Baylor's Tim Holmes, who finished fourth in the 400 hurdles at NCAA Division I track and field championships last month, has transferred to Florida.
Holmes, a former standout at Lakewood, made the move to be closer to his family and becauseit was a better fit for him to excel in the hurdles, said Lightning Bolt track coach Garlynn Boyd, who coached Holmes at the club level.
"TJ (Holmes) just felt this was a better fit for himself," Boyd said. "His family will be able to see him more, and the hurdling technique he will get at Florida will help him get to the nexy level."
Holmes, who will be a sophomore this upcoming season, picked Baylor over Florida when he was a senior at Lakewood in 2013. After battling hamstring injuries, Holmes came on as a freshman for the Bears during the outdoor season. Besides finishing fourth in the 400 hurdles at the NCAA meet, Holmes also ran a leg on Baylor's 4x400 relay team that placed seventh.
Holmes departure means he no longer will be running with longtime friend Trayvon Bromell, the former Gibbs standout who won the 100 meters for Baylor at the NCAA meet. Both ran together with the Lightning Bolt track club growing up and were teammates this past season with the Bears.
"TJ is extremely grateful for the opportunity that Baylor gave him," Boyd said. "This is just a move that he felt was best for him."