Women's Track Heads To Georgia Tech Invitational
May 18, 2001
Coral Gables, FL – The University of Miami women’s track and field team will compete this Saturday, May 18-19, against some the top athletes in the nation at the Georgia Tech Invitational in Atlanta, GA.
The meet is the final tune-up for the Hurricanes prior to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 30-June 2, in Eugene, OR.
Leading Miami will be All-Americans Natalie Watson (Coral Springs) and Kareen Clarke (Lithonic, GA).
Watson, the 2001 BIG EAST 800-meter champion, will take on some of the toughest competition of the season in a race that will feature nine of the top-31 ranked collegians in the nation. Watson, ranked 11th in the country, will face No. 5 MaryJane Harralson (Appalachian State), No. 14 Kamille Bratton (Florida), No. 15 Kristina Bratton (Florida), No. 20 Erin Merten (Florida), No. 22 Sheena Gooding (Austin Peay State), No. 23 Nona Allen (Florida), No. 30 Melissa DeLeon (Florida) and No. 31 Laura Gerber (Florida State).
Clarke, the BIG EAST indoor and outdoor champion in the triple jump, is the highest ranked collegian jumping at this weekend’s meet. Clarke, ranked fourth among all collegians, will be challenged by some of the nation’s top jumpers including teammate Antonnikka Owens (Orlando, FL) who enters the meet ranked eighth on the NCAA list.
The Hurricanes will have three runners participating in the 400-meters including sophomore Saraque Whittaker (Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) who enters this weekend’s competition ranked 21st in the nation. Joining Whittaker will be teammates Kitoya Carter (Miami Northwestern) and Jenise Winston (League City, TX). The race will feature eight of the top-30 ranked collegians as well as Jearl Miles-Clark who currently ranks ninth in the world in the event.
Whittaker, Carter and Winston will later join sophomore Jamillah Wade (Philadelphia, PA) in the 4×400-meter relay. The UM relay is currently ranked 18th on the NCAA list and will face an impressive field including No. 1 South Carolina, No. 3 Florida, No. 11 Georgia, No. 19 Arkansas, No. 20 Notre Dame, No. 21 Florida International and No. 22 Florida State.
Wade will also run in the 400-meter hurdles. Wade, the 2001 BIG EAST Champion, is currently ranked No. 21st in the nation and will face several other top-ranked collegians including No. 10 Tawa Babatunde (Arkansas), No. 24 Nyjla Littlejohn (Clemson) and No. 26 Brandy Mack (Mississippi). The race will also feature world record holder Kim Batten as well as three-time Olympian Tonja Buford-Bailey.
Also competing for Miami this weekend will be freshman Jennifer Penrose (Mesa, AZ) in the shot put and sophomore Gina Harris (Philadelphia, PA) in the long jump.
