Nov. 10, 2008
Tallahassee, Fla. — Members of Florida State’s national championship men’s track and field team will travel to Washington D.C. on Tuesday and will be honored at the White House by President George W. Bush on Wednesday afternoon.
The Seminoles have won three straight NCAA outdoor men’s championships and 11 of the 2008 NCAA qualifiers along with head coach Bob Braman, four assistant coaches, and former FSU head coach Terry Long will join FSU Director of Athletics Randy Spetman on the White House trip.
The Florida State contingent will gather at Mike Long track Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m. and fly to Washington D.C. The Seminoles will visit the Smithsonian Institute on Tuesday afternoon before a team dinner on Tuesday night.
Florida State’s travel party will arrive at the White House at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday for a tour and will be honored by President Bush at a reception and lunch on the South Lawn at 3:30.
“It is a great opportunity for these athletes to be able to visit the nation’s capital and be honored by the President,” said FSU head coach Bob Braman. “It is certainly not something you take for granted and one of the special events that goes along with winning a national championship. Not only are we bringing some of the finest track and field athletes in the country, but there are a number of very highly accomplished students in our FSU contingent as well. I would love to make this a regular stop.”
The Florida State travel party will return to Tallahassee on Wednesday night.
FSU Track Team Travel Party
Gonzalo Barroilhet SO Decathlon Santiago, Chile
Drew Brunson SR Hurdles, Jumps Snellville, GA
Mark Buckingham SR Distance Huddersfield, England
Brandon Byram SO Sprints, Long Jump Gallatin, TN
Brian Chibudu SO Jumps Harare, Zimbabwe
Charles Clark JR Sprints Virginia Beach, VA
Javier Garcia-Tunon SR Sprints, Hurdles Miami, FL
Luke Gunn SR Distance, Steeplechase Derby, England
Hubert Mitchell SR Sprints W. Palm Beach, FL
Pablo Navarrete SO Sprints, Mid-Distance Santiago, Chile
Ray Taylor SR Jumps Sanguinetti, Jamaica
Bob Braman Head Coach
Harlis Meadors Assistant Head Coach
Karen Harvey Head Women’s Cross Country Coach, Assistant Track Coach
Ken Harnden Assistant Coach
Dennis Nobles Assistant Coach
itineary
tuesday
7:45 Flight departs tallahassee
11:48 fsu party arrives dulles airport
4:15-6:00 fsu party tours smithsonian institute
7:00 team dinner
wednesday
12:15 fsu party departs for white house
1:00 fsu party tours white house
3:00 photo opportunity with president bush
3:30 president’s address and lunch on south lawn
10:50 fsu party arrives in tallahassee