AUSTIN -- Florida wrapped up the first day of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships by breaking the meet and facility records in the men's 4x400m, running 2:58.62, at Mike A. Myers stadium.

Florida entered the meet as the top seeded squad, having run a world-leading 2:57.76 at the SEC Championships on May 13, so the end result was hardly surprising. But the Gators actually found themselves trailing Arizona State after the first two legs. 

But all doubt was put to rest when Jacory Patterson got the stick for the leg, rounding the track in 44.71 before handing off to anchor Ryan Willie with the lead. Willie split 44.53 on the final lap and crossed in sub-2:59.

The time broke Florida's meet record of 2:58.88 from last year and lowered the facility mark of 2:58.82 set by Georgia at the Texas Relays in April.

MEET RECORD TO WRAP UP THE DAY 👀🐊#NCAATF x @GatorsTF pic.twitter.com/qkUkyLPyCQ

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 8, 2023

Arizona State wound up second to Florida in the heat in 2:59.14, getting a blistering 43.55 anchor from Jeremiah Curry, to auto qualify for Friday's final. Curry's split was the only sub-44 of the day.

Heat 1 of the event also saw some fast times as Alabama edged out Clemson for the victory, 2:59.24 to 2:59.78. Alabama anchor Khaleb McRae split 44.10 to hold off Clemson's Tarees Rhoden (44.43).

Advancing to the final out of Heat 2 were Arkansas (3:00.97) and Georgia (3:01.51).