Behind a win from Karen Freberg in the shot put, the University of Florida women's track and field team is tied for third place with 25 points heading into the final day of the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Gator men's track and field team is in fifth place with 21.50 points.

Arkansas leads both the men's and the women's meets. The Lady 'Backs are in first with 35 points, followed by South Carolina with 34. For the men, the Razorbacks are leading with 38 points, followed by LSU with 28 and South Carolina with 27.50.

Freberg notched the first win for either Gator team in the Championships, throwing an automatic qualifying mark of 16.62m/54-6.50 to win her first SEC title and fourth straight win in the event. Also scoring for the Gators were Kim Barrett in third place (16.25m/53-3.75), Dore DeBartolo in fourth place (15.86m/52-0.50) and LaQuanda Cotten in fifth place (15.70m/51-6.25), all of whose marks were provisional qualifiers. Barrett's mark was an improvement of the fourth-best mark in school history, while Cotten's mark was good for sixth all-time at UF.

"[The throwers] did exactly what we thought they would do, said Gator women's head coach Tom Jones. "We're still in it. We have to have a good day tomorrow. Our kids have to come out with some intensity."

Andrea Bliss flew past the competition in the 55m hurdles, leading all athletes with a time of 7.66, just .02 second off an automatic qualifying mark and the fourth-best time in school history. Also moving on to the finals were Faith Rein and Novlene Williams in the 400m dash. Rein's provisional-qualifying time of 54.02 was good for fourth overall, while Williams was right behind, finishing fifth in a time of 54.09, which is also a provisional qualifier. Kristina Bratton rounded out those athletes who advanced to the finals with an eighth-place mark of 2:11.74 in the 800m.

For the men, Jeff Rubenstein and Brian DaCunha were the high finishers for the Gators, both placing third. Rubenstein's provisional-qualifying mark of 18.33m/60-1.75 in the shot put is an improvement on his fifth-place mark in school history, while DaCunha added points in the pole vault, clearing 5.25m/17-2.75. Alex Harris' long jump of 7.63m/25-0.50 is good for seventh in school history and is a provisional qualifier. Also scoring for the Gators were Stephen Zieminski in the 3,000m (8^th, 8:19.84) and Paul Condron in the pole vault (T4th, 16-8.75).

In the preliminaries of the 55m hurdles, Josh Walker led all Gators with a provisional qualifying time of 7.27, while Chris Carswell (7.37) and Dwight Ruff (7.38) also advanced to the finals on Sunday with their provisional times. Ahmad Jasmine's time of 6.24 in the 55m dash ties him for seventh place in school history and was fast enough to put him in the finals. Other UF athletes who advanced to Sunday's finals were Rickey Harris in the 400m dash (47.67) and Kyle Farmer (21.21) and Jasmine (21.40) in the 200m dash.

"I thought we had a wonderful day. The thing I really liked was that everyone came out and competed hard," said Florida men's track and field head coach Mike Holloway. "Overall, there wasn't anybody who went to the line for the Gators that didn't put his heart and soul on the line, and that's what I asked them to do."

Sunday's action begins at 10 a.m. with the men's weight throw, while the finals of the 55m hurdles begins at 1 p.m.

Women (1): Karen Freberg - shot put, 16.62m/54-06.50

Women (1): Karen Freberg - shot put, 16.62m/54-06.50

Men (8): Alex Harris - long jump, 7.63m/25-00.50; Jeff Rubenstein - shot put, 18.33m/60-01.75; Chris Carswell - 55m hurdles, 7.37; Josh Walker - 55m hurdles, 7.27; Dwight Ruff - 55m hurdles, 7.38; Rickey Harris - 55m hurdles, 7.39; Ahmad Jasmine - 55m, 6.24, 200m, 21.40; Kyle Farmer - 200m, 21.21

Women (6): Andrea Bliss - 55m hurdles, 7.66; Kim Barrett - shot put, 16.25m/53-03.75; Dore DeBartolo - shot put, 15.86m/52-00.50; LaQuanda Cotten - shot put, 15.70m/51-6.25; Faith Rein - 400m, 54.02; Novlene Williams - 400m, 54.09

1) Arkansas 35

2) South Carolina 34

3) Georgia 25

5) Auburn 13

6) Mississippi St. 8

7) Kentucky 7

8) Vanderbilt 5

9) Alabama 2

10) Mississippi 1

10) LSU 1

Men

1) Arkansas 38

2) LSU 28

3) South Carolina 27.50

3) Auburn 27.50

6) Tennessee 20

7) Kentucky 14

8) Georgia 12

9) Mississippi St. 3

10) Alabama 2.50

11) Mississippi 1