by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
The 2019 University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame class, announced by the University Athletic Association and Gator F Club, included distance runner Becki Wells Staley among their eight inductees.
The inductees were honored on Friday, October 4, 2019 on the eve of the Florida vs. Auburn football game.
Each inductee was considered a Gator Great and defined as a letter winner who has brought recognition and prominence to the University and themselves by athletic accomplishments as a student-athlete.
“To be selected as one of the best athletes to have attended the University of Florida is a honor considering they are the only program to rank in the top 10 of the last 36 IMG College Sports Directors Cup All Sports Standings,” said Becki. “It speaks to the multitude of amazing athletes that walk thru the doors of UF every year. I’m humbled to be considered on the best to have competed for Florida considering their rich athletic tradition.”
“As a Hall of Fame class we collaborated for five national titles and two of those were mine and represent UF Track and Field. Kisha Jett and I were inducted and we ran together at UF and really did some amazing things during our time spent as Gators,” added Becki.
Becki Wells was a letter winner at the University of Florida in Track and Cross Country between 1995 and 1997. She was a two-time NCAA champion, winning the 1997 mile at the NCAA Indoor Championships and the 1997 1,500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She was a five-time All-American in Track, as well as a 1995 All-American in Cross Country with a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Wells won the 1995 and 1996 SEC Cross Country titles and was a six-time SEC champion in Track. She held Florida’s mile and 1,500 meters school records for 13 years. She also helped the Gators sweep the Indoor and Outdoor SEC team titles in 1997, as well as consecutive SEC team Cross Country titles in 1996 and 1997.
Becki Wells was a 13-time NCAA DI All-American at Alabama and Florida. She was also a 20-time North Dakota state champion in Track and Cross Country at Dickinson High School. Her personal records are 4:12 for 1,500 meters and 4:32 for the mile. After college she was an Olympic Trials qualifier and ran professionally for Nike and Reebok.
Becki is currently the assistant Cross Country/Track and Field coach at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota.
