UM Track Heads To Florida Relays

March 28, 2001

Gainesville, FL – The University of Miami men’s and women’s track teams will compete this weekend at the Coca-Cola Florida Relays, March 28-31, in Gainesville, FL. The event, now in its 58th year, features some of the top track and field programs in the nation.

The Hurricane women will be senior Natalie Watson (Coral Spring) while the UM men will look to juniors Gus Martin (Miami Northwestern) and Jabari Ennis (Kingston, Jamaica).Watson, a two-time All-American, will compete in the 800-meters as well as the Sprint Medley with freshman Kitoya Carter (Miami Northwestern), and sophomores Jamillah Wade (Philadelphia, PA) and Saraque Whittaker (Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas).

Whittaker and Wade will also compete in the Invitational 400-meters on Saturday. Whittaker broke the school-record (54.15) in the event at the Hurricane Invitational earlier this season.

Martin and Ennis are both coming off meet victories at the FIU Invitational last weekend. Martin recorded a first-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles while Ennis took first in the pole vault.

The Hurricanes will also look to senior Joseph Mbayen (Paris, France) for strong performances in the 100-meters and 200-meters. Mbayen has recorded the team’s best times in both events this season posting performances of 10.69 in the 100-meters and 21.88 in the 200-meters.

Several Hurricanes will be traveling this weekend to the Raleigh Relays in Raleigh, NC. Junior Jeff Gaulrapp (Baldwinsville, NY) and sophomore Dan Boniface (Seattle, WA) will compete in the 3000-meter steeplechase while senior Shannon Sarabyn (Centreville, VA) will participate in the 5000-meters.

Gaulrapp and Boniface are hot off a 1-2 finish in the 3000-meter steeplechase at the Hurricane Invitational on March 17. Boniface won the event in a school-record time of 9:10.49 while Gaulrapp finished second with a time of 9:11.56.