BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- There's nothing quite like a competitive 4x400 relay race to bring a meet to a close and rivals Florida State and Florida delivered just that Saturday in the final event of UAB Blazer Invitational at the Birmingham Crossplex Arena.

The matchup of relay teams returning at least three legs from last year's first- and third-place finishes at the NCAA Indoor Championship meet did not disappoint, despite the fact that rival Florida (3:06.11) edged the Seminole quartet of Alonzo Russell, Michael Cherry, Dentarius Locke and James Harris (3:07.7).

"It was the way an indoor meet should end," Florida State coach Bob Braman said.

Cherry, a freshman competing in his first meet (and event), matched Harris for the fastest relay split (46.1) as the Seminoles registered the No. 8 time in school history, a mark that should also qualify the `Noles for the 2014 NCAA Indoor Championships.

The women's 4x400 relay produced the same outcome, as the Seminole quartet ofElizabeth Ichite, Marsha Ariol, Sydnee Over and Sarah Chandler ran a respectable season-opening time of 3:46.02, which trailed only Florida.

There were several strong performances on the final day of competition, including more success for the Seminoles' throwers. Senior Chelsea Whalen and redshirt freshmanKellion Knibb registered indoor career-best marks in the shot put to place third and fourth, respectively. Whalen, FSU's outdoor school record-holder, marginally improved her previous indoor best with a third-place throw of 15.83 meters (51-11.25). Knibb, who sat out the indoor season last year and changed her technique from rotational to glide, came up with an all-conditions best mark of 15.56m (51-0.75).