UCF's Octavious Freeman Bolts College for the Pros
Central Florida Knight Octavious Freeman competes in the women's 100 meter dash during the Gator Relays on Friday, April 6, 2012 in Gainesville. (MATT STAMEY | THE GAINESVILLE SUN)
Published: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 8:47 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 8:47 p.m.
Following her Lake Wales High School track and field career, in which she finished her senior year ranked first in the nation in both the 100 and 200 meters, Octavious Freeman had the opportunity to turn professional. At that time, she turned it down in order to attend the University of Central Florida, saying the time was not right.
Facts
FAST FREEMAN
Former UCF and Lake Wales sprinter Octavious Freeman has turned pro after signing with sports agency Icon Management, Inc. out of Atlanta. Here are some of her collegiate highlights:
- School and freshman record in the 60 meters at 7.15 seconds (2012)
- School record in the 100 meters at 10.87 (2013)
- Nine-time First-Team All-American (four-time indoor, five-time outdoor)
- Silver medalist at USA and NCAA Championships (2013)
- Two-time Conference USA Outdoor Women’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year
- Two-time Conference USA Indoor Champion (60 meter, 200 meter in 2012)
Two years later, Freeman has decided the time is now.
The five-time outdoor First-Team All-American has forgone her last two years of collegiate eligibility and has signed with Icon Management, Inc. out of Atlanta.
Freeman could not be reached for comment and agent Kimberly Holland was out of town and did not return an email. Icon Management representative Christina Sauls confirmed Freeman's signing but could not give details of her deal. Sauls did say the agency had been "looking at Freeman for some time."
Freeman is coming off of a second-place finish in the USA Championships where she clocked a personal-best 10.87 seconds on Friday. The time was the second all-time, all-dates collegiate best in order to qualify for the World Championships in Moscow Aug. 10-18. This is coming off of a second-place finish in the NCAA Championships, with a then personal-best of 11.00 earlier this month.
She will finish her collegiate career as a four-time First-Team Indoor All-American and a Five-time Outdoor First-Team All-American.
This past year, Freeman was a two-time NCAA indoor bronze medalist and All-American (60 meter and 200 meters); a two-time NCAA Outdoor silver medalist (100 meters and 4x100 relay) and a three-time All-American (100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100 relay). Freeman is also a two-time Conference USA Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. She also won the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's South Region Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year as a freshman.
Freeman burst on the scene at UCF by setting freshman and school records in the 60 meters, 100 and 200 meters. While her 200-meter time was bested this year by teammate Aurieyall Scott, Freeman still reigned supreme in the 100 meter dash and narrowly missed gold medalist honors at the NCAA and USA championships to Oregon's English Gardner.
Icon Management, which was stared in 2000, represents track standouts Damu Cherry, Shawn Crawford and LaShawn Merritt among others.
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