The Future Runs Now- Former Florida Preps Rocking the Collegiate Ranks

by Ka'Deem Wynn

It’s always nice when you see high school athletes across the state make the decision to continue their running career at the next level. Whether they’re competing at the Division 1 level or NAIA, pursuing athletics beyond high school is the dream for some.

We’ve decided to take a look at two former Florida prep standouts that are doing big things at the collegiate level, but have also remained in state with their college of choice. In particular, we’re looking at Niceville High School alumni, Nick Morken, now at the University of North Florida, and Colonial High School alumni, Andres Arroyo, now running for the Gators at the University of Florida.

Graduating in 2014, Morken had an impressive career. While in high school, he competed at the cross country state meet all four years, and had a third-place finish as a junior. By the end of his career, Morken had run 15:05.57. In track, Morken had a bit more success. He was the 2013 3A 1600 state champion and finished second his senior year. He ended his career with a PR of 4:07.12. Though he didn’t run it often, Morken had clocked a 1:53.45 in the 800 at the FSU Relays in 2014.

Now, as an Osprey, Morken has continued to be a driving force. Coming in strong, Morken won the Atlantic Sun Conference 1500 title in 2015, running 3:50.11. That year, Morken had dropped an impressive 3:46.36 performance in the event. He’s been named the Atlantic Sun Conference Athlete Of the Week now three times during his time at UNF, the most recent two being awarded after his win at the UNF Spring Break Invite, where he ran a then personal-best time of 3:46.04, and then another one in 3:42.56 at the Pespi Florida Relays.

Last weekend was one to remember for the young Osprey. Finishing seventh in a stacked heat with his 3:42.56, the placement may not have been the highest, but the time sure was, as Morken broke UNF’s school record of 3:45.99, set by Jerry Reckart back in 2003. Morken explained that his run the week prior wasn’t a shot at the school record, but due to the fact that he’d gotten so close, he felt as though he could get it soon.

“Not to sound cocky but I felt pretty confident that I could hit that if I got in the right race with the right conditions,” Morken said in a recent interview with DyeStat Florida.

Morken had stated earlier that coming into the race at UF, he knew he didn’t make the fast heat, which is where he wanted to be. With this, his focus was to make a statement and run quick, also in an attempt to qualify for the NCAA regional meet.

“I was just more happy I won,” he said in regards to his heat. “I wasn’t really shooting for the record. I wish I would’ve been in the first heat to see how fast I really could run.”

As the season begins to heat up, Morken says that he’d like to win some conference titles, as well as have a strong showing at regionals by the time the season begins to wrap up.

When asked about how it felt to be a former Florida standout that stayed in state for school, he said that he’s proud of that.

“Collegiate athletics is no joke,” he said. “It is stressful, but I’m blessed to have the opportunity to run for a program like UNF.”

Morken is currently the leader on the Atlantic Sun Conference Outdoor Performance list in the 1500 by an eight-second margin over second place, which is teammate Tyler Stahl at 3:50.91.

Graduating in 2013, University of Florida junior Andres Arroyo had a huge finish to a rather illustrious high school career. While in high school, Arroyo was the 4A cross country state champion in 2011 and 2012, competed at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships his senior year, and finished his career with a personal-best time of 14:59.18, which he ran as a junior.

In track, he was the back-to-back state champion in both the 1600 and 3200, with Arroyo winning every single race during the season in the events, spanning from his junior to his senior year. His top times included 4:04.45 in the 1600, and 8:51.47 (which he ran by himself from start to finish) in the 3200 respectively. He also ran at the Adidas Grand Prix in New York City and ran 4:08.41 in the mile. Before running more as an individual, Arroyo was part of Colonial’s 4x800 his sophomore and junior years, with his junior year being the highlight of the two, when he anchored the relay, going 7:40.15 to win the state title in the event. With his abilities clear in the 800, Arroyo dropped a historic 1:47.79 at the Pepsi Florida Relays. To cap off his high school career, he completed the distance trifecta by tripling at the state meet, winning the 1600, 800, and 3200 respectively.

Now a Gator, Arroyo has made tremendous strides in his running career. He competed at the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships, as well as the NCAA Division 1 Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Arroyo finished second in the 800 at the SEC indoors in 2015 and 2016 (finished third outdoors), and placed eighth at the NCAA indoors in 2016, as well outdoors in 2015, respectively. He also boasts a 3:44.54 1500, and a school record of 1:46.20 in the indoor 800.

Arroyo reached a milestone in his track & field career last weekend at home, at the Pepsi Florida Relays. Arroyo had amazed his home crowd when he set the high school meet record of 1:47.79 three years ago, and he didn’t fail to disappoint this year, as he finished second in a very stacked field, running 1:45.78, which is just shy of the Gators school record of 1:44.46, set by Mark Everett back in 1988, although he did take Everett’s track record, set in 1990, as well as the Relays record, set only last year by Alex Amankwah of Alabama (1:45.91).

Arroyo says that he was expecting a sub-1:46 performance, as he had David Verburg of Adidas to rabbit the race, along with Wesley Vazquez of Nike in the race. His focus was on sticking with them.

Records are great, what could be better than that? Oh, how about a spot on an Olympic team to this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro?

With his performance, Arroyo managed to reach the qualifying standard for the Puerto Rican Olympic Team, alongside Vazquez. So far, the pair are the two of six to qualify for the team, though it’s still very early.

“Once I crossed the line and I saw a 1:45 on the board, I knew I was in,” Arroyo recalled in a recent interview with DyeStat Florida.

Arroyo was understandably very ecstatic with his performance, but he was more enthralled with the time he ran. He needed a 1:46 flat to qualify and seeing a 1:45 made everything sweeter. With Olympic qualifier now on his list of many accolades, as well as being the leader in the NCAA in the 800, Arroyo looks to keep improving his time, working hard and staying healthy for the duration of the season. As for Rio, he aspires to enjoy every second of this once in a lifetime opportunity, creating memories, along with performing at pinnacle condition against the best in the world.

“Looking back, I wouldn't say I knew I was going but that I knew that's what I was going to focus on attempting to achieve the main goal,” he said.

In three short years, Andres Arroyo went from one of the best preps in Florida’s history to one of the best that has come through Mike Holloway’s program, to an Olympian. He says that this whole journey feels like a blessing. He added that he’s continued to progress since he’s been at Florida, and looks to keep doing so.