UM Women's Track Prepares For BIG EAST Championships
May 3, 2001
Coral Gables, FL (hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami women’s track and field team will look to win its third title in the last four seasons when it competes at the BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 4-6, in Piscataway, NJ.
All-American’s Natalie Watson (Coral Springs) and Kareen Clarke (Lithonic, GA) will lead the Hurricanes.
Watson, a senior, earned All-America honors with a fourth-place finish in the 800-meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships earlier this season. Watson currently ranks No. 1 in the BIG EAST and eighth in the nation in the 800-meters.
Clarke, a junior, also earned All-America honors at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a seventh-place finish in the triple jump. Clarke won the triple jump title at this season’s BIG EAST Indoor Championships and currently ranks No. 1 in the conference in the event this outdoor season. She currently has the nation’s fourth best mark this season.
Clarke is joined by senior Antonnikka Owens (Orlando, FL) to give Miami a powerful duo in the triple jump. Owens currently ranks 10th in the nation and third in the BIG EAST in the event.
The Hurricanes will look to a pair of freshmen standouts in the throws.Freshman Jennifer Penrose (Mesa, AR), the first UM track athlete to record an NCAA provisional mark in a throwing event, broke the UM record in the shot put this season and currently ranks third in the BIG EAST.
Miami’s other freshman phenom is Dore Madere (Dallas, TX). Madere established a new school-record in the discus this season and has recorded three meet victories. She has the second-best mark in the BIG EAST this season.
The Hurricanes will also look to sophomore Jamillah Wade (Philadelphia, PA) for points in the 400-meters, 400-meter hurdles and 4×400-meter relay. Wade currently ranks 21st in the nation in the 400-hurdles and has the second fastest time in the BIG EAST in the 400-meters.
Wade is also a member of the Hurricanes’ 4×400-meter relay with junior Jenise Winston (League City, TX), sophomore Saraque Whittaker (Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) and freshman Kitoya Carter (Miami Northwestern) that ranks 17th in the nation.
