is doing exactly what we need to be doing this time of the year, which is continuing to improve and get better," Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Jeff Pigg said. "The Men's 400m Hurdles was a great event for our group and I'm very proud of the way that Troy Williams and Tayeshawn Ecklund-Rochelle competed. Aiden Arnold competed and had confidence in a great run to clock a time that has always advanced to NCAA Regionals in the Men's 1500m. Ryan Douihech also ran a personal best and looked great in the event. Annika Buser ran a focused, great race with a huge personal best in the Women's 3000m Steeplechase. Cole Perry put together another great run with a personal best time in the Men's 3000m Steeplechase. Laci Watford finished off the first day of competition with a nice personal best to finish top three in the Women's 5000m. I'm really proud of the way we competed."

Graduate student Tyrell Pierce, junior Rey Hernandez, sophomore Matthew Groves and junior Avaunt Ortiz eclipsed the Men's 4x400m Relay program record for the second time this season with a time of 3:07.27, which is over three seconds faster than the previous record mark set earlier this season at the River City Relays.

Graduate student Christian Ruocco clocked a third-place time of 3:52.47 in the Men's 1500m. Redshirt senior Troy Williams ran 52.24 and freshman Tayeshawn Ecklund-Rochelle posted a 52.38 to each record personal-best times in the Men's 400m Hurdles.

Graduate student Aiden Arnold clocked a time of 3:40.80, which was only 0:00.11 seconds off the program record, to finish fifth in the Men's 1500m Invite. The time was also nearly two seconds better than his previous personal best. Senior Ryan Douihech also posted a personal-best time in the event at 3:46.06.

Junior Annika Buser crushed her previous personal-best time in the Women's 3000m Steeplechase with a second-place time of 10:38.04. Redshirt junior Cole Perry placed second with a personal-best time of 8:58.23 in the Men's 3000m Steeplechase.

Senior Laci Watford turned in a personal-best time of 17:09.86 to finish third in the Women's 5000m.

North Florida closes out the Pepsi Florida Relays at Florida's James G. Pressly Stadium on Saturday, April 4.

NORTH FLORIDA RESULTS
Women's 1500m
Ava Wyant – 9th – 4:38.91

Men's 1500m
Christian Ruocco – 3rd – 3:52.47

Women's 400m Hurdles
Katerina Natsiopoulou – 30th – 1:00.70

Men's 400m Hurdles
Troy Williams – 18th – 52.24
Tayeshawn Ecklund-Rochelle – 21st – 52.38

Men's 4x400m Relay
Tyrell Pierce, Rey Hernandez, Matthew Groves, Avaunt Ortiz – 6th – 3:07.27 (PROGRAM RECORD)

Men's 1500m Invite
Aiden Arnold – 5th – 3:40.80
Ryan Douihech – 18th – 3:46.06

Women's 3000m Steeplechase
Annika Buser – 2nd – 10:38.04

Men's 3000m Steeplechase
Cole Perry – 2nd – 8:58.23

Women's 5000m
Laci Watford – 3rd – 17:09.86